An online reading group (at 4pm on the last friday of each month) that focuses on poems we feel relate to Utopias Bach's concerns in some way. We will take it in turn to circulate a poem (nothing too long!) and then meet online to discuss it.

If you are interested in taking part in this meeting, we are discussing a poem chosen by Elinor Gwynn (see below), together with some of Elinor’s own poems that she’ll read on the night. Elinor says “Pruning in Frost by the Devonshire-based, poet-gardener Alice Oswald. I've chosen this one partly because I'm reminded of it every day by seeing the overgrown apple trees calling out for attention here at home. It's also a poem that one of my research participants mentioned specifically as an example of the way poetry can work on people and shape their appreciation of, and relationship with the environment”

The group will meet over zoom. The zoom link is the same as always: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85409719450?pwd=d1VaRktoY1QveTZWSDdaUDVKQWRkQT09

Meeting ID: 854 0971 9450

Passcode: 398362

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Pruning in Frost - Alice Oswald

Last night, without a sound,
a ghost of a world lay down on a world,

trees like dream-wrecks
coralled with increments of frost.

Found crevices
and wound and wound
the clock-spring cobwebs.

All life’s ribbon frozen mid-fling.

Oh I am
stone thumbs,
feet of glass.

Work knocks in me the winter’s nail.

I can imagine
Pain, turned heron,
could fly off slowly in a creak of wings.

And I’d be staring, like one of those
cold-holy and granite kings,
getting carved into this effigy of orchard.