Mole Valley Poets

What we offer

A supportive space in which members can hone their poetic skills and learn from each other.
An opportunity to explore different styles and schools of poetry through sessions led by members.
Opportunities to participate in public events – e.g. poetry pubs, library readings.
A link to the Poetry Society as a member of a Poetry Stanza.
Regular monthly meetings.
Workshops with established poets.

Regular attendance at meetings whether one is presenting or not.
Periodic contributions to the educational portion of the evening by making a presentation on a poet or some aspect of poetry and responding to presentations.
Engagement in active listening of fellow members' poetry.
Constructive criticism of fellow members' poetry in workshop sessions.
Acceptance of constructive criticism as tools we employ to improve our own work.
To be active poets in that we not only write poetry but we study it, pay attention to what's going on in journals and magazines.
Payment of dues in a timely fashion (currently £20 pa due in January each year, arrangements for part years for new members available).

We treat poetry as a craft, we treat our own poems as artefacts which can be improved.
Self expression and performance are both elements of poetry but these are not the focus of the monthly meetings.
Our monthly meetings are not performances but workshops where the hard work of craft is learned.
The group works best when each member commits to sustaining the group as a place of both support and critique.
Opportunities to perform and reach a wider audience are provided through Poetry Pubs and other events.