Portsmouth Poetry Society at 50

 The Portsmouth Poetry Society will be celebrating its 50th year, which was really last year, with a reading at St. Francis Church, Hilsea, PO2 9LX next Tuesday, 19th at 7.30. Anybody in the area with an interest in poetry is invited, and encouraged, to attend. It is free and even Calliope, the accompanying book of poems by members is only £2.

An even more attractive selling point is that I won't be in it. I'm not sure I'm not doubting that decision and I should really be doing it but once one has decided that one doesn't have to read one's poems out loud in public or even see them in print, it is a weight off one's mind. I was glad to hear of Derek Mahon's abdication from the lectern or microphone. He was a model one could do far worse than imitate and I took it as some sort of endorsement. It's stagefright, it's false modesty, it's no longer seeing the point.

But if poetry is not quite the raison d'etre it once was for me, I'm glad it is for those of PPS. The meetings and programme have retained very much the same format as they had when I first attended in 1982. It doesn't need to change, and shouldn't, because it works. It's never been broke and don't need fixing. Inclusive, sympathetic and with no artistic agenda, having been to other groups in other cities many years ago, I never found one as easy access, supportive and resourceful as them.