Speakeasy #16 at Artistry featured two very different, excellent, inspiring poets, George Szirtes and Ng Yi Sheng.
Apart from being a TS Eliot prize winning poet, George, is a Manchester Utd supporter. He also delivered a wonderful response to Jeremy Paxman's statement that poetry should aim to 'engage with ordinary people much more'.
I really enjoyed listening and engaging with his poem, Madhouse.
George has written a fine summary of the evening - full of warm and open insights - here on his blog.
Ng Yi Sheng is one of the leading poets in Singapore and won the Singapore Literature Prize for Last Boy in 2006.
His mother was in the audience and I bought her a pot of camomile tea. Yi Sheng tore off his T Shirt and performed 'A Loud Poem to be Read to a Very Obliging Audience', which climaxed in a crescendo of energy and action, and then levelled off to end in self destruction. Afterwards I poured his mother another cup of tea.
Yi Sheng has an illuminating tumblr East is Everywhere which explores the mix and mingling of 'Asian' cultures.
Speakeasy returns to Artistry Cafe next year.