Dear Poet,
Thank you so much for your interest in this project. It was originally developed as a 5-pack postal poetry course for Lewisham-based writers, with support and feedback. After the success of the project, we are making it available for free online, for anyone who wishes to undertake the exercises (although there will be no feedback available).
My name is Jamie Hale, and I’m an internationally award-winning nature poet. I was one of the winners of the London Writers’ Awards in 2018, and have been published in multiple magazines. I am currently finishing my first poetry pamphlet and collection, and I run lots of different poetry workshops.
This course is free, with the development funded by Lewisham Council, and supported by Spread the Word. It is designed to help people start (or continue, or return to) reading and writing poetry, and to feel like part of a community even if you can’t get out much. The five themes will be:
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Past Lewisham – using old photos, we’ll explore how Lewisham used to look and write nature (‘pastoral’) poetry
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Homes – real and imaginary homes you’ve had, and writing a ballad (a story poem with rhyme and rhythm)
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Lewisham now – writing haiku (short, three line poems) exploring what Lewisham is like – the bad and the good
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Future Lewisham – writing poems whose lines spell out words vertically, exploring dreams for a future Lewisham
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The meaning of home – writing sonnets (rhyming love poems) about what home means to us individually
This course will contain five packs of poetry exercises for you to either print and fill out or fill out in the document.
They’re Lewisham-based, but there’s no obligation to write about Lewisham – if you want to pick a different place – please do. This is about freedom and writing.
Remember, there’s no right or wrong with poetry – and have fun!
Download the pack here