Local poets celebrate England to mark National Poetry Day

Local poets have celebrated their regions to mark National Poetry Day.

Following the theme of ‘truth’, writers from across England have chosen subjects including an elephant evacuee in Shropshire, the secret missions of baby eels in Somerset and the dramatic industrial skyline of Tesside, which inspired Sir Ridley Scott’s classic 1982 science fiction film Blade Runner.

The poets include Young People’s Laureate for London, Theresa Lola, the Grand Bard of Exeter, Kimwei McCarthy and the Derby County Football poet, Jamie Thrasivoulou.

The 13 poems will  be broadcast on the BBC’s regional stations on Thursday for National Poetry Day.

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Each poem offers insights into the “hidden truths” of the towns and communities of England, organisers said.

Susannah Herbert, executive director, Forwards Arts Foundation said: “National Poetry Day is a chance to put a collective ear to the ground, hear what really matters to people and share it in a form that everyone can enjoy – verse.

“BBC Local Radio’s listeners’ love of vivid, memorable language, their delight in their dialects, their pride in their traditions of welcome, are all honoured in this year’s #HomeTruths initiative.

“They say it takes a village to raise a child: maybe the same is true of poetry. It takes a county, a city, an entire country to create a poem.”

This is the fourth year that National Poetry Day is partnering with BBC Local Radio. Last year’s theme was change.