A Creative Weekend, Update

So, then. Saturday.

Networking With Artists - A Sestina

by Alex Greene

Copyright © Alex Greene, 2011.

My unfit body struggled on this final Saturday
Of October 2011, to attend the meeting, of a network
Of creative types being established in Wrexham,
On the University premises. Every kind of artist
Was welcomed. I came to represent Writing,
Blogging, word mastery and, most of all, Poetry.

Beforehand in the Library I'd printed some poetry
And prose. It was crowded there, for a Saturday;
Families and kids winding up half term. My writing
Printed up, sadly I arrived late at the network
Meeting, but still managed to get a place beside artist
And singer, librettist and designer. The creatives of Wrexham

Gathered under a grass roof. The cream of Wrexham's
Musical and sound talents. But nobody else with poetry
Or short stories. I felt alone there, as an artist
Of the spoken word among the singers on this Saturday,
Wondering whether there was any use in this network
For someone like me, with my skills in writing

To paint worlds of experience and strangeness. Writing
In prose and poem is a neglected art in Wrexham,
Which is a shame, because we writers need a network
To share insights with like minds, to read our poetry,
To speak, rather than sing. But this afternoon in Saturday,
I sat and learned of their plans to bring together artist

And musician and singer together in this Network.
I listened as they interviewed a librettist, an artist
Of opera, as he spoke of the sense of undying poetry
That his art form can engender. He spoke of writing
Operas which could bring together the people of Wrexham,
Communicating and celebrating culture and spirit. Before this Saturday

Little incentive existed to create, let alone this network
Of local artists. Now, a possible new venue for collaborative writing
Has arisen, and the part of my soul that is an artist
Found myself wondering about new opportunities opening in Wrexham
For potential audiences to recite their short stories and poetry.
All of this, under a grass roof, on a grey, rainy Saturday.

And so I joined this network, in hopes that my writing
Will gain me recognition as an artist and an author in Wrexham.
A day of hope for poetry, for creativity, on this Saturday.