Dove Cottage report

Tuesday evening at Dove Cottage, Wordsworth Trust, in Grasmere went very very well indeed.
There was a responsive audience and a warm interested atmosphere. Jackie Kay is really spirited and her reading was greatly enjoyed by all, I can safely say that!
I met old friends; Bill Gilson, Margaret and Peter Whyte, Pamela Woof and new ones too; Andrew Forster, Adam O'Riordan the resident poet, Nick Drake another poet and writer as well as the new Director Michael MacGregor. It was lovely and I had a wonderful time. Thank you all!
Afterwards the audience and participants can go to dinner across the road in an Italian restaurant and it creates a tremendous opportunity for people to meet one another and continue talking about either the event or move on to other subjects. I found myself talking about Northumberland where I live and longingly of Provincetown, Cape Cod where I used to live.
As a reading place it is unique in England. A consistently super attentive audience, a great environment, beautiful country and good company at dinner and delicious food. What else could one ask for?
In Person the 45 mins film version I think was appreciated and I heard some good responses where people had found it inspiring to hear and see the poets read as if to them individually.
The room in the B and B overlooked the surrounding mountains and I could even see a bit of Grasmere lake. Such a pleasant place to present work. I have to say Thank you again!
You can also go on a tour of Dove cottage itself and the Jerwood Center library and collections and special exhibitions. We saw the magnificent Turner watercolors when we came down with Moniza Alvi in the summer. This time I took the cottage tour again and a knowledgeable man named Peter took us around and told us many interesting facts and historic details from the Wordsworths life there. I found myself imagining a film set there in low light of course, fires and candles, and wondered what I would do to evoke the specialness of being there. If ever in Grasmere you must visit! I insist.
Today Andrew Forster the Literature Officer at Dove Cottage and organizer of the reading series is himself at an important event. He has been shortlisted for the Forward First Collection Prize and we wish him the best of luck!