‘A Life in Verse’ – the collected works of Patrick Early

December 8, 2023
A wonderful compilation of Patrick’s poems, published by Our Glass Publishing

The Early family treated a large audience to readings from this fabulous book on Thursday 7th at St Alfege Church Hall in Greenwich.

I was so happy to be asked to help organise and co-host the event. Patrick’s poetry is so accessible and yet so profound. He died almost exactly three years ago and is so missed… His wife Stephanie put together this collection, a true labour of love. And their children, grandchildren, other relatives and close friends took part by reading some of the thematically arranged poems.

Patrick remembering his childhood under the Raj, his father and grandfather, his later travels both for leisure and work. The latter in particular, taking him and family to different countries for the British Council. The conflict in the former Yugoslavia, his beloved Ireland, France… and eventually older age in Greenwich, where he and Stephanie lived for many years.

There was some beautiful singing by one of Patrick and Stephanie’s granddaughters, accompanied on the guitar by her father, her voice pitch perfect.

Despite the sadness inherent in the event, there was a lot of laughter (Patrick’s wry sense of humour surfacing often) and smiles, and palpable love and admiration for the man and the poet.

Events

TUESDAY MARCH 4 at West Greenwich Library, at 7.30
“In His Own Voice: Geoffrey’s Grigson’s Poetry”
A special evening on the poetry and the creative, colourful and influential life of Geoffrey Grigson (1905-1985). With his daughter Caroline Grigson, grandson Joe Banks and poets Graham High, Blake Morrison, and poet and editor John Greening.

Free event with refreshments (donations welcome) and books on sale. Texts will be projected on screen. Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30 start.

Geoffrey Grigson lived and worked through amazing times, culturally and politically, and was a prolific poet, writer, critic and editor. At the centre of English intellectual life, he knew the poetry grandees of his days and greatly admired those of the past. When he was only 27, he founded the bi-monthly journal ‘New Verse’, thus becoming hugely influential in the poetry world. He wrote over 500 poems himself, and on March 4, 1968 he recorded a number of them, which we’re going to hear in the course of the evening (exactly 57 years later!) – as well as many stories about him and his life. Other works have been selected and will be read by poets Blake Morrison, Graham High, John Greening (who also edited an anthology of Grigson’s works), by Grigson’s daughter Caroline Banks, Frances High and myself.

TUESDAY MARCH 25 at West Greenwich Library – ‘Mica Press launch: new poetry from Rosie Johnston, Michael Vince and Antony Johae.’ With Nayma Chanchoun, Michael Foley and Leslie Bell.

TUESDAY MAY 13 at West Greenwich Library – ‘Maggie and Maggie’. Same name, different voices: poetry from Maggie Butt and Maggie Harris.

TUESDAY JUNE 24 at West Greenwich Library – ‘Telltale Poets: Sarah Barnsley, Robin Houghton and Peter Kenny’