by Sal Bright

The Langley Poetry Festival ( organised by small press magazine Purple Patch) saw the launch of an sf poetry anthology on Saturday 26 June 1999. During the afternoon, to mark the publication, a talk and reading was held.

Chaired by the editor, Steve Sneyd, the talk started with an introduction to sf poetry for the audience. This started with readings from Byron and Shelley and continued by showing the breadth of the genre, using examples from major mainstream poet Edwin Morgan and Hawkwind lyricist Robert Calvert. The readings were mostly done by John F Haines who, as well as being a noted genre poet, edits the sf poetry news-sheet, "Handshake".

The new collection, titled "Dreamers on the Sea of Fate", contains verse by Michael Moorcock, Robert Holdstock, Brian Stableford, and others. Whilst these were not present, Steve and John both read a selection of poems from the anthology. However, Publisher Malcolm E Wright and Peterborough SF Writers' Group member Cardinal Cox were on hand to read their own contributions, the Cardinal's being the title poem of the booklet.

While I knew next to nothing about sf poetry, I found it interesting to see the work of some well known authors alongside names I did not recognise.

For more information about "Dreamers on the Sea of Fate", send an sae to Sol publications, 24 Fowler Close, Southend-on-sea, SS1 2RD.
Visit their web-site.

For more information about "Handshake", send an sae to 5 Cross Farm, Station Road, Padgate, Warrington, WA2 0QG.