Ex-headmaster Patrick Osada returns for Chichester poetry night

He is the author of six poetry collections, most recently From the Family Album, which he will be reading from on the night.

Open Mic organiser Barry Smith said: “It’s a pleasure to welcome Patrick back to Chichester. On his previous visit a couple of years ago, the local electricity sub-station exploded plunging the New Park into darkness. Not to be deterred, we all moved over to the bar area where there was an emergency light. Patrick stood in this pool of light to read his poems while the audience gathered in a circle in the semi-darkness. It was certainly a remarkably dramatic occasion, especially as his new book was called How the Light Gets In! We hope things will go more smoothly this time.”

Patrick Osada is a retired headteacher, who works as an editor and reviewer of poetry for magazines. For ten years, he helped to run SOUTH Poetry Magazine, one of the longest running poetry magazines in England and recently retired as its reviews editor. He has been writing poetry all his adult life. His first success came with a prize-winning poem in a national poetry competition. This gave him the confidence to submit his work more widely, leading to regular publication of his poetry in many of the leading poetry magazines. Patrick's first collection, Close to the Edge was published in 1996 by The National Poetry Foundation, winning the Rosemary Arthur Award and was submitted for The Forward Prize. His current collection, From the Family Album, is published by East View Publishing.

Patrick said: “After the death of my parents some years ago, I spent some time sorting through boxes and albums of family photographs. It occurred to me that, amongst my poems, I also had a sort of autobiography and a record of family life. Gathering together new and previously unpublished poems, together with some poems from my previous collections, I constructed From the Family Album. The book covers my early life growing up in Gloucester; family life: relatives, children, granddchildren and family pets. Like all family albums, there is also a section devoted to holidays and travel.”

Barry added: “After Patrick’s reading, local poets will have the chance to share the spotlight as they read their own new poems. We’re constantly delighted by the range and quality of the writing presented at the open mic. And our audiences are always supportive, so newcomers can be sure of a warm response. It all adds up to a stimulating evening.” Open Mic Poetry, Wednesday November 30, 7.30pm, Jubilee Hall, New Park Centre, Chichester, PO19 7XY. Entrance £5 on the door. For further information see www.chichesterpoetry.simplesite.com For more about Patrick's work, visit : www.poetry-patrickosada.co.uk