Eastbourne poet in Chichester - "the political is always personal and the personal always political"

Open Mic organiser Barry Smith said: “Clare is a London/ Berlin/Eastbourne-based writer, poet, life coach, linguist and teacher and the author of three poetry collections: Federal Gods (Palewell Press 2022), The Oranges of Revolution (Smokestack Books 2015) and Copyrighting War and other Business Sins (Olympia Publishers 2011).

“It’s a pleasure to welcome her to Chichester. She is well-known in the poetry community for adding her voice to causes that matter, where speaking up can make a difference to people’s lives. Her work has featured in various national and international anthologies including The Cry of the Poor (Culture Matters 2021), The Robin Hood Book – Verse versus Austerity (Caparison Books 2012) and Emergency Verse – Poetry in Defence of the Welfare State (Caparison Books 2011).”

Looking ahead to her Chichester visit, Clare said: “My latest book Federal Gods is based on my experiences of volunteer-teaching in an emergency asylum home in Berlin during the 2015-17 immigration wave against the backdrop of Brexit, the rise of UKIP and widespread media misinformation. In 2015, Germany opened its doors to almost one million refugees despite increasingly right-wing opinion being voiced across the continent. People were fleeing war, persecution and corruption. And yet, many countries turned their backs.

“Political poetry can get a bit of a Marmite ride in the literary world. But the thing is, the political is always personal and the personal always political. And when treated aesthetically, you can bridge that gap with any subject matter if the aim is to create connection and dialogue. The media decides whether a crisis exists or vanishes from the world stage. It cherry-picks, and the public follows. Ask yourself why Ukrainian asylum seekers are getting a very different reception to Syrians who were escaping full-on civil war, and you might find the answer somewhat uncomfortable. Federal Gods documents a series of immigration stories, interactions and personal anecdotes in poetic form, our lives finely intertwined precisely because we all are human beings with the same fundamental needs and desires – and because history repeats itself unrelentingly unless we learn from our mistakes.”

Barry added: “After Clare’s readings, 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, bringing great new poetry to the city.”

Open Mic Poetry, Wednesday, October 26, 7.30pm, New Park Centre, Chichester, PO19 7XY. £5 on the door. www.chichesterpoetry.simplesite.com