We had a very enjoyable reading on Saturday afternoon in St Albans Library and on Zoom to launch "A Staircase in Mid-Air", our anthology marking 60 years of Ver Poets. ​ We were joined by four of our recent Open Competition judges—Julia Webb, Rory Waterman, Adrian Buckner and Merryn Williams.

We're launching our 60th anniversary anthology at 2pm on Saturday 16th May in St Albans Library and on Zoom. Book free places in the Library here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1988681998..., or get a link to attend the event online here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1988682482....

We're launching our 60th anniversary anthology at 2pm on Saturday 16th May in St Albans Library and on Zoom. Book free places in the Library here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1988681998..., or get a link to attend the event online here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1988682482....

Here's a piece about poetic inspiration that I've written for "Just Beauty". My thanks to Simon Bowden for inviting me to contribute. www.justbeautyportal.com/just-art/whe...

There's only a week left to enter your poems for the Ver Poets Open Competition 2026, judged by Vanessa Lampert. It closes on 30th April. #poetrycompetitions #poetrycontests #poetrycommunity

With less than a week to go, we're looking forward to hearing The Booming Lovelies read in St Albans Library on Saturday. It's free & open to all and there will be an open mic at the end (sign up on the day from 10.30). #spokenwordpoetry #openmic #poetrycommunity #spokenpoetry

Only two weeks left to enter your poems for the Ver Poets Open Competition 2026, judged by Vanessa Lampert. It closes on 30th April.

Jeanette Burton's poem, "My mum accidentally leaves me a seven-minute message on WhatsApp", was commended in the Ver Poets Open Competition 2025, judged by Rory Waterman. This year's competition, judged by Vanessa Lampert, closes on 30th April. For details see: verpoets.wixsite.com/verpoets/com....

Only three weeks left to enter your poems for the Ver Poets Open Competition 2026, judged by Vanessa Lampert. It closes on 30th April.

The Booming Lovelies – Heather Moulson, Trisha Broomfield and Sharron Green – will be our guests on Saturday 25th April at 11.00 am in St Albans Library. ​ Sign up on the day from 10.30 am for the open mic (first come, first served). The event is free and open to all.

There's only a month to go to enter your poems for this year's Ver Poets Open Competition, judged by Vanessa Lampert. The closing date is 30th April. Entry details are on our website at: verpoets.wixsite.com/verpoets/com...

Kathy Pimlott's poem, "How I do the grieving a few years on", was commended in the Ver Poets Open Competition 2025, judged by Rory Waterman. To enter this year's competition, which will be judged by Vanessa Lampert, go to verpoets.wixsite.com/verpoets/com.... The closing date is 30th April.

We had a full house on Wednesday for our evening of poetry at The Saint & Sinner in St Albans, when our featured poet was John Hussey. Our thanks to John and all the other excellent readers, as well as to everyone who came to support the event.

Just a week to go to our open mic at The Saint & Sinner in St Albans on Wednesday 18th March at 7.30 pm. #spokenwordpoetry #openmic #poetrycommunity #spokenpoetry

Alison Allen's poem, "High Fliers", was commended in the Ver Poets Open Competition 2025, judged by Rory Waterman. To enter this year's competition, which will be judged by Vanessa Lampert, visit our website at: verpoets.wixsite.com/verpoets/com.... The closing date is 30th April.

We were very pleased to have Mat Riches and Matthew Stewart read to us in St Albans on Saturday. This poem is from Mat's pamphlet, "Collecting the Data", published by Red Squirrel Press.

We were very pleased to have Matthew Stewart and Mat Riches read to us in St Albans on Saturday. This poem is from Matthew's latest book, "Whatever you do, just don't", published by HappenStance Press.

Join us at The Saint & Sinner pub in St Albans on Wednesday 18th March at 7.30 pm for an evening of open-mic poetry, when our featured poet will be John Hussey. It's free and open to all. Sign up on the night from 7.00 pm, if you want to read, or come early just to enjoy some food and drink.

Only two months left to enter the Ver Poets Open Competition, judged by Vanessa Lampert. It closes on 30th April.

We were delighted to welcome Matthew Stewart and Mat Riches to our reading in St Albans Library on Saturday morning. Matthew's latest book, "Whatever you do, just don't", is published by HappenStance Press. Mat's pamphlet, "Collecting the Data", is published by Red Squirrel Press.

Don't forget that Matthew Stewart and Mat Riches will be reading to us tomorrow (Saturday) in St Albans Library at 11.00 am. It's free and open to all with an open mic at the end (sign up on the day from 10.30 am).

Richard Side's poem, "Way to go", was highly commended in the Ver Poets Open Competition 2025, judged by Rory Waterman. To enter this year's competition, which will be judged by Vanessa Lampert, visit our website at: verpoets.wixsite.com/verpoets/com.... The closing date is 30th April.

In less than a week, we'll be welcoming Matthew Stewart and Mat Riches, who are reading to us in St Albans Library on Saturday 28th February at 11.00am. It's free and open to all with an open mic at the end (sign up on the day from 10.30am; first come, first served).

Entries are invited for the Ver Poets Open Competition 2026, judged by Vanessa Lampert, with prizes of £600, £300 and £100. Winning and selected poems will be published in the competition anthology. The closing date is 30th April. Details are on our website at: verpoets.wixsite.com/verpoets/com....

Just two weeks to go to the reading by Matthew Stewart and Mat Riches in St Albans Library on Saturday 28 February at 11.00am. It's free and open to all with an open mic at the end (sign up on the day from 10.30am; first come, first served). #spokenwordpoetry #openmic #poetrycommunity #spokenpoetry

Thea Smiley's poem, "The Swallows have Returned to the Barn", was highly commended in the Ver Poets Open Competition 2025, judged by Rory Waterman. To enter this year's competition, which will be judged by Vanessa Lampert, go to verpoets.wixsite.com/verpo…. The closing date is 30th April.

We had a great evening of poetry last night, when we held our first Zoom open mic. Our featured poet, David Van-Cauter, read poems from his new pamphlet, "Breathing", which is published by Arenig Press.

Don't forget our Zoom open mic this Wednesday (14th January) at 7.30 pm, with featured poet David Van-Cauter. It's free and open to all. If you're not a member of Ver Poets, you can get a link by emailing us at [email protected]. Please say if you would like to read (first come, first served).

We're holding a poetry open mic via Zoom on Wednesday 14th January at 7.30 pm, when our featured poet will be David Van-Cauter. His latest book is "Breathing" (Arenig Press). The event is free and open to all. Please email [email protected] for a link and say if you would like a reading slot.

Mark Totterdell won third prize in our 2025 Open Competition, judged by Rory Waterman, with his poem, "Bus".

We had a very successful evening at St Albans Library on Friday. Huge thanks to Hannah Copley (@hannahcopley.bsky.social) and Pratibha Castle for coming to read to us, as well as to those who took part in the open mic or who came just to listen to some excellent poetry.

Join us for a fantastic evening of poetry in St Albans Library this Friday (5th December) at 7.30 pm with Hannah Copley and Pratibha Castle. Their readings will be followed by an open mic (sign up from 7.00 pm--first come, first served). #spokenwordpoetry #openmic #poetrycommunity #spokenpoetry

We had a great evening of poetry on Wednesday at The Saint & Sinner pub in the centre of St Albans, when Estelle Price was our featured poet. ​ Our thanks to her and all those who read or who came to listen to some excellent poetry.

Hannah Copley and Pratibha Castle will be our guest readers on Friday 5th December at 7.30 pm in St Albans Central Library. Their readings will be followed by an open mic (sign up on the night from 7.00 pm; first come, first served). The event is free and open to all.

Don't forget our poetry open mic at 7.30 pm tomorrow (Wednesday 19th November) in The Saint & Sinner, St Albans, when our featured poet will be Estelle Price. It's free and open to all. Sign up on the night from 7.00 pm, if you want to read.

Only a week to go to our open-mic poetry evening at The Saint & Sinner in St Albans on Wednesday 19th November at 7.30 pm, when our featured poet will be Estelle Price. It's free and open to all. Sign up on the night from 7.00 pm, if you want to read.

Vanessa Lampert won second prize in our 2025 Open Competition, judged by Rory Waterman, with her poem, "Roughly The Same".

Join us at The Saint & Sinner pub in St Albans on Wednesday 19th November at 7.30pm for an open-mic evening, when our featured poet will be Estelle Price. It's free and open to all (sign up on the night from 7.00pm, if you want to read).

​​We were pleased to welcome Maggie Brookes-Butt and Sue Hubbard for an evening of poetry in St Albans Library on Friday. Maggie read from her new book, "Wish: New & Selected Poems" and Sue read from her two most recent books, "God's Little Artist" (Seren) and "Swimming to Albania" (Salmon Poetry).

Don't forget our poetry reading and open mic with Maggie Brookes-Butt (@maggiebrookesbutt.bsky.social) and Sue Hubbard (@suewriter.bsky.social) tomorrow (Friday 24th October). It's at 7.30 pm in St Albans Central Library (sign up to read from 7.00 pm). The event is free and open to all.

Ilse Pedler won first prize in our 2025 Open Competition, judged by Rory Waterman, with her poem, “After the calving”.

Only a week to go to our reading and open mic with Maggie Brookes-Butt (@maggiebrookesbutt.bsky.social) and Sue Hubbard (@suewriter.bsky.social) in St Albans Library on Friday 24th October at 7.30 pm. It's free and open to all. #poetrycommunity #spokenwordpoetry #spokenpoetry #openmic

Maggie Brookes-Butt and Sue Hubbard will be our guest readers on Friday 24th October at 7.30 pm in St Albans Central Library (plus open mic). It's free and open to all. (Maggie Harris, who was due to read to us, is unfortunately unable to come and Sue has very kindly agreed to take her place.)

Maggie Brookes-Butt and Maggie Harris will be our guest readers on Friday 24th October in St Albans Central Library, followed by an open mic (sign up on the day from 7.00 pm). It's free and open to all.

Our open mic in The Mad Squirrel on Wednesday was a 'stanza bonanza' with Poetry ID, who are the North Hertfordshire Poetry Society Stanza Group. We were grateful to David Smith and other members of Poetry ID, who joined us for a lovely evening of poetry. Our thanks to everyone who came.

Don't forget our 'stanza bonanza' open mic with Poetry ID this Wednesday (24th September) in the Mad Squirrel Tap, St Albans at 7.30 pm. It's free and open to all. Sign up on the night from 7.00 pm, if you want to read. #spokenwordpoetry #openmic

Two Poetry Society Stanza Groups, Ver Poets and North Hertfordshire (Poetry ID), are joining forces for a "stanza bonanza" open mic at The Mad Squirrel Tap in St Albans on Wednesday 24th September at 7.30 pm. The event is free and open to all (sign up on the night from 7.00 pm, if you want to read).

We're holding a poetry workshop in St Michael's Parish Centre in St Albans (AL3 4SL) on Friday 19th September at 7.00 pm. The workshop is FREE and open to non-members as well a members.

On Sunday 14th September, at Torriano Meeting House in Kentish Town, 7.30 pm, Ver poet Katherine Gallagher will read from her new bilingual collection, "Rencontres Encounters", with Mexican poet Marina Sanchez reading the parallel text in French.

📚 It's August, which means the #SealeyChallenge is underway! To help you on your journey to read a book every day this month, The Poetry Society has gotten in touch with poets we've recently worked with for some recommendations.