The next meeting of the Live Poets Society (LiPS) takes place on November 2. The following is from the press release:
“Is poetry the inner quest for the mastery of our thoughts to elevate the mind to the highest level of consciousness and to allow us to tap into the multi-layered psychic within ourselves?
Does it become the instrument to preserve the equilibrium of our physical, mental and spiritual well being, and becomes the medium through which we sustain and stimulate our creativity as poets?
Is Poetry therapy for the soul or is it the means to give vent to the turmoil rioting in our consciences? Poets must be part of the 99% marching in protest against the unethical, the unscrupulous and the greedy 1%. Poets must be part of the 99% having a deep sense of what is right and wrong in this world. Poets have always been in the forefront for change and have hurled their words unafraid for a just humane world order.
Poets have since ancient times used the written word to awaken the mind and the conscience, there have been scores of such great poets their names could be quoted ad infinitum.”
Graham Vivian Lancaster is LiPS Guest poet for the gathering on November 02. In his poetry, he dissects and deciphers the world we live in all its diversity bringing the kaleidoscope alive with words. Graham has chosen Picaroon for the evening’s theme which means Rogue, Thief, Pirate or Pirate Ship
Picaroon - an adventurer or a rogue. The poem is Graham’s eighth anthology of poetry and takes a look at the multi-layered life a little differently and deeper, sometimes under microscopic inspection painting our world in vibrant happy emotive colours. They are widely varied from love, life, politics and war.
Graham has been a recipient of many literary awards including The South African Writers Circle Quill Award winning author; American 2010 Pushcart Poetry nominee; 2010 English Academy of Southern Africa poetry judge, and 2011 English academy of Southern Africa Gold Medal proposal.
He writes in ten genres from the many eclectic facets of his adventurous life. Widely published in anthologies, with 31 published books of his own, his teenage adventure series and poetry are being taught in schools. One of his poems was chosen to represent South Africa at the December 2010 World Poetry Festival in Canada. Translated into Spanish, Romanian, Hindi and French, it was read on radio in Argentina and Puerto Rico.
Graham’s works of Poetry has been widely published in Fullosia Press, A Hudson View, Labyrinth, Convorbini Literare, Seventh Quarry Press, Nord Literar, Axiom, and World Anthology Of Love Poetry, Crossroads Of The Century, Sailing Through The Mists Of Time, Across The Long Bridge, Journeys, and Skyline.
The LiPS evening takes place on November at 17h30 for 18h00 at the Point Yacht Club, Victoria Embankment, Durban. Admission is free and all are welcome. More information from convenor Danny Naicker on 083 282 0865 or email: dnaicker@metsond.co.za