Wow! What a month we're having for poetry at the moment: TV & radio programmes devoted to it; a new poet Laureate (congratulations to Carol Ann Duffy); machinations & resignations in regard to the prestigious post of Oxford Professor of Poetry (Dear, oh dear!). All of a sudden the media has caught on to something that WE all knew anyway - poetry matters! Keep writing, keep performing, keep borrowing poetry books from your local library & keep attending poetic events. Poetry is on the agenda - keep it there!

Best wishes,
Sarah Maclennan

NEWS
We note with sadness the loss of two wonderful poets.

U.A.Fanthorpe was a contender for the last Poet Laureateship. Ursula's poetry is incisive, clever, and thought-provoking. I was lucky enough to hear her read a few years ago at an event organised by Brian Wake for Driftwood Poets. Follow this link for more information and if you haven't already read her work, explore it. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/apr/30/ua-fanthorpe-poet-dies

Michael Murphy, whose life was cut tragically short by illness, was a Liverpool-based poet whose work had been acclaimed by Bernard O'Donoghue, Maurice Riordan and more. Michael was unfailingly generous in his support of emergent poets, running workshops, judging competitions and, through his writing, encouraging us to look at the world in wonder.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/may/13/obituary-michael-murphy.

Spare a thought for these two wonderful poets and their families, read their collections and keep them in your hearts.

Dead Good Poets Society is currently not in receipt of any public funding. We rely solely on donations made on the door at our events, and everyone working for DGPS does so in a voluntary capacity. With this in mind, we would like to thank Pat Fearon for doing a great job staffing the door at the Open Mics and Guest Nights. A thank you, also, to Dead Good Poet John James for his generous donations of raffle prizes.

Please note our change of address.
The Dead Good Poets Society's new address is:
2 Cumberland Avenue, Sefton Park, Liverpool L17 2AQ.
Telephone: 07903 563 327

JUNE DIARY
Thursday 25th @ 7pm: Liverpool Poetry Café presents Salt Earthworks Native American Poets: Kimberly Blaeser & Gordon Henry Jr. Free event but advance booking is essential. The Bluecoat, School Lane, Liverpool.
Monday 29th June @ 8pm: Zest! Poetry event featuring top poet Alicia Stubbersfield plus open mic. The evening is hosted by the Zest! Team: Gill McEvoy, Leih Steggall and Caroline Hawkridge. Alexanders jazztheatre bar, Rufus Court, Off Northgate St, Chester CH1 2JG. £3/£2 pay on the door

Competitions
Ledbury Poetry Festival Competition 2009.
Closing Date: 25-Jun-09.Details: First prize: Ty Newydd Writing Course. Judge: Daljit Nagra. For poems of up to 40 lines. Three categories: 18 and over, 12-17, and 11 and under. Entry Fee: £3.50 for 18 and over . Contact: Ledbury Poetry Festival, Church Street, Ledbury, Herefordshire HR8 1DH
Website: www.poetry-festival.com
Telephone: 0845 458 1743

Manchester Cathedral 11th International & Interfaith Religious Poetry Competition 2009 Closing Date: 29-Jun-09. Details: For poems of up to 40 lines. Poems submitted should be 'broadly religious', that is, 'spiritual' in nature. First prize £350. Judge: John McAuliffe. Entry Fee: £4 for the first poem & £2 50 each for others.
Contact: 'The Religious Poetry Competition', The Cathedral, Manchester M3 1SX

Bridport Prize 2009
Closing Date: 30-Jun-09. Details: For poems of up to 42 lines and short stories of up to 5000 words. Poetry judge: Jackie Kay. First prize £5000. Entry Fee: £7 per story, £6 per poem. Contact: The Bridport Prize, PO Box 6910, Dorset DT6 9BQ.
Website: www.bridportprize.org.uk

Keats-Shelley Prize 2009.
Closing Date: 30-Jun-09. Details: Two competitions - an essay and a poem. £3000 in prizes. The essay can be on any aspect of the lives and works of John Keats, P B Shelley, Mary Shelley or Lord Byron, and should be of 2,000 - 3,000 words, including quotations.It should focus on the theme 'Find'. It may be of any length up to 50 lines. Entry Fee: £5 per entry. Contact: KSMA Competition Secretary, School of English, The University, St Andrews, KY16 9AR
Website: www.keats-shelley.co.uk