I performed at The Poetry Link in Southend, alongside the fantastic Liz Bentley, Salena Godden and Georgia Strand. It was my first ever paid poetry gig. Nice one. So I wrote some new poems and performed them alongside some rather old ones. Set list went like this: 'Thought That Counts', 'Carrier of Bags', 'Opaque or Clear', 'Sitting in Cafe 1001 25 Nov 2008', 'Sitting in the Alex 25 Jan 2009', 'People Watching Pt 2,768', 'A rant about wheels, tom toms, and the confusion over Puffin Crossings'. 

I did an impromptu set, just 'Soft Drink, Hard Man' avec phone, at the fantastic Valentine's Party at Amplifico Towers. 

A facelift to the Minerva has transformed it into Tiffins, which hosted the Level 4 Mag and Sundown combined event. I performed 3 poems 'Of All the Things', 'Lovebytes' and 'Mrs. M' for the kids.

I attended the Sundown Poedown at the Railway. Same room, similar people, different event. I did the new poem 'Whatever happened to Disco Dave' which went down like a lead balloon. Maybe I should have practiced it bit more.

I've got a new blog, here 

At The Railway and the Village Green event I did 'Soft Drink, Hard Man' reading the poem from my website via my phone, whilst playing some music (Bogdan Raczynski) into the microphone. Then I got heckled from the stage at Sundown after not putting my name down for the open mic, and did 'Magic BUNZL Van' under duress.

I accompanied the Sundown crew to Wivenhoe to perform some poems. We had a rather good night in the end and found the local pub across the road rather friendly after the gig. Hello to all the new friends we made. Oh, I read 'Crane Fly'.

I was asked to do an impromptu set of poetry at the Level 4 Magazine Lazy Sunday event at the Railway Hotel. Apologies to the small girl who I scared away from the front of the stage. I read 'The Joys of a Small Wage', 'Magic BUNZL van' and 'Lighting the Way' and sold one book :o)

I was chuffed to be the feature poet for Sundown at Leigh Folk Festival. I did however get into the festival spirit and was rather drunk by the time I went on. So apologies for that but I still enjoyed myself. Thanks to all who came and laughed and applauded and took the piss. I read the following poems...

My first book of poems was published by the Estuarine Press on 11th June 2008 :o) You can see more info and purchase the book at www.estuarinepress.co.uk. A MASSIVE thanks to all who came to the Launch Party, especially those who performed and who helped make it happen. I am in debt to you all. Best start work on the next book eh ;o)

I read the following poems from the book: Joys of a Small Wage, Lettered Things in Numbered Places, Dusk, Lighting the Way, Magic Bunzl Van, Cutest Courier, Crane Fly and Guestimate.

This is a poem following the current trend of doing Univocalism poems using only one vowel. So here is a poem using only the vowel E:

Oulipoh? | 753 | 03/06/08

Eh?

Stuart made an appearance on the Tracie Young show on Southend Radio 105.1FM on 29th May 2008. He was accompanying Sam Lierens to help promote the Southend Book Fair , at which he will have a stall to promote the book. He read a the poem 'Guestimate' from the new book. Many thanks to Sam and Tracie.

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Stuart also made an appearance on the Jo Overfield show on Safe Radio on 30th May 2008, to promote his book and the Book Fair. He had a lovely chat and read the poems 'The Magic BUNZL van' and 'National Poetry Day from the new book. Many thanks to Jo.

You are cordially invited to the launch of my first book 'Confessions of a Forklift Truck Driver'. The party will take place at the Railway Tavern in Southend-on-Sea on Wednesday 11th June at 8pm. Accompanying readings from the book will be poetry from Adrian Green, sounds from Reason or Romanza and live music from Little Penguin, alongside your inimitable hostess for the evening, Cherryl Scott.

"They say that a forklift truck driver has an up-and-down sort of life. What they don't tell you is that, if he's Stuart Bowditch, he might be composing poetry while he's at it. What we have here are the snappy, lyrical observations of a Southend working-man, all delivered with a viewpoint as level as one of his pallets. Trust me, it's one book that WON'T be ending up at Pitsea landfill site."

Russell Thompson, Apples & Snakes

People Watching Pt. 2,768

Opus 750 | 17/01 & 14/03/08

 

The brand new shoes are so obvious

she’s tottering along

almost vertically

a look of slightly pained pride

on her smug face

the only thing shinier that her lip gloss

will be a huge blister

later

but for now she thinks she’s ’it’

the box ditched in a bin somewhere

the not so old shoes in her bag

keeping company with her purse

and all the credit cards

and make up and vanity case

and hairbrush and emergency tampons

and bottle of water and packet of tissues

a spare pair of earings,

she thinks these are what she needs

to make her look better

but in reality

all she needs to do

is remove the stickers from soles.