Hampshire Poet blog - August 2025

During his two year tenure, your new Hampshire Poet - Damian Kelly-Basher - will be writing a series of blog posts for us sharing what he has been up to, telling us his poetic plans for the future, and inviting you to get involved in poetry in Hampshire. Read on to find out what's happening in Damian's world!

© Damian Kelly-Basher

In this Summer blog, Damian invites you to find a quiet corner and experiment with reading out loud.

Poems made to be written, and poems made to be spoken, have their own benefits in terms of drawing attention to our words.

But, even if you only write for the page, your poem will be read out loud, by you or someone else.

So, let’s look at how written words can transform when spoken. 

We can’t help but read a poem on a page in our own voice/accent, even if we know the poet comes from another language or culture. Because every poet writes from their own personal viewpoint - and we read from our own -  we always change the dynamics of a poem when we read it out loud. 

When you read out loud, you can create sonic and dynamic effects using vocal techniques  (e.g stress, VOLUME, pitch) or just your own accent.  Reading out loud can also give you insights into how your poem ‘works’. I’ve changed poems that I’d been performing for ages after realising something onstage.

For me, performing poems to an audience (even if it’s just one person) is also about making a shared positive experience. Of course, you get feedback – verbal, non-verbal, good, bad -

Welcome it. It’s all part of  the craft.  

Exercise

Here is ‘Birdsong of Shaker Way’ by Ann-Margaret Lim.

1. Read the poem first. How do you imagine the poem sounds?  

2. Now, listen to the audio version. How does the ‘soundscape’ on the page (in your head) change when the poet herself reads it out loud?.

3. Listen to it again. Think about her vocal technique and reading style. What choices would you have made reading out the same poem?

Have fun. Writing should always be fun.

For Winchester Heritage Open Days, Damian is providing a free poetry workshop that includes the opportunity for you to read your poems out loud (if you wish) at a friendly sharing session. How We Shape The World: poetry activities with the Hampshire Poet takes place at Rotunda, Winchester School of Art on Sat 13th Sept at 2pm.

Damian Kelly-Basher is Hampshire Poet Laureate 2024-26. The appointment of the Hampshire Poet takes place every two years and is jointly led by Winchester Poetry Festival and Hampshire Cultural Trust. The position of Hampshire Poet provides the opportunity for a Hampshire-based poet to undertake commissions, lead workshops and give readings and talks throughout the county, as well as acting as an advocate for poetry and poets.

https://damkellybash.com/