Hampshire Poet blog - September 2025
- Damian Kelly-Basher
- Sep 1
- 2 min read
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 is an experienced spoken word poet who has performed his poems in many different settings around the UK including Royal Albert Hall, Edinburgh Fringe & WOMAD.
Pictured below is Damian performing at the launch of Winchester City Council's Cultural Strategy!
In this blog, he discusses voice, and how we might approach using our voice for performance.
When you read out loud, what does your voice sound like?
You can record it and listen back; but it’s hard to judge how we actually sound to others. We’re too self-critical, or just can’t hear what affects the delivery of our words (for better or worse).
Best ask a trusted someone to give you honest feedback. (I do and I’ve always had great practical advice that’s improved my performances and recordings).
Remember, ‘non-vocal’ aspects (e.g. sleep, mental state, food and drink etc) affect your vocal performance. So, take notice of what works/doesn’t work for you. Personally, I avoid alcohol or eating too much before a performance. But I know for other poets, it helps.
A poet’s ‘voice’ can also mean their style of delivery.
This is influenced by teaching or popularity. For example, in the 1940s, poets had to recite with a strong Southern English accent and a drawn-out style to highlight the soundscape of the words. But this was imposed on artists by an extremely colonialist attitude to language. Later, realistic speech and the celebration of diverse accents and pronunciation (thankfully) became the norm.
Listening Exercise:
Now, listen to the same poem read by Welsh actor Michael Sheen in 2021.
How do they differ?
Which do you find more impactful?
Why do you think that is?
Also, listen to the strong influence of US urban slang and hip-hop accents in how many UK spoken-word poets read their work.
In the end, each poet decides how best to perform their work.
For Winchester Heritage Open Days, Damian is providing a free poetry workshop that includes the opportunity for you to use your voice and share your poems (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.
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