Review - Saturday 2 May 2009 4.30pm

Museum of London Docklands

Roddy Lumsden signing

Poets and audience head for the pub

The Sampler

Museum of London Docklands

Hosted by Christopher Horton

Poets: Simon Barraclough, Isobel Dixon and Roddy Lumsden

On the day that The Guardian is awash with poetry following the announcement of Carol Ann Duffy as the new poet Laureate, it felt like a good time to be at a poetry event. The Guardian editorial spoke of the exciting work that is being produced in the UK and the places that people flock to hear it. So where were they today? It was a bank holiday and the weather was glorious so maybe it was not surprising but I was sorry not to see a bigger audience for such talent.

I am excited by the increased interest in the performance of the written word and in story telling. Poetry events have more in common with stand up comedy these days - without the heckling thank goodness. For me, a good poetry event delivers a mixture of voices and imagery and will stir mixed emotions - not just of envy but of empathy and humour. And so to the former sugar warehouse at East India Quay.

Simon Barraclough was the opener and I enjoyed his often humorous verse. A highlight was his 50th anniversary tribute to the French new wave cinema - specifically Truffaut - a villanelle about Jules and Jim "these guys are loopy for Jeanne Moreau." He was commissioned to write a poem for St George's Day about an English county and inspired by childhood holidays, this northern poet chose Dorset with its jurassic clifftop scenery. His final poem drew on the iconic image of Marilyn Monroe standing over the air vent and is about St Pauls.

Isobel Dixon was born in South Africa and has recently published a collection called A fold in the map which includes poetry about her father and his death. I enjoyed her poem inspired by a visit to Whitby museum, a place I know well. She read a poem about an amazing contraption, a Tempest Prognasticator, invented by a Dr Merryweather to predict storms. It involves 12 bottles with leeches, and the "leech disturbed is newly risen, quite to the summit of this prism". I will definitely seek out her collection and read her poems for her father which were particularly effective.

After a short break were were entertained by Roddy Lumsden, a poet I have heard and read more about than I have read his work. He began his set with a poem written by his friend Craig Arnold who was missing in Japan where he was researching a book about volcanoes (tragically he has not been found and is now presumed to be dead). He read poetry written during a visit to New York and and my favourite title of the day was Angels hurled down. A set of poems, titled Young, Beautiful and Damned was about cheap celebrity and led neatly to his final poem for Kate Moss, titled Blue, that she commissioned. I look forward to reading more of his work and regret my neglect of this talented poet.

And so we wandered out into the evening sunlight and audience and poets headed off for a post performance drink or two in the nearest pub. A great event in a perfect venue.