“The Birmingham Sangha has just launched a book, entitled Poetry & Prose, containing work from almost twenty different members of the local Triratna Community. The book is in aid of our current Building Project, a major and much needed refurbishment and renovation of the Buddhist Centre aiming to make better use of the space, both functionally and aesthetically, and to bring it in line with new eco and disability guidelines.
At first I thought it would be nothing more than a pamphlet, but it has come together as a lovely work. The recent advancements made by Lulu.com means that anyone can publish a professional book. Despite hearing from so many people 'I've written some poetry but I don't think it’s any good', what immediately struck me was the quality of the work submitted. It seems evident that poems, along with the experiences they communicate, are something that so often remain in diaries or notebooks hidden under the bed, imprisoned there by the 'It's not good enough' view. It's such a pity that these things stay unread as my practice and my sense of community have both deepened in light of people sharing their work. We had to apply some very gentle but persistent encouragement in many cases to get people to offer their writings, but I'm so very glad we did! In little over 100 pages there is a wide variety of material, from the silly to the profound, limericks to letters, haikus, innuendo, the weird and witty. I think there'll be something for everyone in there”.
Poetry & Prose is on sale at the Birmingham Buddhist Centre bookshop, or available by mail order from lulu.com for £10 plus P&P. It contains work from Saraha, Rich Batsford, Alastair Gamble, Paul Rose, Jean Broadfield, Vidyaruci, James Hepton, Mahasiddhi, Phuong Pham, Matthew Patterson, Eleanor Williams, Daniela Kocvarova, John Paul Villafrati, Matthew New, Kara Moses, Phil Gurdy, and Lucinda Troth. All profit goes to the Sangha Building fund.