Oh Big Blue poetry book launch

Oh Big Blue poetry book launch is taking place on Monday 9th June at St John’s church, Bridgetown, Totnes, 6.30pm.

The collection features poems written and illustrated over the last year by Palestinian children and young people from Gaza and the West Bank and forms part of the work of The Hands Up Project, based in Totnes.

Hands Up uses poetry and play writing as a means for Palestinian children to learn English. Incredibly, this work has been ongoing since October 2023, despite and in the midst of all that the Gazan civilian population has been experiencing. The collection features a foreword from Peter and Alice Oswald who will be at the book launch:

“When you work with these students, it’s clear that there is nothing you can teach them about poetry. They are already at ease in an ancient, complex tradition.” (Alice)

“Who could have known that poetry is not something you throw out as you run for your life, but something you hold onto, a home among the ruins?”

Join us at 6.30pm for tea, cake and snacks, followed by poems read from the collection by various voices from the local community and further afield.

There will also be art work on show.