On 25th April 2025, we gathered at the People’s History Museum in Manchester, UK for our “Write, Eat, Share” event. This was a celebration of the projects funded by the Sam Orton Fund. In particular, everyone took part in activities from our creative writing sessions and we shared the work from learner-writers who participated.
Between the activities and wonderful food provided by Gashin, we had some speeches. Here are three poems written by Sam Orton and generously givens and read out by Bob, her husband to our learners at the event!
Grandad at the Factory
A mug of cold coffee
A packet of fig rolls
2 irons glowing in the furnace
The smell of oil and metallic dust
A dark and dingy place
Coils of saws on the wooden floor
Swarfega green and gloopy in the tin
I can see you there now by your bench, then you turn and say “toodlepip”.
How to speak/learn English
First put your ears in the pot
Then add a nice teacher
Next, add some good books
Then put in your brain, eyes and mouth
Add a good pinch of confidence
Next stir three times and boil for a year and a day
Finally say: don’t worry about your mistakes [crossed out]
Speaking,[listening], reading and writing may be learnt as fast as listening
Fireworks in Rostock
Fireworks going off,
Exploding over the sea,
Chaotic display
Anarchists in balaclavas,
Blowing up dustbins,
Molten plastic and detritus strewn,
All over the Hanseatic cobbles,
New Year greetings like a bomb,
Hand held rocket ignition,
Instructions and warnings unheeded in the wild, whirling night,
A young woman holding a sparking Roman candle in one hand,
A set of rockets tucked under her arm,
Waiting for a stray spark to send her off into the stratosphere,
Clinging to her parcel,
Getting smaller and further away,
Nearer the sky and the moon
The stars and the planets.
