Extinction Cabaret Podcast

‘Welcome to Extinction Cabaret!’                                                          Kevan Manwaring performs as Dr Greenlove

 

Come to the Extinction Cabaret and sing the songs of the Earth! Share your praise-poems for our precious planet! Recite your monologues of love and sorrow! Weep and laugh at the madness of it all, and inspire yourself and others to take positive action!

Extinction Cabaret was organised by Kevan Manwaring, and took place on Sunday, 13th October, Downstairs at The Western, Leicester, 7-10pm. It was part of the Everybody’s Reading Festival 2019.

Listen to the Podcast here.

TRACKS

1. Planet Blues: Sara Vian
2. Introduction: Dr Greenlove
3. Choices: Kevan Manwaring
4. Extinction Rebellion: Judy from XR Leicester
5. House on Fire: Sara Vian
6. Do What’s Best for the Planet: floor spot from Tony
7. Lament for the Trees: Paul Francis
8. 3 Short Poems: Steve Wylie
9. When Life Gives You Lemons: Sara Vian
10. Zero Time: floor spot from Greg
11. Washing the Sea: Paul Francis
12. Blessed is the Mother: Kevan Manwaring
13. Keep Your Faith: Sara Vian
14. Bellwether: Kevan Manwaring
15. The Sailor and the Magician: Paul Francis
16. The Calving of the Berg: Kevan Manwaring
17. Beautiful Love: Sara Vian
18. Silent Watchman – Steve Wylie
19. Beautiful Soul – Sara Vian
20. Don’t Push the River – Paul Francis

Thank you to all the contributors, especially to our special guests Sara Vian and Paul Francis, to Everybody’s Reading Festival, to James and the staff at The Western, and to Chris Watson from Music Eye for recording it all.

Sara Vian

Paul Francis, Troubadour from the 7th dimension                            aka Dr Space Toad

 

Choices

Choices 

by 

Kevan Manwaring

Fill your house with plastic,

and the oceans too.

Fly at least one long haul flight

every year, just for fun.

Drive a dirty diesel, or a 4WD,

even though you don’t live off-road.

Eat meat every day and

insist on out of season produce —

the more food miles, the better.

Have loads of kids, and

encourage them to do their bit for Malthus.

Vote for Climate Change denying,

oil-lobby funded politicians.

Sit in a traffic jam twice a day

alone in your big shiny box.

Only buy junk you know you’ll need

to throw away, or fill your garage with.

Learn the art of head-sand-sticking:

every night have one more drink,

and watch one more episode

until you pass out.

Pretend nothing is wrong,

and whatever you do,

don’t plant any trees!

 

Or, choose to act

to save the Earth

before it is too

 

 

 

How to reduce your carbon footprint

Carbon Footprint calculator

18 Living green hacks that will save the Earth and you

The Golden Room podcast: Episode #2

The Golden Room podcast #02

An Ecobardic Showcase (part 2)

Welcome to The Golden Room podcast – a celebration of poetry, storytelling, music, song, conversation, and creative fellowship.

Created and hosted by writer, poet, and storyteller Kevan Manwaring, the plan is to release a new episode on the 3^rd Sunday of the month – with this double launch on the Autumn Equinox being the exception! Roughly an hour long, each episode offers an immersive and relaxing medley of contributions – ideal to commute to, cook to, or sit back and unwind to: however you listen you are most welcome into The Golden Room.

The first two episodes offer a chance to eavesdrop upon An Ecobardic Showcase, a special evening which took place in Stroud, Gloucestershire, on 17^th August, 2019. It was a double-celebration of Kevan Manwaring’s 50^th and his doctorate. Proceeds went to Tree Aid – a worthy cause which you can still donate too (see below).

The evening was excellently MCed by the inimitable Anthony Nanson. His links and much of the convivial atmosphere is edited out, to tidy up the raw recording (expertly done by Chantelle Smith; with help from Brendan Georgeson on PA, and thanks to Simon Fairbourn for loan of the recording device) , but we hope you still get some sense of the atmosphere.

LISTEN TO THE GOLDEN ROOM PODCAST #02 HERE

Tracks:

1. 1. [00:00] Intro by Kevan Manwaring/Reverie by Rosemary Duxbury
      (Catherine Musker, viola and Patricia Siffert, piano)
   2. [02:14] Welcome – a song by Chantelle Smith
   3. [02:38] The Harvest of Friendship – a poem by Kevan Manwaring
   4. [04:28] Skaldic Birthday Tribute – a poem by Svanur Gisli Thorkelsson
   5. [07: 03] Both Sides o’ Tweed – song by Dick Gaughan/performed by Marko Gallaidhe
   6. [09:45] The Tories are Going to Eat Us – a poem by Robin Treefellow
   7. [12:13] Un garçon pas comme les autres – a song performed by Violette Aubry
   8. [15:00] Lob – poem by Edward Thomas; with additional text from William Anderson; adapted and performed by Paul Flinn
   9. [18:10] The Corn King – a song by Earthwards (Jehanne & Rob Mehta; Will Mercer)
   10. [22:03] Extinction Rebellion/No, I Don’t Want to be Arrested, Helen – poems by Steve Micalef
   11. [22:57] Stoats and Rabbits – a tale by Peter Please
   12. [32:07] The Field of Runnymede – a song by Earthwards
   13. [36:03] The Axe: the call of the Earth – a story by Kirsten Bolwig 
   14. [43:26] The Magic Arrows – a story by Anthony Nanson
   15. [51:19] May Queen – a song by Simon Andrews
   16. [54:49] Once Upon a Pimplov – monologue by Jim Tom … Say?
   17. [59:13] Jack in the Green – a song by Simon Andrews

       

If you have enjoyed listening to An Ecobardic Showcase please donate to Tree Aid and help fight poverty & protect the environment…

https://www.justgiving.com/treeaid

NEXT UP – THE GOLDEN ROOM EPISODE #3: An Extinction Cabaret special!

 

The Golden Room podcast: Episode #1

The Golden Room podcast #1

An Ecobardic Showcase (pt 1)

Welcome to The Golden Room podcast – a celebration of poetry, storytelling, music, song, conversation, and creative fellowship.

Created and hosted by writer, poet, and storyteller Kevan Manwaring, the plan is to release a new episode on the 3^rd Sunday of the month – with this double launch on the Autumn Equinox being the exception! Roughly an hour long, each episode offers an immersive and relaxing medley of contributions – ideal to commute to, cook to, or sit back and unwind to: however you listen you are most welcome into The Golden Room.

The first two episodes offer a chance to eavesdrop upon An Ecobardic Showcase, a special evening which took place in Stroud, Gloucestershire, on 17^th August, 2019. It was a double-celebration of Kevan Manwaring’s 50^th and his doctorate. Proceeds went to Tree Aid – a worthy cause which you can still donate too, here:

https://www.justgiving.com/treeaid

The evening was excellently MCed by the inimitable Anthony Nanson. His links and much of the convivial atmosphere is edited out, to tidy up the raw recording (expertly done by Chantelle Smith; with help from Brendan Georgeson on PA, and thanks to Simon Fairbourn for loan of the recording device), but we hope you still get some sense of the atmosphere. Finally, many thanks to BAFTA Crew composer Rosemary Duxbury, for kindly allowing use of her sublime track, ‘Reverie’. Check out my interview and review of her latest release, ‘Thread of Gold’, after listening to the show.

LISTEN TO THE GOLDEN ROOM PODCAST #01 HERE

Tracks:

1. [00:00] Intro: Kevan Manwaring
2. [00:47] Reverie: Rosemary Duxbury  (Catherine Musker, viola & Patricia Siffert, piano)/[02:15] The Golden Room by Wilfrid Gibson, read by Kevan Manwaring
3. [07:59] Welcome: a song by Chantelle Smith
4. [08:22] Fifty: a poem by Kevan Manwaring
5. [10:46] Mist-covered Mountains: a song by Chantelle Smith
6. [13:20] The Dog: a story by Wayland the Skald
7. [21:21] A Valentine for New Albion: a poem by Jeff Cloves
8. [29:18] Overheard at Ascot; What the I Says: poems by Gabriel Bradford Millar (with Anthony Nanson)
9. [32:35] Pan at My Window: a poem by Richard Austin
10. [34:44] Planet Blues: a song by Sara Vian
11. [37:51] Therapy: a poem by Brendan the Pop Poet
12. [40:22] The Earth, She Moves Within: a poem by Joziat Khimba
13. [45:45] The Butterfly Bishop: story by Kirsty Hartsiotis
14. [55:21] Claw-hammer: Banjo by Scott Freer
15. [59:10] Outro: by Kevan Manwaring/Reverie – reprise.

NEXT: THE GOLDEN ROOM EPISODE #2 An Ecobardic Showcase pt 2 – available from 22nd September. 

Look out for episode #3: 20^th October – An Extinction Cabaret special!

 

 

The Harvest of Friendship

The Harvest of Friendship

 

A seed is sown in a smile,

in a hand offered in fellowship.

The eyes can fertilize

with a curious glance,

a knowing look.

And a single word

 

the bud of love compels.

 

A friendship can grow

in the stoniest of soil,

Tested by cruel frosts

and the bite of wind.

Blessed by the bounty of rain,

by the kiss of the sun.

 

Fair weather or foul, it flourishes.

 

In every cycle of the day,

the moon’s tide, the year’s wheel,

friendship’s crop is strengthened.

By those four chancy siblings, the seasons

it is forged, by icy time itself

it is tempered.

 

and iron stalks to golden grains transmute.

 

Then, when it is ripened

what riches it shall produce –

the sacred bread of trust,

the holy wine of tears,

the sweet mead of laughter,

of secrets shared and truths revealed.

 

And all shall share in its feast.

 

The goodness is gathered in by all –

the tithe of effort for the tribe,

who fill their grain store with it.

Their barns brim with its bounty,

its gleaned treasure spread

to all those in need.

 

Friendship,

the harvest of a life well-spent.

 

 

Kevan Manwaring

Lammas, 2019

 

Look out for The Golden Room podcast – the finest poetry, storytelling, song, and conversation, in celebration of creative fellowship – launching on Saturday 21 September – a live recording of this poem by the author will feature in episode 2.  Watch this space!

Stars over Side Farm

The stars are not interested in us

from their cold and distant seats,

carrion-eyed eagles on eyrie crags.

Our brief fires are missed

in a nebula’s blink –

all our vainglorious attempts

at carving our names

in immortality’s wall,

when with eternity’s erosion

oblivion consumes all,

and to naught they come,

so it seems.

Like the phantom stars,

are we not already ghosts,

our signals transmitting

into the deafening vacuum?

Time’s amnesia makes

our brightest songs fade.

And yet, not to sing,

not to cry out in hope,

in joy, in wild defiance

for even a single firefly day

is to allow the night to paint

the sky in its mourning

silence.

 

Kevan Manwaring

 

The Moon as Muse

I have long been fascinated by the moon. It has inspired many poems by writers over the centuries, and looking back through my own work, I realise I have written a fair few myself…

Here’s one I wrote during a long walk – the West Highland Way – after a particularly memorable wild camping pitch.

 

Full Moon, Bridge of Orchy
All is still
after a twenty miles of rain
as fierce as the Battle of Ardrigh
falling like swords into a lochan.

The seething shadows
making it impossible to linger.
Up here, the air bites you.

But on arrival, the errant sun
breaks the spell like a knight
making a dramatic entrance.

A dizzying stillness after a day’s march,
an ale in the bar, afterglow of achievement,
ramblers’ banter, measuring our folly
in tall tales, modest boasts, blisters.

Wild pitch by the knuckle of bridge.
Making my way on the Way.

Here I make stance,
a road-weary drover,
numb limbs cooling like cattle
cropping the sward.

The river sings its perpetual song –
a complex skein of sound.
Countless rivulets negotiate
the tongue of rock,
the sounding chamber of these hills,
the twin peaks of bard-praised Beinn Dorain
and Beinn an Dòthaidh.

A cry of nature in the crease of the night.

The July moon illumines
a Samuel Palmer landscape.
Peace, deep as peat,
settles.

 

From The Immanent Moment by Kevan Manwaring from Awen