
HELEN Moore, a Frome-based poet, is enjoying considerable recognition for her writing talents.
Her debut collection, ‘Hedge Fund, And Other Living Margins’, which was published by Shearsman Books last year, has been shortlisted for the Poetry Can South West Poetry Publication of the Year Award. The winner will be publicly announced and presented during the Bristol Poetry Festival on Sunday 6th October at Bristol’s premier arts venue, the Arnolfini, as part of an evening event which will feature Louis de Bernieres.
This will be the second of two appearances by Helen at the Bristol Poetry Festival, as her debut videopoetry film entitled ‘Greenspin’, made in collaboration with Frome Media Arts creative, Howard Vause, has been selected for screening at the Liberated Words Poetry Film Festival at the Arnolfini on 3rd October.
Helen said, “It was fantastic to collaborate with Howard; he immediately picked up on the vision I’d had for the three minute film, and has come up with some brilliant animation and sound to enhance the visuals. I’m very excited about the prospect of seeing it on the big screen!”
Helen’s winning streak this summ-er has also seen her win third prize in the Second Light National Women’s competition 2013 for a new poem, ‘Earth Justice’. It was inspired by attending a mock ‘ecocide’ trial at the Supreme Court in London, featuring Michael Mansfield QC. The famous barrister has subsequently hailed Helen’s poem as an “epic masterpiece”, and was unperturbed by being described by the poet as “a learned Silverback”. Helen will be attending an awards ceremony and reading from her poem in London later this autumn.
Helen regularly teaches poetry through Frome Community Education, and restarted her classes at the Round Tower on Tuesday 24th September.
The group welcomes new members, including those with little experience of poetry. Anyone wishing to enrol can do so via the box office at the Cheese and Grain and further information is available on the Frome Community Education website: www. fromecommed.org.uk