War Peace and Poetry

The Central Library poetry group has been meeting monthly for the last three years. It’s a group for anyone who wants to talk, learn or listen to poetry. People bring a poem, read it aloud and the group talk about it. It can be a published poem or a poem someone has written and would like to hear feedback. Sometimes there’s a theme, other times, anything goes.

Members of the group don’t always agree - it’s great to see people passionate about poetry, and interesting how different people interpret poems. We are always respectful to other people’s opinions.
Some members have said that reading poetry feels comforting; knowing that someone else is going through what you’re going through. And the beauty of a poem is that it’s shorter (time is precious) and is often written in such a way that it stays with us.

On Saturday 1st December, in line with the Sheffield, War & Peace exhibition at Central Library, the poetry theme was war, peace, conflict. Over 30 people attended, many keen to share a favourite poem. A couple of people brought in war diaries with poetry extracts from relatives who had been serving in conflict situations.

There are proven benefits to reading aloud and we encouraged people to take a poem from a selection we held. Those who had a go said afterwards that they really enjoyed the experience – who doesn’t love a round of applause! 

To add to the spirit of the theme, there was also war-time music, snacks and even a spot of fancy dress. Although it was an emotional subject, like the event we held on National Poetry day, the afternoon had a celebratory feel and proved that Sheffield is alive with poetry. It’s on our buildings, it’s on the vernacular overhead on a bus journey. It’s in the hope and spirit of the city and its people. It’s even on the pavements…but only when it rains.


The Sheffield: War and Peace exhibition runs at Central Library until the end of January 2019.