Lorna Rose – Poetry of the Goddess

Saturday Books Poetry Breakfast
18th October 2025

By the time of the coffee-break, half-way through the set, the din of conversation could be heard right through Dudley Library’s top floor. There were 25–30 people in the library’s Reading Room, but it sounded like many more. This audience was partly new, and partly those familiar enough with the Breakfast’s setting and format to take the place over, and sprawl relaxedly in the admittedly-comfortable seating.

That first half had built momentum. First there was Stacey, who used the events theme of darkness becoming light, to prefigure winter’s sadness – and the new life (and light) that follows it. The couplets, each one a straightforward statement, were read with clear accentuation of the rhyme and so built rhythm, and satisfied applause followed. Laura Jane Round’s recent work has featured illness and NHS treatment, which she recounted through poetry, with wry humour. Similarly, Steven Davis’ recital dwelt on the dark, for him a boiling creative force. No less disturbing and challenging was Daniel Martin’s prose reading, from a recent publication. Jill, another open mic poet, resumed the theme of light in dark.

All of whom were welcomed by host Annette Aston, who throughout charmed us with her Black Country warmth and humour. It was an ensemble day, in which each poet was so very good. The later session began with a notably confident performance by Claire Willis. There was humour too. Alan presented a novel idea of light and shadow, wondering (poetically) why shadows were grey and if otherwise, his would be blue. With stripes. Then Mogs’ perfected verse – his books for children yet are universally funny. Elaine used the idea of the railway track at night to ghostly effect. Rob Simmons told us of Wolverhampton City Council’s ‘Out of Darkness Cometh Light’ display, and what it failed to mean to him throughout years as an employee. Most present would have agreed with him about misplaced optimism. Hope though can sometimes over-ride such banal sentiment, as Claire Tedstone demonstrated so well.

Tedstone, an accomplished artist in graphic form as well as performance, had come to provide an introduction to the invited poet and this she did with aplomb, while first exploring the dark/light subject herself. She has exceptional control, using long rhythms and jarring rhymes to depict mental illness, and then a lyrical tenderness for the recovery that follows. Trained in theatre, Tedstone cuts a figure of grace, that compels the listener. She set the mood, and the performance that followed, that of her friend Lorna Rose, developed the theme in contrasting ways.

The word serenity came to mind. Yet much more than a calm gaze upon life, and upon struggles undertaken – and won. There was an extra element – perhaps devotion is the name for it. Then idea that life can be worth it, that the self is there to build, what some psychology calls actualisation, that I would see as spiritual journeying and brief arrival. Rose’s utterance, her performance-voice rather the poetic voice of the written text, is that of a singer. If so then these songs embody water, clear flowing water.

She had chosen the theme of light that is to be found in darkness. I can’t think of a more necessary one for the times we are living in and for these Dudley poets to present – with such success.