Introducing the Three Poets: Three Poems series! As the countdown to the festival begins, each Sunday between now and the start of the festival we will be releasing a poem written by a poet performing at Brainchild. Now that June is in full swing and that summer-buzz is around us, we can think of no better way to give you a taste of what is to come in July. We gave the poets a brief for their poems to be ‘festival-themed’ (be it about their experience they’ve had at a festival, what they think the concept of a festival is all about, what it’s like to brave rain and mud for the music you love…anything at all)! So whether this year’s Brainchild will be your first ever festival, or if you’re a well seasoned festival-goer, we hope that these poems will give you a real sense of that unmistakable festi-feeling of unzipping your tent and having no idea of what the day will hold – only that its going to be special.
First up is Jess Murrain, an actor, writer, spoken word artist and theatre maker. Her work is queer, feminist, dyslexic and experimental, and the poem she has chosen to share with us truly reflects the many dimensions with which she identifies. The poem has left us in total awe, and we are elated to be able to share it with you now. The poem is called “Shell and The Festival”:
Haseeb Iqbal is a teenage spoken word artist from North London. He writes about the personal and the political – from universal issues to stories about himself – and was recently profiled by The Fader. Starting writing at just 15, Haseeb has performed at various London open mics such as The Poetry Society, Upstairs At The Ritzy, STEEZ, and The Tate. A member of the Brainchild family who has come to our events before, Brainchild 2017 is particularly special as it marks Haseeb’s first visit to the festival as a performer. We were lucky enough for Haseeb to write us a poem especially for this project. We feel that it totally encapsulates the festival feeling of wanting the moment to last forever but knowing that it can’t. Which in itself makes it all the more special. Here it is:
Finally, our third and final poet is Roya Shadmand. Here is her poem she has shared with us for this project. With just DAYS to go before Brainchild 2017 kicks off this just what we needed to remind us how important festivals for mending our souls from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Roya is a Roundhouse Resident Artist, writer, poet and performance artist, currently based in Paris. Read her beautiful words here:
And so concluded the Three Poets: Three Poem Series! It has been an absolute pleasure to give you a little taste of what is to come this weekend. A big thank you to Jess, Haseeb and Roya for giving us insight into what festivals mean to them. We can’t wait to see you all!
With love,
Brainchild x