• Support Wokingham Today
  • Get the print edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter
Thursday, July 10, 2025
Wokingham.Today
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • All
    • Arborfield
    • Barkham
    • Beech Hill
    • Binfield
    • Bracknell
    • Charvil
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
    • Emmbrook
    • Finchampstead
    • Grazeley
    • Henley
    • Hurst
    • Lower Earley
    • Norreys
    • Reading
    • Remenham
    • Riseley
    • Shinfield
    • Sindlesham
    • Sonning
    • Spencers Wood
    • Swallowfield
    • Three Mile Cross
    • Twyford
    • Wargrave
    • Winnersh
    • Wokingham
    • Wokingham Without
    • Woodley
    • Woosehill
    • Yateley
    PHOTO BY STEWART TURKINGTON
 www.stphotos.co.uk

    Rainbow flag raised in Wokingham in run-up to Pride

    Police

    Man and woman hospitalised after having glass smashed in their face at a nightclub

    Restaurateur and chef Awanish Roy. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Michelin-star aims for Wokingham’s latest restaurant

    Teachers on strike at Maiden Erlegh school. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Teachers strike over proposed re-structuring

    California Country Park in Finchampstead .

    California summer fair on Sunday

    Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service reports that it is still attending the scene of a fire at commercial premises which broke out earlier today, Wednesday, February 12. Picture: Steve Smyth

    Caravan fire in Arborfield

    Find out more about WBC's Climate Emergency Action Plan, by visiting the council's website. Picture: Eco Pramono via Pixabay

    Naturally Speaking: What does Friends of the Earth say about Wokingham?

    Cllr Nagi Nagella, Labour ward member for Norreys.

    ‘Poor communication’ over new speed limits

    It made the announcement on July 1.

    No more tweets from Wokingham council

  • SPORT
    • All
    • Binfield FC
    • Reading FC
    Reading FC

    Coach snubs Reading FC assistant manager offer to join Premier League club

    Reading FC

    Reading FC sign striker on loan from Brighton

    Reading FC

    Reading FC sign defender on loan from Manchester City

    Tyler Bindon

    Former Reading FC manager Ruben Selles reunites with Tyler Bindon

    Wokingham Town face Binfield in the FA Cup.

    FA draws revealed

    Rams

    Rutherford swaps San Diego for Sonning after signing for Rams RFC

    Oratary Cricket

    Retiring Oratory School teacher takes final wicket

    Bracknell Cheerleading

    Bracknell Cheer teams win big and secure places at US competition

    Reading FC

    Nine young Reading FC players sign new contracts

  • READING FC
  • COMMUNITY
    PHOTO BY STEWART TURKINGTON
 www.stphotos.co.uk

    Rainbow flag raised in Wokingham in run-up to Pride

    Restaurateur and chef Awanish Roy. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Michelin-star aims for Wokingham’s latest restaurant

    Teachers on strike at Maiden Erlegh school. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Teachers strike over proposed re-structuring

    California Country Park in Finchampstead .

    California summer fair on Sunday

    Find out more about WBC's Climate Emergency Action Plan, by visiting the council's website. Picture: Eco Pramono via Pixabay

    Naturally Speaking: What does Friends of the Earth say about Wokingham?

    Cllr Nagi Nagella, Labour ward member for Norreys.

    ‘Poor communication’ over new speed limits

    It made the announcement on July 1.

    No more tweets from Wokingham council

    Cllr Lou Timlin, town major of Wokingham, at the new SAFA superstore in Peach Street. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Mayor welcomes new businesses

    The test alert will be sent to all compatible 4G and 5G mobile phones and compatible tablets.

    Emergency alert testing in September

  • LIFESTYLE
    • All
    • Food
    • Health
    • Obituaries
    • People
    Restaurateur and chef Awanish Roy. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Michelin-star aims for Wokingham’s latest restaurant

    Find out more about WBC's Climate Emergency Action Plan, by visiting the council's website. Picture: Eco Pramono via Pixabay

    Naturally Speaking: What does Friends of the Earth say about Wokingham?

    Cllr Lou Timlin, town major of Wokingham, at the new SAFA superstore in Peach Street. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Mayor welcomes new businesses

    Liz Chaderton is exhibiting at Dinton Pastures.

    Works from Hurst artist on show

    Visitors can come face to face with life-size animal recreations.

    Go wild at The Lexicon

    A bereavement memorial service at All Saints Church, Wokingham will remember loved ones. All welcome. Picture: Rodney Hart

    Church Notes: Mothers care

    Pixabay

    Honest Motherhood: Goodbye For Now

    Sparkle Vegan market takes place in Wokingham on the second Sunday of each month. Picture: Kranich17 via Pixabay

    Find vegan products at a Wokingham market

    It will feature displays from expert growers and enthusiasts from across the region.

    Wokingham to welcome regional fuchsia show

  • WHAT’S ON
    • All
    • Arts
    • Entertainment
    Liz Chaderton is exhibiting at Dinton Pastures.

    Works from Hurst artist on show

    Visitors can come face to face with life-size animal recreations.

    Go wild at The Lexicon

    Sparkle Vegan market takes place in Wokingham on the second Sunday of each month. Picture: Kranich17 via Pixabay

    Find vegan products at a Wokingham market

    It will feature displays from expert growers and enthusiasts from across the region.

    Wokingham to welcome regional fuchsia show

    REVIEW: “Jesus Christ Superstar” at The Watermill Theatre, Newbury

    PAMELA RAITH

    REVIEW: Death Comes to Pemberley at The Mill at Sonning

    Crowds are expected, so queuing systems will be in place. Pic: GWR.

    Take the train to Henley Regatta

    Wokingham Station

    Wokingham Station to celebrate 200 years of railways with new artwork

    The Wokingham Theatre in the Park was held in Elms Field on Saturday.

    Popular event returns to Elms Field

  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT
No Result
View All Result
Wokingham.Today
No Result
View All Result
Home Featured

Poets’ Cafe welcomes guest performer David Cooke

by Staff Writer
August 20, 2023
in Featured, Uncategorised
South Street Arts Centre

South Street Arts Centre

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

ON FRIDAY, Berkshire’s bards held their regular poetry open mic event at South Street Arts Centre, with a home-grown special guest performance.

Poets’ Cafe, a monthly event for sharing poetry, was joined by David Cooke, who performed a number of original pieces alongside the open-mic readers and attendees.

Born in Wokingham, Cooke lived in Reading for much of his life, and the town features in much of his poetry.

He also edits The High Window, a quarterly poetry review featuring both new and established poets from the UK and includes literary essays and translations as well as poetry reviews.

At the event, he gave performances of a number of original works, including Visiting, a poem for his grandfather, A House in Mayo, which harks to his family ties to Ireland.

He also performed a elegy to his father with a poem called Work Horses, during which he reminisces about his father’s work in one of Reading’s breweries.

Related posts

Rainbow flag raised in Wokingham in run-up to Pride

Man and woman hospitalised after having glass smashed in their face at a nightclub

This was followed by Shadowboxing, a highlight of the set, For All Good Intentions, and an ode to Smokey Robinson, When Smokey Sings.

He closed the set with Two CV and My Grandson Writes His Name.

Speaking at the event, Mr Cooke said: “Reading is my town, but I was born in the maternity hospital in Wokingham.

“I read from my collected works, which are my life in verse, and Reading is where it all started.

“I’ve not been here to the Poets’ Cafe for a while, but when I got into my most recent phase of poetry writing, I used to come here a lot.”

Speaking on the poetry scene in Reading, he said: “Poetry is kind of generational, and I’m a bit old.

“You get into certain people at a certain age, the scene goes its way, and some lose interest.

“My editing of The High Window means I get to keep my finger on the pulse, even if I’m not necessarily completely in tune with a lot of the scene.”

He explains that there was a 20-year period where he stopped writing poetry: “But there was a lot of stuff bubbling in my subconcious.

“I’ve written quite a few poems about Reading, many of which appear in my collection Work Horses, because it was where I spent my formative years.

“It lends itself to inspiration for me, because I was brought up here by an Irish family, so you write what you know.”

Poets

Keep up to date by signing up for our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people who have requested it.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Previous Post

‘We are happy to have them with us’ Selles reveals what new signings Elliott and Mukairu can bring to Reading FC

Next Post

Councillors to vote on school transport plans

FOLLOW US

POPULAR THIS WEEK

The sign was part of Wokingham's town centre.

Wokingham history under the hammer

July 4, 2025
Wokingham Town face Binfield in the FA Cup.

FA draws revealed

July 7, 2025
Cllr Pauline Jorgensen

FROM THE OPPOSITION: Council advertising ban is confused and will be costly

July 6, 2025
Dinton Pastures

Conditional approval for Dinton license

July 10, 2025
Blandy & Blandy provides a full range of legal services to national, regional and local charities. Photo: Tim Wallace.

The sky’s the limit for law firm

July 4, 2025
Reading FC

Reading FC sign defender on loan from Manchester City

July 7, 2025

ABOUT US

Wokingham Today is dedicated to providing news online across the whole of the Borough of Wokingham. It is a Social Enterprise, existing to support the various communities in Wokingham Borough.

Wokingham.Today is a Social Enterprise and aims to ensure that everyone within the Borough has free access to independent and up-to-date news. However, providing this service is not without costs. If you are able to, please make a contribution to support our work.

CONTACT US

[email protected]

Keep up to date with our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people that have subscribed

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

  • Support Us
  • Book Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Get the Print Edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter

The Wokingham Paper Ltd publications are regulated by IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation.
If you have a complaint about a  The Wokingham Paper Ltd  publication in print or online, you should, in the first instance, contact the publication concerned, email: [email protected], or telephone: 0118 327 2662. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should contact IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220, or visit its website: www.ipso.co.uk. Members of the public are welcome to contact IPSO at any time if they are not sure how to proceed, or need advice on how to frame a complaint.

No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • Arborfield
    • Barkham
    • Beech Hill
    • Binfield
    • Bracknell
    • Charvil
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
    • Emmbrook
    • Finchampstead
    • Grazeley
    • Henley
    • Hurst
    • Lower Earley
    • Norreys
    • Reading
    • Remenham
  • COMMUNITY
  • LIFESTYLE
  • SPORT
  • READING FC
  • OBITUARIES
  • WHAT’S ON
  • JOBS
  • PHOTOS
  • ADVERTISE WITH US
  • CONTACT US
  • WHERE TO GET THE PRINT EDITION
  • SUPPORT US

© 2022 - The Wokingham Paper Ltd - All Right Reserved.