twelve days of Christmas - and a drink-up

Roddy Lumsden, with a seasonal eye out for a poetry party, has asked 36 London poets to write a new poem based on the twelve gifts in the famous song, to be read as part of a Christmas extravaganza in London Bridge on December 18th - one week before the Big Day. Roddy is thus like a sort of Poetry Santa, providing what he calls "a backdrop for seasonal drinks for the thirsty bards of the smoke."

The venue is the Miller of Mansfield pub, at 96 Snowsfields Road, near both London Bridge and Borough tube stations. Do you think the power of words will win? Might we have some snowfields?

Readings will start 8pm sharp, will be in three half hour sets and will end by 10 (so says Roddy!!) - but come along at 7pm for drinks and gossip.

£5 fee for non-participants.

The featured poets will be Annie Freud / Andrew Jamison / Imogen Robertson / Katy Evans-Bush / Simon Barraclough / Jonathan Attrill / Isolde Barker-Mill / Adam O'Riordan / Angela Kirby / John Citizen / Heather Phillipson / Kathryn Maris / Roddy Lumsden / Michael McKimm / Anne Brechin / Kate Potts / Inua Ellams / Mark Waldron / Diana Pooley / Eloise Stonborough / Amy Key / Clare Pollard / Emily Berry / Matthew Caley / Meryl Pugh / Tim Wells / Daisy Hirst / Octavia Lamb / Kate Bingham / Gareth Jones / Camellia Stafford / Gale Burns / Tamsin Kendrick / Tom Chivers / Ahren Warner

Yours truly here is still struggling with her "four calling birds" poem, but I can assure you there will be a poem on the night! And a jolly good one too. But for now, annoyingly, I can't even think the word "calling" without being haunted by the spectres of Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald, and their infernal Indian Love Call. "When I'm calling you-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo..." "I will answer too-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo..."

Oh, that Nelson Eddy was such a dish. And look at Jeanette's hair! I want it...