Geoff Pegg was on the executive committee of the Umbrella as Chairman of the Drama and Literary section, and a leading member of the Umbrella Poets. In 1970 Outpost Publications in Walton on Thames published his first slim volume of poems - Knotted Sheets. Geoff was a musician too, playing guitar. He's seen in the pic sitting down -later on when he was a DJ for the Walsgrave Hospital Radio. Geoff organised a poetry performance to launch his new book at the Belgrade Theatre in the same year.
Here are a few of his poems -
TWENTY TONS OF TNT
(written on learning that for each person on this earth there is the equivalent of twenty tons of TNT and rising)
The nuclear stocks are growing
With piles of TNT
There's twenty tons for you
There's twenty tons for me.
Who will pres the button,
Who will light the fuse,
To start the bloody confict,
Which everyone must lose?
When all the bombs have fallen,
In one great holocaust,
Will the deaths be measured
In twenty tons of force?
The countries are building piles
Of death and TNT
There's twenty tons for you
There's twenty tons for me.
So everyone be happy,
Enjoy life while you can,
Don't worry about your twenty tons
Don't let it spoil your plan.
For cigarettes are burning,
with flames of TNT
There's twenty tons for yu
There's twenty tons for me.
SUMMER CAME SUDDENLY
Summer came suddenly,
surprising the bare-branched trees.
The eternity of grimly faced frosts
has at last been turned through its
cycle; the blossom overflows from
the top heavy heights of a painted
fruit tree; the shadows on the garden
are clearer and more defined.
Summer came suddenly,
easing through the winters
half-opened shutters; relaxing on the
atmosphere in a swinging cradle;
opening doors for the desparate lovers
with no place to go: grafting daily,
looking in vain for a shift in energy.
But as summer came, so summer must go,
leaving the tiring sun to give us
only occasional comfort; leaving no
explanations as to the crime of an
exiled season forced to live in winter.
Geoff Pegg - 1970 - From Knotted Sheets.
According to Martyn Richards the Umbrella once boasted over a thousand poets. It produced - in the 50's and 60's the literary magazine Umbrella to which Phillip Larkin had contributed.
The Umbrella had several literary strands while I was a member between 1969 - 72 at it's base in 18, Queen Victoria Rd.
It's Poets on Tour programme brought to the Umbrella poets and writers such as Pete Morgan and Steve Morris (in conjunction with the Birmingham Poetry Festival), Brian Patten, Julian Mitchell, Antonio Byatt, Hugo Williams, Vernon Scanell, Dave Ward (Liverpool Poet).
In terms of lectures and workshops there were Extra Mural courses provided by Birmingham University. POETRY AND EXPERIENCE was an example. A 10 week series tutored by Paul Dunkley, MA, studying poems taken from little magazines and national poems. The poems were analysed acording to their structure and the experiences implicit in them. The aim was to appreciate the rich and varied developments of English Poetry in this century (20th) and to explore the importance of practical criticism in undestanding the poems. The course was for both writers and those interested in expanding their personal sensibilities and appreciation of poetry.
The UMBRELLA POETS (and later at the Charter house - Writers and Poets Group 72 -74)were a regular group reading out and criticising the work of its members, creative writing,arranging lectures an ttalks by established writers, with regular performances, including Warwick University, Lanch Poly Technic, Barrs Hill School, The Boatyard.
Poetry and Folk nights are covered in the Humpoesic Happening post.
I attended the Umbrella Poets once. Mainly I wrote song lyrics at the time but occassional wrote
pieces I viewed as just poems. At 18, this was my first public reading. Most of the group were older and besuited, while I was in patched up jeans and long hair. Al Docker had read at it the month before and I went with him. It was not particualry our scene - that was bands back then, although in the 80's i became a Creative Writing tutor for WEA and Leeds University and initiated a range of Creative Writng facilities on Teesside. Hobo also carried poetry, so something rubbed off. The poem went down well and I was invited to read with the Umbrella Poets at The Warwick Univerity Arts Fest. My first big public reading. I was there for the bands, but sat on stage and performed my poem nervously. Later I began reading or perfoming my songs and poems (with and without accompanying myself on guitar at the Umbrella in 1972.) At the University, nobody made any noise at poetry readings, they didn't laugh or clap or even cough. You got off stage wondering if they thought you were totally crap or ok. I've always encourage feedback an developed a non clinical atmosphere at the spoken word events I've organised down the years as a result!
In additon to the names mentioned below at the Belgrade event, Reknowned Irish Poet John Hewitt was in attendance. He was based at the time at the Herbert Art Gallery and attended meetings. I seemed to get the nod of approval when I read my poem!
THE COVENTRY ARTS UMBRELLA CLUB PRESENTS…KNOTTED SHEETS
At the Belgrade Theatre 1970 - Title taken from Geoff Pegg’s booklet of poems.
POEMS & SONGS AUTHORS
1 What I can’t Properly Understand Terence Watson
2 Communicate Rosalyn Dack
3 Caroline Smith Charles Fogg
4 There Should be Norman E. Wheatley
5 The Visit Rosemary Bull
6 Locked In Terence Watson
7 Summer poem V1 Geoff Pegg
8 Dinosaur’s Lament John Leopold
9 Twenty tons of TNT Geoff Pegg
10 News at Ten Geoff Pegg
11 The Tragic Roundabout Geoff Pegg
12 Imagine a Cave Terence Watson
13 The Battle of Trafalgar Terence Watson
14 Two’s Norman E. Wheatley
15 An Another Thing Terence Watson
INTERVAL
16 I’m Sorry Norman E. Wheatley
17 Ice Cream Van Norman E. Wheatley
18 Dark Red Shirt Norman E. Wheatley
19 The Forty First shade of Green George Desmond
20 Simplicity of a seven Day Wonder Geoff Pegg
21 Skinhead Calypso Norman E. Wheatley
22 Poem for the tender of the Grave of Dylan Thomas Mark Richardson
23 Peacocks Mating Season - Warwick Castle Rosalyn Dack
24 Mind…For Hire. George Desmond
25 Summer Poems V Geoff Pegg
26 Did You have a Nice Christmas Norman E. Wheatley
27 Summer Song Geoff Pegg
28 How Her Hair Falls Terence Watson
29 Summer Poem III Geoff Pegg
30 Julia George Desmond
31 Goodbye Now Geoff Pegg
Performers -
Lynda Bellingham
Paul Becque
Sheila Ferris
Michael Hadley
Jeffrey Holland Director - Chistopher Honer
AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NOTES
Geoff Pegg
An apprentice draughtsman at B.O. Morris Ltd., and the current chairman of the Drama & Literary section of the Umbrella Club. Apart from individual poems being published in magazines, he has had a booklet of poems published which bears the title of today’s recital; Knotted Sheets, which is available at the door. Born in Coventry in 1950, Mr Pegg collected the material for this performance.
Norman Wheatley
A poet and songwriter whose contributions at the Umbrella Clubs Tuesday poetry and folk session have been invaluable. He has excellent wit as can be seen from the poems included today. He has written several songs, one of which, Skinhead Calypso, is again in this selection. At present he is taking a communications course at college.
Terence Watson
A qualified schoolteacher and one of the strengths behind the Umbrella Club at the present time. He serves on the committee of the west Midland’s arts Association and has his own personal style of poetry. In the Battle of Trafalgar he shows he can also produce highly effective sound poetry. This poem is one of the highlights of today’s performance.
Rosalyn Dack
Ex-secretary of the Coventry poetry society, Miss Dack shows that she too has a very individual style in which her words possess tremendous strength of image. Communicate is a very good example.
Charles Fogg
A writer who has a deep insight into today’s problems. His recent work (from which today’s piece is chosen) shows excellent imagery when dealing with sex, drugs, illegitimacy etc. These poems are mostly lengthy , but Mr Fogg’s skill is such that the effectiveness is always captured perfectly.
George Desmond
By trade a maintenance electrician, George Desmond has written literally hundreds of poems and is now a respected poet in the city.
Rosemary Bull
Another schoolteacher, Miss Bull has an MA and a BA. She recently returned to the city in which she grew up. An ex member of the Coventry Poetry Society, which regrettably is now a thing of the past.
Mark Richardson
Another Coventry poetry Society member who since its breakdown has switched his attentions more seriously to the Umbrella Club as an outlet for his work. Mr. Richardson is a poet who takes care to be sure each word in his poems are to his satisfaction. The result is a very solid style of poetry.
John Leopold
The writer of the other song, Dinosaurs Lament. A talented songwriter and guitarist who takes personal preference to the 12-string variety. His songs are apart from anything produced by other writers and they use some excellent chord sequences.
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