The Festival's Last Day

Ledbury Poetry Festival's last day.
A rural morning for me exploring parts of the old Hereford and Gloucester canal around Ashperton
Yarkhill, Canon Frome and Munsley villages. Wherever there is a road there has to be a bridge to carry it over the canal. Some great images to be reflected upon later.
My only poetry appointment of today was for Joey Connolly. He is one of the young poets in residence for this year. He has had poems appear regularly in magazines including PN Review, Magma and The Rialto. He edits a poetry magazine, Kaffeeklatsch, and he is currently working on his first collection.
He had been allowed just twenty minutes in The Shell House Gallery and all the seats were taken with about ten others sitting outside the open door in the garden. He was intently listened to and there was ample applause. After all the people I had heard speak he was the youngest and I wanted to listen to his voice and what he had to say. Merely to see what difference there was if any. I would like to see a hard copy of his work but that will have to be for a later time.
What a great festival this has been with everything very well stewarded, compered and hosted. However I do have one major criticism in that only a small part of the town seemed to be involved. It was obvious there was a festival going on in Church Lane with the bunting and cosy chairs on view, but in The Homend and High Street there was very little to see of that nature. In my opinion you should have everyone in 'the know' and to try and make them feel part of it. After all this is a major event in the literary world although not on the same scale as Cheltenham or Hay. Anyway I like it small and Ledbury is beautiful and friendly. I did enjoy every day.