Poetry Reading: Kerrie O’Brien and Lothar Luken 27 July 2012
As part of Skibbereen Arts Festival 2012, Working Artists Studios hosted several events. One of them was an evening of poetry and music, featuring Kerrie O’Brien, an rising poet, founder of Bare Hands Poetry and a multi-published and award-winning poet who’s first chapbook, Out of the Blueness, was published in 2012; and Lothar Luken, a well-known, locally-based poet, actor, playwright and performer.
As usual, a great crowd turned out to support the poets and WAS. Both poets received rapturous responses; the audience enjoying their dramatically different styles of writing and delivery as much as their excellent, thought-provoking and moving poetry.
Most poetry is very revealing and these poets were no exception, albeit in very different styles. Kerrie O’Brien writes gentle, deeply thoughtful, almost confessional poems – it’s almost like reading her (beautifully written) diary. Her reading is assured, clear, gentle and personal. We’ll be hearing a whole lot more from this talented young poet.
Lothar Luken, as befitting his acting and performance experience, is a much more dramatic reader. His poems, though no less personal or serious, are more overtly dramatic, humorous and self-deprecating – as is his highly enjoyable reading style. His work lingers in the mind.
Disappearing Shoes (Paul Ó Colmáin, Tim Abbott & Liam Kenneally) provided musical interludes with their own brand of original songs and arrangements and as always, there was a rousing and diverse “open mic” afterwards, ina measc, bhí Brian Mac ÁonInnéirghthe, sár-fhile Ghaelach.
