The first four months of London Open Mic Poetry Night's first season have been a success, with the last event, on Jan. 3rd, featuring John Tyndall, drawing a crowd of fifty to the terrace at the Mykonos Restaurant, even more than attended the series' launch. We're optimistic that the remaining five months of the season will be just as upbeat.

We've made good use of the first four events to test out and then toss out ideas that sounded much better in an excited discussion than they actually worked on the floor. In the process we ended up with a leaner, simpler event, composed  

In the beautiful Greek terrace at Mykonos restaurant, there will be lots of open mic, harp music like you’ve never heard before Celtic with song, and London’s own John Tyndall reading from his latest book of
poems. 

At 6:30, JENNIFER WHITE will open the evening with her incredibly lovely Celtic harp and vocals, performing her own work, accompanied   by percussionist Robert McMaster. You can hear a sample of  their music here: http://www.knockgrafton.com/contents.html

At 7:00 long-time Londoner JOHN TYNDALL comes on, reading from his latest book, ‘The Fee for Exaltation’. Tyndall’s spare, image-rich poetry reflects an interest in family, love, religion and traditions.  There will be a Q&A. Our interview with him:  http://www.londonpoetryopenmic.com/1/post/2012/12/john-tyndall-interview.html

We have doubled the length of our OPEN MIC this time to two hours. At five minutes per reader (which is roughly two big pages of poetry - but time yourself at home), that’s 24 readers. In case there aren’t that many, we will have A SECOND ROUND, so bring two five-minute batches if you would like to. If so, just write ‘yes’ in the appropriate space on your ballot when you enter.

There will be an intermission during the open mic, after which we will pick the winners of our three RAFFLE PRIZES. These will include Tyndall books and broadsheets. Everyone who donates to London Open Mic Poetry Night will receive a raffle ticket. 

WHERE: Mykonos Restaurant terrace, 572 Adelaide St. N., London. Wheelchair accessible; cover is by donation. Overflow parking available across the side street and in the large lot one block north, in front of Trad’s Furniture.

The terrace is enclosed and well-heated from above, but in cold weather there can be cool air at floor level so WEAR WARM FOOTWEAR.

John Tyndall will be the featured poet at the Jan. 3rd  (Thurs.) 2013 London Open Mic Poetry Night. As usual, it will be held in the terrace of Mykonos Restaurant at 572 Adelaide St. N. London, from 6:30 to 9:30. The first half hour will feature the celtic harp and vocals of Jennifer White and the percussion of Robert McMaster. Tyndall will be followed by one to two hours of open mic. 

A Londoner since 1967, Tyndall has been published in  several anthologies, and many journals. Reflecting an interest in family, love, religion and traditions, his two recent collections, one with poems about the birth and childhood of his son, the second (2006) his family history as well as the illness and death of his mother, have been praised by the University of Toronto Quarterly for the use of "strange and iridescent language". Tyndall also will be reading newer works, both found poems based on an obscure book from 1947 and narratives in various voices, including that of his late father.

SB:   How and why did you get started writing poetry?