By Jonathan Davidson

Tuesday 2 April 2013 was John Donne Day. Official. Or rather, a group of enthusiasts decided that the 400^th anniversary of John Donne composing his poem ‘Good-Friday, 1613, Riding Westward’ while visiting Polesworth was worth commemorating. Polesworth, you will not need telling, is the rather small town in north Warwickshire that is building something of a reputation for innovative poetry events and activities. Fr Philip of the Abbey Church at Polesworth is a guiding light as is Malcolm Dewhirst, poet and event organiser who lives locally. Over the years Polesworth has been the happy recipient of a Poets’ Trail – commissioned and previously-enjoyed poetry being set in wood and stone at various points round the town – and a writer in residence project linked to a major archaeological dig in the Summers of 2011 and 2012.

For John Donne Day, colleagues from Birmingham City University, led by Dr Gregory Leadbetter who heads up their new Institute of Creative and Critical Writing, worked with Writing West Midlands and Fr Philip and Malcolm to offer an afternoon and evening of academic discussion, guided tours and performances of poetry – commissioned from Jane Commane, Jacqui Rowe, Greg Leadbetter and Malcolm Dewhirst, and by Donne himself – the poems, not the performance. Our attention focussed on the poem ‘Good-Friday, 1613, Riding Westward’ but other poems took their turn in the sun. While we all enjoyed hearing Donne’s poems it was particularly good to hear the four commissioned poems, each heading off to their own quarter of the compass inspired by Donne. This was all organised at very short notice – two or three weeks I seem to recollect – and audience numbers were modest, perhaps fifteen people at maximum, although this included new and old friends from Oxfordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Coventry and Birmingham as well as some Polesworthians.

And do you know, it was rather wonderful. Wonderful to be in the delightfully sunlit environs of Polesworth Abbey, to be lolling against the very fireplace in front of which Donne would have toasted his marshmallows, had they been available, to be taking a turn around the garden or down into town to scoff a plate of pancakes from the American Diner or a bag of chips with extra salt from the chippy. But most wonderful was to be talking about poetry, listening to poetry, writing poetry and thinking about poetry with others who were doing the same. We don’t do this nearly enough, simply give ourselves up to literature and notice suddenly that the sun has set and time has moved on but through literature we are immortal. Stop me, someone. Perhaps I exaggerate the mood, but those who were there will remember it as a special day and it was moving to know that a poem by John Donne could still gather together a group of people four hundred years later. It gives one faith.

John Donne Day 2014 will be on Tuesday 22 April 2014, hosted, of course by Polesworth Abbey. Fine weather is almost guaranteed, there will be plenty of things to do and plenty of people with whom to share poetry. Whatever calendar you use – Gregorian, Julian, it really doesn’t matter – make a date in it and join us for the second John Donne Day. #johndonneday @johndonneday

John Donne Day – Made in the Midlands / Unlikely England