Jess, who has been organising author events at Abingdon Library for a few years, hosted its first poetry reading tonight. Local poet Andrew Jamison, who has won awards, read from his latest collection, ‘Swans We Cannot See.’

Andrew’s poetry reading sparked many questions from the audience. One person liked the personal ones about a young family. Others were interested in how he created his poems. Andrew usually starts by listening to music to inspire a first line, and the rest of the poem often flows. He revised each poem for this collection many times to get them right. His influences include the renowned poet Seamus Heaney and contemporary Irish poets. Andrew is originally from Northern Ireland. As a teacher, he introduces students to classical poets like Wordsworth, Shakespeare and Milton, and he thought they too had some influence. He particularly enjoys the challenge of writing sonnets.

At the end of the evening, Jess presented a small gift, and people could buy copies of his books. You can find more about Andrew Jamison on his website: https://www.andrewjamison.co.uk/