Inspired poets from De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) have written, funded and published an anthology to raise money for refugees – in the space of just three months.
The collection – featuring more than 100 poems – examines the plight of refugees and was inspired by recent migration across Europe.
Dr Kathleen Bell, Principal Lecturer for DMU’s English and Creative Writing courses, worked with colleagues across the university –including five writers teaching Creative Writing at DMU, along with other lecturers - local poets, DMU graduates and other volunteers to put the anthology, called Over Land, Over Sea, together.
The book is being published in December and proceeds from sales of the book will be shared between the charities: Médecins Sans Frontières, Leicester City of Sanctuary and Nottingham Refugee Forum.
Dr Bell said that the initial idea had come via a Facebook post by a local poet, Ambrose Musiyiwa.
She said: “He made the suggestion that people in Leicester could put a collection of poems together to support refugees in the city.
“Quite a few of us at DMU saw this and thought, ‘let’s do this’.”
She said a call was publicised for people to submit poems, whether new or previously published. The group had submissions from across the country and beyond – including from Sweden, France and the Shetland islands.
Dr Bell said: “We had poems from knew refugees, people who were from refugee families and others who just wanted to express ow they felt about the issue.
“It was such a fast, brilliant response.”
The group then approached a Nottinghamshire-based publisher – Five Leaves – and put together an online crowdfunding website to raise the printing cost. The publisher, typesetter and designer also worked for free. This garnered more than £1,000, enabling an initial print run to be put together.
Dr Bell said: “It was put together at top speed – the first call went out at the beginning of September and it is available now at the start of December.
“Poems in the anthology range from spoken word poems to fairly experimental work; there should be poems to everyone's taste. The volume has a brief introduction from the distinguished scientist, Sir Martyn Poliakoff, whose father was a refugee.”
The book will be launched at DMU’s Clephan Building, on 5pm, December 1. It can be bought here.
Here is one of the featured poems:
journeying
by Ambrose Musiyiwa
we threw
things that were heavy
overboard
they sank
we stayed afloat
we lived
they turned
into creatures of the sea
and stayed below the surface
when we reached dry land
they turned
into creatures of shadow
and followed us everywhere
Posted on Monday 30 November 2015