On Reading Humanist Poetry in Public

I am sorry that this week has been crazily busy. I have had to debate the EU referendum in Bournemouth, and then had a poetry reading with music and whatnot, followed by a four hour book signing for my new zombie fiction book yesterday.

Before I get back to talking philosophy and so forth, I wanted to just communicate how wonderful the poetry reading and evening was for the book launch of Filling the Void: A Selection of Humanist and Atheist Poetry. It took place in my local book shop, a tiny affair in Lee-on-the-Solent, in the south of Hampshire. The evening was a two hour affair comprising of three poetry reading segments, each topped off with a song from Gareth Howells, lead singer of a Portsmouth band called Bemis, and contributor to the anthology. There was also a reading from Glenn Andrew Barr, a local friend and fellow poem contributor. There were about thirty people there. I think the mighty fine weather attracted some people from Portsmouth to stay out and barbecue. Perhaps it was God contriving against us.

However, the intimate feeling of the venue really fed into the atmosphere. It was nice to explain the historical marginalisation of humanism, and its continued persecution around the world, but to put it context of Christianity this week being officially recognised as being a minority compared to the nonreligious in the UK. Still, there is a distinct lack of books and art forms specifically celebrating humanism and atheism when compared next to the mature catalogue of, say, Christianity.

When I was scanning through the book a few days before to select appropriate poems to read out, I was reminded just how bloody good the book is. I am really proud of it; I genuinely think it adds something original and worthy to the cadre of atheistic publications out there. Shivers often ran down my spine in re-reading it. Obviously I think that about all of my books, but there is something different about an anthology of poetry. There simply isn't much of comparison out there.

The ones I chose were a mixture of poignant, moving, irreverent and funny, meaningful and pointed. They were all received really well. I cannot tell you how proud I as to read them out and share them. But, more than that, it seemed a landmark moment for me, personally, that we can celebrate humanism and atheism so freely, locally, and for it to be well received.

One of the great delights of the evening was the finale, where Gareth's 15-year-old son, Louis, playing a beautiful rendition of David Rovics' Who Would Jesus Bomb? Again, poignant, and fitting. Such a skilled youngster!

All told, a fabulous evening, and one which we may have a chance to repeat at Blackwell's book shop in Portsmouth, and possible Portsmouth Skeptics in the Pub. Thanks to all the contributors to the book who read this blog, and to those who attended. Society is changing, I reckon.