‘The Isles come to Sudbury’ may seem a strange title for the event held in the Quaker Meeting House of Sudbury on the 14th November. But we British are all islanders, none of us living more than 100 miles from the sea, and the songs and poems mainly from the Atlantic fringes of our country touched the vein of deep nostalgia that is perhaps inside us all.

I saw quite a number of faces from the outlying parts of Suffolk and its borders in the capacity audience of more than 75. I believe it was one of the most successful events of the Suffolk Poetry Society this year and drew in people who may not have been attracted to a poetry reading pure and simple. Not that we missed out on some excellent poetry – from Ken Steven (whose long narrative poem about the early Celtic travellers to Iceland was broadcast on ‘The Verb’ last week), from our own James Knox Whittet, and several other good local poets.

For myself some of the music and songs were the highlight. There was a great mix of traditional music (and some very unusual instruments, including a willow flute) from all parts of the British Isles and we in the audience discovered just what amazing additional talents some of our poets possess. The Hebridean ‘Waulking Song’ as sung by women felting cloth in the past was demonstrated with great gusto and humour.

The tot of whisky promised in the programme had to be foregone owing to some arcane religious ruling, but as we joined in the resounding ‘Auld Lang Syne’ at the end I think we all felt that warm intoxication of the event needed no further stimulants!