Round up budding bards and poetry pundits! Bournville’s warm and welcoming literary hotspot, The Bookshop on the Green, is the place to be for anyone interested in the writing or appreciation of verse. Every month, the bookshop opens its doors for a ‘Poetry on the Green’ event, inviting guests of honour to share their work, and making way for new talent with an open mic session.
For those readers who are new to The Bookshop on the Green, it is nestled, as the name suggests, into the eponymous Bournville Green. The shop hosts a carefully curated collection of works for both children and adults, regularly updating its stock with the newest titles. Its small size gives it a cosy and inviting atmosphere, and the wonderful staff only add to its charm.
The Bookshop on the Green’s Poet-in-Residence, Bradley Taylor, is on-hand to rustle up a poem for any occasion and often features in the Poetry on the Green events to warm up the crowd.
Poetry on the Green, though a reasonably new event, has come to feel like an institution in Bournville. The first session took place in May 2023, with featured guest and former Birmingham Poet Laureate, Casey Bailey, known for opening the Birmingham Commonwealth Games coverage for the BBC with a specially commissioned poem.
In June, Memory Bhunu and Zakariye Abdillahi took to the stage as featured poets, delivering incredible readings from their work and sharing some of their favourite poems by other writers. Their readings were paired with a brilliant open mic night, and several poets shared their stories through their verse. For some, the open mic night is the first time they have ever read their poetry to others, and there is no space safer or more welcoming to share in than The Bookshop on the Green.
In July’s exciting event, the delightful Leena Norms visited the bookshop. Hailing from the Midlands, Leena is an established YouTube star and has been sharing her poetry online for over ten years. With over 17 million views on her channel to-date, wherein she discusses all things feminism, sustainability, politics and literature, it was a joy to hear her read from her poetry collection, ‘Bargain Bin Rom-Com’ (2022). Her reading was followed by an interview by the poet-in-residence, and a Q&A with the audience, and the evening culminated in a book signing.
‘Poetry on the Green’ takes a break in August, but upon its exciting return in September, we hope demand will be as high as ever. Tickets are quick to sell out, so do keep an eye on The Bookshop on the Green’s social media. Their Instagram can be found here and is a good place to spot the other events run by the bookshop throughout the year. Recent sessions included an ‘Evening with Kate Mosse’, and an ‘Afternoon Tea with Mike Gayle’.
If all of this wasn’t quite enough to tempt you, the Poetry on the Green events include a variety of complimentary teas and delicious cakes, adding a further sweetener to your visit.
While we wait for the anticipated return of Poetry on the Green, The Bookshop on the Green remains open. It is just as important as ever to support local bookshops, so if you find yourself in the Bournville area, do pop in and say hello to Sarah, Peri and Bradley, and if you’re anything like us, you’ll walk out with an arm full of exciting new reads.
