Journalists are used to producing copious amounts of prose – but East Anglian newspaper publisher Archant has encouraged its staff to try their hand at poetry.
In a joint project with the Norfolk and Norwich Festival this week the company’s Prospect House HQ played host to poet-in-residence Caroline Gilfillan.
Snippets of verse have been posted in lifts and on notice-boards and staff have been offered a bottle of Champagne for the best original poem.
Workshops and a public poetry reading have been held and an add-aline communal poem posted in the staff canteen.
Gilfillan has also treated staff to daily poems read over the public address system.
Archant morning paper the Eastern Daily Press has published daily poems throughout the week.
EDP editor Peter Franzen said: “With this event, we hope to give some encouragement to anyone who has ever scribbled down a line or two, but thought that poetry was out of their league.
“It’s also proving to be a fun few days and a topic of conversation around the building.
“The most unlikely people are discussing the merits of the verse they have just read in the lifts”
By Dominic Ponsford
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