Building a community through verse

LocalMotion Enfield sat down with Valerie Darville and Anthony Fisher, the passionate founders of Enfield Poets, to explore poetry, how the group began, and why verse remains a vital thread in the fabric of the community

Enfield Poets founds Valerie Darville and Anthony Fisher

My first question is simple – why poetry?

“Poetry is a pure form of communication,” says Anthony. “It speaks straight to the soul, using rhythm and imagery like music.”

For Valerie, poetry is both head and heart. “A sonnet can express more than a whole chapter in a book,” she reflects, highlighting poetry’s ability to capture emotional truth in just a few lines.

The idea for Enfield Poetsbegan after the couple attended a poetry night in Kentish Town. Along with friend Jane Elder, now passed, they founded Salisbury House Poets in 2000, at Salisbury House.

“Paul Everitt, who was head of culture at the council then, really supported us,” Valerie recalls. With his encouragement, the group moved to the more central Dugdale Arts Centre.

“It gave us visibility and with it, a new name emerged – Enfield Poets. It reflected our connection to the heart of Enfield, where we were rivalling places like Camden and Muswell Hill.”

Following the Dugdale’s restructure, the group relocated, this time to Forty Hall. Anthony says: “They’ve been so supportive. We’ve become poets in residence.”

Valerie and Anthony emphasise that Enfield Poets thrives due to their members. They mention Mary Duggan, who has championed ideas such as the poetry displays at train stations.

The pandemic sparked unexpected growth. “Zoom kept us going,” Anthony explains. Enfield Poets has launched QR-code poetry, an audio archive, and Echoes, a poetry walking tour app. “It made us think how poetry lives in public space,” he adds.

The Importance of Poetry Competition launched by Enfield Poets serves both a creative and practical purpose. Anthony explains: “It raises awareness and funds our literary festival, allowing us to invite guests like the Poet Laureate. The competition honours Enfield’s literary roots: Keats, Lamb, even Elizabeth I – poetry runs in the borough’s DNA.”

Engaging younger poets is an ongoing goal. “We funded a workshop at Brimsdown Primary [School] that led to a performance at Westminster,” says Anthony.

One source of regret, however, is that Enfield Poets are no longer based at the Dugdale. “When we were asked to leave, it was a tragedy,” says Valerie. “We lost that intergenerational space.”

She continues: “Grief and loss are enduring themes. People often write best from those places.”

Anthony, meanwhile, sees a rise in climate-related work, “showing poetry’s ability to evolve.”

Valerie and Anthony believe poetry builds a community of storytellers and listeners. Their hope? Plenty of entries to this year’s poetry competition, which closes on 10th September.

For more information and to enter The Importance of Poetry Competition:
Visit EnfieldPoets.com

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