The second lounge spotlightin the work of poets who have read in our open mics. Both write powerful poetry often about difficult subjects and both are superb ​performers. 

Sue Johns originates from Cornwall where she started performing as a punk poet, in the 1980’s. Publications include Hush (Morgan’s Eye Press, 2011) , Rented, Poems on Prostitution and Dependency (Palewell Press, 2018) and Track Record (Dempsey & Windle, 2021). She was highly commended in the Prole pamphlet and the Amnesty Internationalcompetition. She has an MA in Writing Poetry from Newcastle University/ The PoetrySchool.  Her work has appeared in various anthologies and many magazines including Poetry News, The Morning Star, Southbank Poetry, Dreich, The AtlantaReview, Prole, The Alchemy Spoon, Brittle Star, The Big Issue, London Grip, DreamCatcher, Black Iris, Tears in the Fence, Orbis, Magma and Culture Matters.

The poems are never gratuitous, nor do they flinch from their subject. Sue Johns approach is lyrical, varied, sometimes humorous, occasionally shocking to devastating effect. Pauline Sewards.
Sue Johns’ poems travel beyond their termini in their imaginings of other lives … often with great humour and bravado  Tamar Yoseloff

Suzanna Fitzpatrick (she/her) is a bisexual poet featured on BBC Radio 4 and widely published in magazines and anthologies in the UK and worldwide. She has been longlisted for the National Poetry Competition, shortlisted twice for the Bridport Prize, come second in the Café Writers and Buxton Competitions, and won the Poetry Society Hamish Canham Prize, the Edward Thomas Prize, and the Newcastle University Chancellor’s Prize two years running. Her debut pamphlet, Fledglings, was published by Red Squirrel Press in 2016, as was her first collection, Crippled, in 2025. Crippled explores a childhood shadowed by a mother’s chronic illness with Multiple Sclerosis at a time when there was no treatment and little support. Suzanna holds the Poetry School/Newcastle University MA in Writing Poetry with Distinction.

In this fine and moving book [Crippled}, Suzanna Fitzpatrick sounds the lamentation for her mother, proving that heartfelt craft, melodic instinct and formal grace can voice grief as well as any shattered cry: the poetry is in the endeavour itself, an unquenchable light breaking through the sorrow.’  —Glyn Maxwell


There will be an open mic at this event. To book an open mic slot (1 poem lasting not more than 2 minutes) please choose an open mic ticket. Please note there is no need to also buy a general audience ticket.

If the open mic slots are sold out, we will start operating a reserve list. We often find that people on the list do get to read, so it is well worth putting your name down. Follow the instructions on the booking page.

The Poetry Festival is entirely reliant on ticket sales and donations to fund our work. Our tickets are pay-what-you-want, please be generous.