WHETHER you’re a verse virgin or a budding bard, the Essex Poetry Festival guarantees to give you something to wax lyrical about.

From Buckhurst Hill to Wivenhoe, and Harlow to Southend-On-Sea, melodic ditties will be ringing in ears as rhyme and rhapsody take over the county.

The festival kicks off at Poetrywivenhoe on Friday, September 19, with a reading from Peterloo poet Christine Webb and local writer Joan Taylor, before the colourful montage of spectacles and masterclasses get underway.

For those who like a laugh and a bit of variety, the Cabaret Re-Born, at the Ancient Lights in Chelmsford, is a must-see on October 5, where comedy, music and art will share the stage with performance poets Rachel Pantechnicon and Vic Lambrusco.

Those born to perform can also strut their stuff at a variety of open mic events, and there will be exciting slots for children, including Reggae, Rap and Rhyme, and a Cow that said ‘Miaow.’ Hullbridge poet Derek Adams first went to the festival in its second year of running back in 1999, but has helped behind the scenes for the last seven years.

He said: “I used to love coming to the festival and I still do now, though it’s different as I can’t see everything when I’m working.

“Until last year it was only a two day event with about eight or nine poets.

“Now we have 25 different poets at 21 different venues over a whole month, and it makes it really exciting.

“We have a much bigger variety, from performance and comedy to more serious poets and everyone in between.”

One slot Derek has vowed to take time out for is the festival’s Big Day of Poetry on October 11, at Cramphorn Theatre, Chelmsford. Here, 60s beat icon Michael Horovitz, whose Poetry Olympics have filled the Albert Hall on more than one occasion, will top the bill, showing exactly how he energises audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.

Joining him will be the electrifying Patientce Agbabi, once a poet in residence at a tattoo parlour, and Jo Bell, last year’s Cheshire poet laureate and ex ‘bonekicker,’ who will regale tales of sex, boats and archaeology.

Derek will also be running one of two workshops to suit those with a love for nature, where writing classes will follow guided nature walks at Chafford Gorges and Hanningfield nature reserve.

Canadian poetry activist Todd Swift will also offer wannabe writers the chance to brush up on their scrolling skills with the Ten Things You Need To Know About Poems masterclass . He said: “I won’t tell you all my secrets but I believe people can improve their writing very easily. “One thing that instantly helps is to get away from the idea that you always have to tell the truth.

“I say forget about what really happened and feel free to change events for the art of the story.

“Also, people should break from the obsession of wanting to be published.

“If you think about it, most people write poems for their friends and when you realise that, publication isn’t so important.”

The Essex Poetry Festival will run until October 25. For more information visit:essex-poetry-festival.co.uk

Todd Swift

Todd Swift is one of the leading poetry activists of his generation. His poems have appeared in numerous British, and International publications, such as The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, Jacket, Poetry London, Poetry Review, and The Wolf. He is the editor of several international poetry anthologies, including Poetry Nation, Short Fuse, and 100 Poets Against The War; and the poetry editor of online magazine Nthposition.

Michael Horovitz

Michael Horowitz is one of the most fascinating, influential and elusive characters of late-twentieth century literature and art. He was described by Allen Ginsberg as a ‘Popular, experienced, experimental, New Jerusalem, Jazz Generation, Sensitive Bard’ He is one of the last living links to the great beat writers of the fifties and sixties.

Patience Agbabi

Her poems have been broadcast on television and radio all over the world. Her work has also appeared on the London Underground and human skin. In 2004 she was nominated as one of the UK's Next Generation Poets.

She was born in London in 1965 and educated at Oxford and Sussex universities. She has lectured in Creative Writing at several UK Universities.

She has published three collections of poetry, R.A.W. (Gecko Press, 1995) and Transformatrix (Canongate, 2000). Her third collection is Bloodshot Monochrome (Canongate, 2008).

Jo Bell

Jo Bell is a poet, poetry professional and the co-ordinator for National Poetry Day.

Formerly an archaeologist of 18 years'standing (and digging), She lives on her narrowboat Tinker which in 2007 moved very slowly around the Cheshire Ring and is currently sinking.

She was Cheshire Poet Laureate 2007 & toured as one fifth of the Poetry troupe Bunch of Fives. Her first full collection is Navigation. www.bell-jar.co.uk

Frank Dullaghan

Frank Dullaghan was born in Dundalk, Ireland. Lived in Essex for more than 20 years before moving to Dubai in 2006. MA (Distinction) Creative Writing from Glamorgan University. Edited Seam for many years and was one of the founding members of the Essex Poetry Festival and lead the panel of judges for the Young Essex Poet of the Year.

Adrian Green

Adrian Green was born in Chelmsford and lives overlooking the sea at Southend, Essex. He is a former editor of SOL magazine, reviews editor of Littoral, and has published 2 earlier pamphlet collections as well as poems and reviews in a number of magazines and anthologies. He has degrees in psychology and general arts as well as a post-graduate diploma in humanities His poems have been published in Acumen, Chimera, Envoi, Essex Countryside, In Praise of Essex, New Essex Writing, Poet’s England – Essex, Southend Poetry, The Interpreter’s House, The Unsaid Goodnight (Stride) and many other magazines and collections. Visit www.greenad.co.uk”

Derek Adams

Derek Adams was born in Walthamstow, is professional photographer and one of the organisers of the Essex Poetry Festival.

His chapbook,'Postcards to Olympus', was winner of the Poetry Monthly Booklet Award 2004 and was named “Best Individual Collection Of Poetry For 2005” in Purple Patch Magazine’s annual Best of the Small Press list. A collection 'Everyday Objects, Chance Remarks', Littoral Press 2005. A new collection 'unconcerned but not indifferent - the life of Man Ray' is now available from Ninth Arrondissement Press. He was BBC Wildlife Poet of the Year 2006 www.derek-adams.co.uk