You have again made your way in, Cold and beautiful. You are December, And I love you. Despite the seasonal celebration, I know you to be more. You are calm, You allow me to slow, To envelope the tranquility I crave. Your winds, December, though cold, Allow me to feel the life in my cheeks, And if I’m lucky, It too will bring the sweetness Of some distant firewood. I welcome your snow, December. So that I may sit wrapped in wool, By candlelight, The dog having nestled in as well, Watching the frozen rain accumulate On the branches of the birch and oak. Though I live in the city, I dream of loving you December, Even more – if I were in nature. Then I would feel closer to you, As a lover may feel, Or perhaps a mother to a child. I would know, I think, how to More fully know why I am in love With you. And being with you, December, Brings me to life.
A festival celebrating 50 years of activism at Warwick Arts Centre.
As part of Warwick Arts Centre 50th anniversary celebrations, the local community takes over their spaces with a day of creativity all inspired by our ‘Rebels With A Cause’ season theme.
From performances across music, spoken word and dance, to pop-up theatre, to workshops in poetry and visual arts workshops there is something for everyone to enjoy!
All events are drop-in and suitable for all ages. We encourage you to explore our spaces and take part in as many things as you can. Get creative and channel your inner activist!
Artists & Performers:
Canley Samba Band, Butterworth Hall
Join Canley Samba Band on the stage of the Butterworth Hall for a rhythmic workshop and experience some classic Samba Band beats! Band leader Dave Barrett will share the origins of Samba Band as one that brings people together through joy, connection and solidarity as he introduces each piece you’ll play.
Dotti Sallis and Nor Aziz, Uniting Communities, Upper Foyer
Our friends in Canley take over the Upper Foyer with an installation that celebrates key Canley spaces and the importance these have in bringing the community together. Take part in a lantern making workshop in the morning and have a photo taken with performers from this year’s Canley Parade dressed in their illuminated costumes!
Emerald Book Club, Upper Cinema Foyer
Emerald Book Club is a vibrant community of readers and creatives, passionate about promoting literacy, culture, and thought-provoking discussions. Join them throughout the day for storytelling and reading sessions, creative writing sessions and the opportunity to share your words from the sessions.
Emilie Lauren, Lower Foyer
Explore protest poetry with Coventry’s first Poet Laureate Emilie Lauren! Create your own poems and share them on our collective poetry blackboards to share your words with all.
Foleshill Creates, Theatre Bar
Our friends at Foleshill Creates lead a day long drop-in workshop of craft activities in our Theatre Bar, with a focus on reusable and recyclable materials.
Good Neighbours, Lower Foyer
Discover more about befriending, speak to the team, and take part in activities that celebrate the joy of friendship!
Imagination Reading Cafés, Helen Martin Studio
An hour-long pop-up theatre experience led by Pru Poretta (Coventry’s Lady Godiva) and Jah Man Aggrey, with interactive props, unique puppets, live music and audience participation!
Ode Creatives, Foyer Stage
Enjoy this hour-long showcase set on our Foyer Stage featuring 4 local artists, each performing their own original songs that resonate with the ‘Rebels With A Cause’ theme. A celebration of local talent and amplifying voices.
Out of Whack, Studio
Join Out of Whack, our Elders Dance Company, and choreographer Liz Agiss as they present a new work made specifically to celebrate ‘Rebels With A Cause’ and what dance means to them. A Q&A will follow their performance.
Reign The Girl Band, Foyer Stage
Siân Jessica Lewis and Lily Smith from Reign, a multi-instrumentalist girlband, join us for an intimate, dynamic set showcasing original music from their upcoming EP. Blending acoustic and electronic elements the set will demonstrate the power of collaborative female musicianship. The performance will be followed by a short interactive workshop discussing barriers for women in the music industry, encouraging dialogue on how we can collectively rebel against these obstacles.
Sing for Change, Foyer Stage
Sing For Change is a Coventry based community choir that meets to sing songs for peace, social justice, equality and the environment. Their set includes songs as well as performance poetry, written by poets with experience of the British asylum system. You’ll have the opportunity to learn and sing-along to two protest songs and participate in a Q&A.
Tarla Patel, Creative Learning Space
Join artist Tarla Patel for a zine and postcard making workshop that explores the theme of rebellion! Using collage making, drawing, text and colour, you’ll make your own mini-zine booklets based on the ‘Rebels With A Cause’ theme.
Youth Leadership Collective with DASH Arts, Foyer Stage
Members of our Youth Leadership Collective take to the stage to share powerful and persuasive speeches on topics they feel passionate about created as part of a workshop with DASH Arts. Amplifying voices and hearing what matters to the young people in our community.
It is November And all the leaves face my way Overlapping tussocks of grass Like long forgotten hills Dwelling in the overhang of fall
It is November Orange ribbons hand in tatters Patched up yellow cloaks are draped And whisking in the wind Then drifting to the earth And becoming winters pillow
It is November And there stands a lonely tower Base adorned with red bushes Flags no longer flying Crouched and crippled by the frost
It is November My feet bear down on acorns A thousand fold All left and forgotten Even to the squirrels Just a layer ‘neath my feet
It is November The solitary pines stand solid Near the ivy covered wall Their boughs raise and hail the heavens And their needles fall As the autumn wind dances a mournful dance
It is November Bare branches rake the cloudy skies And scratch out their heartfelt pleas Against cold glass windows Seeking what they have lost and will not find
It is November An old gate stands ajar Beckoning to no one Standing solidly open Despite the cruel fall wind
It is November Trees make colored circles A fading gold on fading green A fireworks display Now falling to the ground
It is November Cold air fills my body Cruel wind tosses my hair I seek a shelter from autumn My door is open Now I am home
Join us every Monday night at 8 PM GMT for Poetic Flows, a soothing and inspiring podcast by Emerald Book Club, where words come alive through the beauty of poetry. Hosted in a serene, reflective atmosphere, Poetic Flows showcases captivating spoken-word performances, poetic readings, and thought-provoking discussions about the art of poetry.
Each episode brings together poets, authors, and poetry lovers to share their craft, emotions, and insights. Whether you’re a seasoned poet or simply enjoy listening to the magic of words, this is the perfect space to explore the richness of language and connect with like-minded individuals.
Poetry is a form of literary art that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place of, literal or surface-level meanings. Any particular instance of poetry is called a poem and is written by a poet. Wikipedia
Tune in for:
Powerful spoken-word performances
Insightful discussions on classic and contemporary poetry
Special guest appearances from poets and literary enthusiasts
A deep dive into the meaning and inspiration behind featured works
Unwind, listen, and let the rhythm of words flow through you. Poetic Flows is your Monday night escape into the world of poetry.
📅 Every Monday at 8 PM GMT 📍 Hosted by Emerald Book Club
One heavy day I ran away from the grim face of society and the dizzying clamor of the city and directed my weary step to the spacious alley. I pursued the beckoning course of the rivulet and the musical sounds of the birds until I reached a lonely spot where the flowing branches of the trees prevented the sun from the touching the earth.
I stood there, and it was entertaining to my soul - my thirsty soul who had seen naught but the mirage of life instead of its sweetness.
I was engrossed deeply in thought and my spirits were sailing the firmament when a hour, wearing a sprig of grapevine that covered part of her naked body, and a wreath of poppies about her golden hair, suddenly appeared to me. As she she realized my astonishment, she greeted me saying, 'Fear me not; I am the Nymph of the Jungle.'
'How can beauty like yours be committed to live in this place? Please tell me who your are, and whence you come? ' I asked. She sat gracefully on the green grass and responded, 'I am the symbol of nature! I am the ever virgin your forefathers worshipped, and to my honor they erected shrines and temples at Baalbek and Jbeil.' And I dared say, 'But those temples and shrines were laid waste and the bones of my adoring ancestors became a part of the earth; nothing was left to commemorate their goddess save a pitiful few and the forgotten pages in the book of history.'
She replied, 'Some goddesses live in the lives of their worshippers and die in their deaths, while some live an eternal and infinite life. My life is sustained by the world of beauty which you will see where ever you rest your eyes, and this beauty is nature itself; it is the beginning of the shepherds joy among the hills, and a villagers happiness in the fields, and the pleasure of the awe filled tribes between the mountains and the plains. This Beauty promotes the wise into the throne the truth.'
Then I said, 'Beauty is a terrible power! ' And she retorted, 'Human beings fear all things, even yourselves. You fear heaven, the source of spiritual peace; you fear nature, the haven of rest and tranquility; you fear the God of goodness and accuse him of anger, while he is full of love and mercy.'
After a deep silence, mingled with sweet dreams, I asked, 'Speak to me of that beauty which the people interpret and define, each one according to his own conception; I have seen her honored and worshipped in different ways and manners.'
She answered, 'Beauty is that which attracts your soul, and that which loves to give and not to receive. When you meet Beauty, you feel that the hands deep within your inner self are stretched forth to bring her into the domain of your heart. It is the magnificence combined of sorrow and joy; it is the Unseen which you see, and the Vague which you understand, and the Mute which you hear - it is the Holy of Holies that begins in yourself and ends vastly beyond your earthly imagination.'
Then the Nymph of the Jungle approached me and laid her scented hands upon my eyes. And as she withdrew, I found me alone in the valley. When I returned to the city, whose turbulence no longer vexed me, I repeated her words:
'Beauty is that which attracts your soul, and that which loves to give and not to receive.'
1. Books help to feel more confident. 2. Books help to travel around the world in the cheapest way. 3. Books develop your personality. 4. Books provide food for thought. 5. Books make you laugh and think. 6. Books draw you towards perfection. 7. Books stimulate creativity. 8. Books bring out writing talent. 9. Books help in communicating. 10. Books clear your vision.
11. Books satisfy your curiosity. 12. Books help you make more choices. 13. Books help you build literary talent. 14. Books do not require any special device to teach. 15. Books increase your attention span. 16. Books are fruitful pastime. 17. Books can be used anytime, anywhere. 18. Books provide entertainment, when others fail. 19. Books make you powerful. 20. Books help you know the ‘Whys’ and ‘Hows’ of everything.
50 Reasons To Read Books
21. Books help you to create and spread fun. 22. Books help you travel across time intelligently. 23. Books keep you updated with facts and figures. 24. Books spread love, affection and knowledge. 25. Books make the best of friends. 26. Books take you to intellectual environment. 27. Books help you feel the world around you. 28. Books entertain your mind. 29. Books broaden your horizon. 30. Books bring Nature to your doorstep.
31. Books bring about a ‘personality change’. 32. Books increase comprehension. 33. Books do not require company. 34. Books are stress-busters. 35. Books develop a sense of belonging to people around you. 36. Books provide mental and physical relaxation. 37. Books act as a communication tool. 38. Books are intellectually satisfying activity. 39. Books provide spiritual experience. 40. Books provide emotional strength.
41. Books build your self-esteem. 42. Books help and encourage your imagination to soar. 43. Books make you smarter and wiser. 44. Books help you grow. 45. Books take you to a ‘world of dreams’. 46. Books can change your life and vision. 47. Books help in achieving ‘life goals’. 48. Books develop wonderful experience. 49. Books transform lives. 50. Books inspire, books motivate, books build nations
Summary
Hope you enjoyed the 50 superb reasons to read books. Do you have a reason to add to the list? let us know in the comments below
Embark on an exciting journey of creativity and imagination with "Adventures in Coloring" — the ultimate coloring book for kids! Packed with over 50 delightful illustrations and whimsical scenes, this book promises hours of fun and exploration for young artists of all skill levels.
From enchanting fairy tales and magical creatures to thrilling adventures in faraway lands, each page of "Adventures in Coloring" invites children to bring their favorite stories and characters to life in vibrant colors. Whether they're coloring a brave knight on a quest to rescue a princess or a friendly dragon soaring through the clouds, the possibilities for creative expression are endless.
Designed with kids in mind, "Adventures in Coloring" features large, easy-to-color illustrations and bold outlines that help build fine motor skills and boost confidence. With plenty of room for creativity and personalization, this coloring book encourages children to let their imaginations run wild and create their own colorful masterpieces.
Perfect for rainy days, quiet afternoons, or creative playtime with friends, "Adventures in Coloring" is sure to spark joy and ignite a love for art in children of all ages. Whether they're coloring solo or sharing their creations with others, this book provides a fun and engaging outlet for self-expression and creativity.
Join the adventure and let your imagination soar with "Adventures in Coloring" — where every page is a new opportunity for fun, discovery, and colorful adventures!
SUMMARY
Adventures in Coloring: A Kid’s Creative Quest: The Ultimate Coloring Book for Kids
Author: Emerald Book Club
Genre: Kids Coloring Book
Price: $15.99
Description: Embark on an exciting journey of creativity and imagination with “Adventures in Coloring” — the ultimate coloring book for kids! Packed with over 50 delightful illustrations and whimsical scenes, this book promises hours of fun and exploration for young artists of all skill levels. From enchanting fairy tales and magical creatures to thrilling adventures in faraway lands, each page of “Adventures in Coloring” invites children to bring their favorite stories and characters to life in vibrant colors. Whether they’re coloring a brave knight on a quest to rescue a princess or a friendly dragon soaring through the clouds, the possibilities for creative expression are endless.
Life is a tapestry woven with countless threads of experiences, each offering its own unique brilliance and significance. At Emerald Book Club, we believe in celebrating the richness of life and embracing its boundless opportunities for growth and fulfillment.
In our recent episode of The Positive Podcast, titled "The Great Things Life Has to Offer," we reflect on the profound beauty found in everyday moments. From the warmth of a sunrise to the laughter shared with loved ones, these are the threads that weave together to form the fabric of our lives.
Here are 10 examples of great things that life has to offer:
Love and Connection: Deep bonds with family, friends, and loved ones that enrich our lives.
Personal Growth: Continuous learning, self-discovery, and achieving personal goals.
Health and Well-being: Physical vitality, mental clarity, and emotional balance.
Nature's Beauty: Serene landscapes, breathtaking sunsets, and the wonders of the natural world.
Creativity and Expression: The ability to create, innovate, and express ourselves through art, music, or writing.
Moments of Joy: Laughter, celebrations, and spontaneous moments that bring happiness.
Peace and Tranquility: Finding moments of calm, inner peace, and serenity amidst life's challenges.
Opportunity: New beginnings, career growth, and chances to make a positive impact.
Gratitude: Appreciating life's blessings, both big and small, and cultivating a thankful heart.
Purpose and Meaning: Finding fulfillment in contributing to something greater than ourselves and living with purpose.
These are just a few examples of the richness and variety of experiences that make life meaningful and fulfilling.
Join us as we explore the essence of life's greatness through the lens of positivity and gratitude. We invite you to listen to the episode here, where we delve into inspiring stories and insights that remind us of the abundance that surrounds us.
At Emerald Book Club, our mission is to inspire and uplift through literature, podcasts, and community engagement. We encourage you to embrace life's treasures and discover the extraordinary in the ordinary.
Dive into captivating worlds, engage in thought-provoking discussions, and connect with fellow bookworms who share your passion for literature. Whether you're an avid reader, a casual browser, or someone looking to explore new genres, there's a place for you here amidst the emerald pages of our virtual library. #emeraldbookclub#bookstagram#book#bookworm#booknerd#booklover#booklovers#bookaddict
