Wolverhampton Literature Festival has returned for its 7th year in 2023 and runs from Friday 3rd until Sunday 5th February.  Hosted by Wolverhampton City Council the Festival amplifies the voices of authors, poets, writers, publishers, storytellers and playwrights across the UK.  celebrating our creative communities living in Wolverhampton and surrounding regions.  

        The Festival always looks to provide something for everyone through an outstanding programme of events.  WCR FM, Wolverhampton`s radio station which broadcasts on 101.8 FM, online, Spotify and Listen Again, is running 3 days of free events at the Mander Centre Community Hub with the best of spoken word, local authors, storytellers and the world premiere of a play for WASUP - World Against Single Use Plastic.  

    WCR FM Chair Chris Allen said "We couldn`t be more excited to be highlighting some of the incredible talent that exists in and around Wolverhampton.  It`s a huge celebration of everything that`s good about our city - and that`s exactly the image we want to project on our radio station".    

  Ian Henery, Poet in Residence for WCR FM and who has event managed the 3 day showcase of creative talent at the Mander Centre Community Hub, has written a special poem for the Wolverhampton Literature Festival entitled "Only Words Endure". 

He said "since the start of COVID the world has become a strange place.  We are witnessing global climate change, a recession and the uncertainty about whether there will be a World War Three following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.  Only words will remain."            

                                                 Only Words Endure

  Solitary hair where the cat once purred,

Lies betray love and the bonds of trust;

The sharpest sword flakes away in rust,

A symphony forgotten but once heard.

All things must come to dust eventually,

We are not blessed with immortality

And nothing endures through life but words.

    We all die, it`s a fact and not inferred:

Every human and building, all age;

Empires are reduced to history`s page.

Every animal, insect and bird,

Everything beneath stars will perish.

Rocks worn away and all that we cherish,

Nothing will endure through life but words.    

Ian Henery