MPF2026: THE POETRY STAGE

Well I’ve never been any good at poe’ry…” – Martha, Chekhov’s Hangnail

Well, we ARE good at poetry, actually.

Manchester Punk Festival’s Poetry Stage returns for 2026 with another mob of gobby punk poets, armed with protest verse, surreal storytelling, DIY manifestos and zero respect for the rulebook. Whether you’re a spoken word regular or just ducking out between bands, the Poetry Stage is your place to sit down, tune in and feel something loud.

Hosted by Henry Raby, scrawny punk poet and admin anarchist, the stage promises warmth, chaos and a microphone for anyone brave enough to grab it.

Saturday Line-Up

Redeeming Features

High-energy, absurd and gloriously ridiculous punk poetry to kick things off properly. Expect rabble-rousing, rapid-fire delivery and a refusal to behave.

Half Beard Half Poet

If you believe the rumours, Half Beard Half Poet is actually a sentient beard wearing a human as a disguise. Born in 1900s Manchester and now proudly representing Northwich, he runs writing groups and poetry events across Mid-Cheshire.

In 2025 he opened the world-famous Piña Colada Festival with a poem that Rupert Holmes described as “pure gold.” Surreal, self-aware and sharply observed. Don’t miss it.

Smoked Poets

Violently political and uncompromisingly anti-imperialist, this Kashmiri street poet blends thoughtful hip hop with dreamy, dissonant beats. Hailing from East London, Smoked Poets brings the fire of the streets to the stage.

You might have seen them screaming at the cops at your nearest antifascist assembly. If not, now’s your chance.

Sunday Line-Up

Chicory Romaniszyn

Working across poetry, zines, performance, sculpture, music and exhibition-making, Chicory Romaniszyn treats the curator as co-conspirator and art as collective mischief.

Drawing from the science fiction legacies of Octavia Butler, Ursula Le Guin and Samuel R. Delany, their work uses speculative imagination as a tool for critical engagement.

Chicory co-directs OVER / AT, a CIC supporting trans and non-binary musicians in Scotland, alongside composer Rufus Isabel Elliot. Originally from Bridgewater, Connecticut, they’ve worked with NEW Inc (NYC), Atlas Arts (Skye) and Counterflows Festival (Glasgow) — but their heart lies in messy little DIY projects with good people.

Open Mic

In the spirit of punk, the mic is yours.

Bring a poem. Bring a story. Bring a rant. Bring a zine.
First-timers, old-handers, nervous whisperers and seasoned screamers. All welcome.

Nasima Bee

Closing the stage on Sunday is Nasima Bee — performance poet, producer and creative practitioner.

A trustee for Young Identity and patron of Contact Theatre, Nasima uses art as activism. Her work explores the everyday through a personal lens, centring stories that are unheard, misrepresented or ignored.

From theatre and essays to workshops, film and audio, poetry remains at the core of her practice — inquisitive, conversational and deeply human.