POETRY centred on love may hold the monopoly on the book shelves, but friendship has not gone forgotten.

Whether it is Children's Poet Laureate Michael Rosen’s writing about running away from home, or Marriott Edgar’s monologue Albert and the Lion, there is plenty of poetry based around the theme of friends and family.

Tonight, a poetry recital is being held at the Friends Meeting House in Sansome Place, Worcester, to celebrate the fact.

Gabrielle Bullock, a well known member of the Swan Theatre Amateur Company and owner of Bygones of Worcester antiques shop near Worcester Cathedral, has organised the spoken work event as part of the Worcester Festival.

“It’s really a follow up to the one we did during last year’s festival when we looked at poets from Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire,” said Ms Bullock.

“There is so much focus on popular love poems, we thought it would be more interesting to look at friends, parents and siblings. We ended up coming across some really wonderful pieces.”

Professional lute player Rod Willmott will perform between readings.

Ms Bullock expects an enjoyable evening for anyone who loves the written word.

“I was quite surprised, and impressed by how varied the poems are,” she said. “Some are quite elegiac but others are very funny. We’ve got a lovely one by Michael Rosen about him running away from home. There is a very emotive one, a last minute addition because we’ve only just come across it, by Thomas Hood.

“It is an ode to his son aged three months and five weeks and it is terribly moving. Although it’s 19th century, it’s got a very modern voice.”

Not forgetting oddities, there is one poem about the merits of female companionship written by a clergyman.

Entry to Words and Music: Friends and Family, is free. The event starts at 7.30pm, Tickets are available from Worcester Live box office on 01905 611427 and on the door.