VEX BOMB 003

July 2025

Hello Friends

It’s Ventnor Fringe month!

If you take a peek to your right, you’ll see all the wonderful things VEX is bringing you over the festival. This year is special for us as it’s a celebration of five years of our group and the fifth group show we’ve brought to the Fringe.

So, join us for Circus of Verse, come and write with us at a free workshop, or just listen to some chill poetry vibes in the park. Whatever you decide to do, we can’t wait to welcome you.

Stay weird ��

Ben & Cody VEX BOMB Editors

Catch VEX members performing solo at Fringe: Rhyme and Reason

Fri 18 Jul at 18:30 th Green World

Tue 22 Jul at 15:30 nd Smile Like You Mean It: Redux

Thu 24 Jul at 15:30 th

Tim Cooper Presents MAWGIAS

Fri 25 Jul at 20:45 th

26 Jul th 18:15

adolescence, but make it msn

andyouareinmycoffeecupagain no Iaminmycoffeecup showering withtheplugputin untilthereisnospaceforyoutoblockmyfollicles squeegeethebathroommirror no squeegeemywristsandfingers no squeezesqueezemytongue itisnot2005 but itisnot2005 and itisnot2005 still yourseveredhandis suspended intime caught inaclassroom anddemolishedtocarpark withtherestof8S withmychairandyours backto backto backto back

emerging now like Thing

oh so beloved! and oversalting my curry! and opening the oven door before my cupcakes are done!

silly thing, Thing, silly thing you couldn’t know better and you could’ve known worse thank you, Thing

I’ve been listening all night to the lyrics plastered over my year ten coursework because Gerard Way can outweigh my teenage voice like no other have you heard about 9/11 and Twilight? of course, of course

a bit like how 80/20 made you, Thing

a bit like thirteen-year-old-sluts and you

A n e k p h r a s t i c p o e m w h i c h r e s p o n d s t o b o t h t h e e m o t i o n a l a n d t h e l i t e r a l s h a p e o f G u s t a v K l i m t ' s f a m o u s p a i n t i n g

The Kiss

Didyouwanttokissme?

I’msorry thewall wefell hasleft andnow Ithink theair lights andI’m

Iwaswatching theway yourhand amark thesweatcools howcool howsweat lust drug happybabywithyou

Tim Cooper

Space Whales I

We drift Through this world, Like Whales floating Through oceans, Ebbing in endless expanse, Everlasting. We move through life like, Wading through water, Stubbornly pushing on Against the to and fro Of the tide, Pressing ourselves Deep into the bed Of the Earth, Breathing in the sounds Of the sea, Reefs, woven into Our skin. We could be one With the world,

If only we wanted to Work together To build peace.

Andrew Butcher

Space Whales II

We drift Through this world, Like Whales floating Through space, Suspended in endless expanse, Ever-present.

We move through life blind To its beauty, Forgetting the miracle Of stardust That brought us to the Earth. We cannot reach the stars, For we may have travelled so very far, But we have learned so little. We could have been one With the world, If only we wanted to Work together, To build peace.

The Dam

The beavers couldn't find any wood. The logmen had taken away all the trees. This caused the beavers instinct for survival to change. so once night fell, the beavers sprung into action and raided the homes of the logmen. Anything that could be stuck together with mud they took, even the logmen themselves! It was a long night but by dawn the beavers were done! Satisfied with their job, made out of household goods and drowned logmen it was the perfect home to raise their young.

VEX, The Ventnor Exchange Spoken Word Collective, meets fortnightly on Thursdays at 7:30-9:30pm starting on 4th September 2025.

Find us on Facebook and Instagram @vexspokenword or email us on vexspokenword@gmail.com

Friday25thJuly,20:45, TheBijou “theatreatitsbest” “rootedintruth, intensebutcontrolled” £1150/£950