Strood Poetical Society
The Strood Poetical Society is a secretive organisation that has its headquarters in the back room of a launderette. It was founded in the 1960s and was a splinter group of disillusioned poets who broke away from the long established Darnley Road Men of Letters. The SPS - Strood Poetical Society - have never published a manifesto, but it is known that they represent a more 'robust' version of rhyme and verse. This was demonstrated in the early 80s when they went to Chatham to give the Medway Poets a good kicking.
It isn't known how many members there are in the SPS but it is rumoured that locals are often shanghaied into the group and subjected to a life of senseless rhyme. It is also rumoured that the SPS is a front for a notorious Strood crime gang, though the North Street Boyss emphatically deny this. Whether or not there is a connection between the two organisations is debatable, but what cannot be denied is that the SPS do use their talents to cause pain.
Why they do this is not known, but it is probably an innate Strood instinct that cannot be over ridden.
The Strood Poetical Society is responsible for a vast output of classical Shit-house poetry and has published poems in nearly all the pubs and public lavatories in the Medway towns.
They never give public performances and recitals are by invitation only. They are never declined because the invitee is not given the time to do so. The invitation is given from behind, usually a swift punch in the kidneys followed by a potato sack over the head. When the invitee gains conciousness, he or she, usually finds themselves gagged and tied to a wooden chair. The auditorium is in the back room of the launderette. A windowless affair, small and stuffy.
The poets take it turns to conduct the recital and usually do it in four hour shifts. A full recital can last anything from 48 to 72 hours with no break for the invitee. When finished the victim is let lose near Strood pier. The SPS do not charge for this service.
They do however charge for other services. Verses are syncopated in the launderette back room and underlying metaphors are massaged by a topless Boncie Ballbag. The rhythmic device is supplied by the whirring of the launderette's ex-soviet washing machines.
Mogass Date
Hula Fuq Cares
