This year is the 100th anniversary of Dada, the art movement that formed the basis of surreal works by Salvador Dali, the inspiration for Tin Man in Wizard of Oz and more recently the Monty Python series.

During the fifth Poetry Swindon Festival the Dada Tin Women will be popping up in various venues all over the town.

The festival director, Hilda Sheehan, said that the nonsense movement of Dada was in keeping with the spirit of Swindon poets.

"Poetry Swindon likes its poetry a little off-kilter, quite a lot off-kilter, so something anti-meaning, and silly with a serious message is what Poetry Swindon is all about.''

Bringing a more high flying note to the festival will be various works inspired by the Spitfire. The popular plane that was made in Swindon, and played such a vital role in the Second World War, is the subject of flight-themed poems from North Swindon school children. Artist and writer Mike Pringle will have his Spitfire sculpture on show and there will be readings from Sisters in Spitfire, a collection of poems by Alison Hill.

The launch of the Community Poetry Festival is at the Central Library with an Open Mic entitled: Poems Aloud, beginning at 10am on September 29. The festival continues until October 5 in various venues around the town including Savernake Social Hall, Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, The Sun Inn pub, The Museum of Computing, Central Community Centre, Arts Centre and North Swindon Library.

Children's Day is on October 2 and features the mischief-making Goblin Circus. Children have the chance to twist words, plant a story and discover the eccentric Imagination Museum.

The success of the Swindon Festival of Literature spawned the idea for the poetry event which has now been extended to 11 days and covers talks, workshops, poetry discos, readings and open mics.

National Poetry Day is on October 6 kicking off The Big Poetry Weekend, based at the Richard Jefferies Museum in Swindon. The museum plays host to some respected names such as the award winning Kim Moore, Andrew McMillan and Radio 4 poet Daljit Niagra who will judge the Battered Moons poetry awards evening and lead a masterclass. American poet Carrie Etter will lead an erotic poetry workshop, just one of 30 poetry events throughout the festival.

Many of the activities are free. For more details visit www.poetryswindon.org - Flicky Harrison