1)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>What am I working on?\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>I\u2019m working rather randomly at present, trying to write poems about whatever presents itself as having something interesting to show or say. Having experienced new grandparenthood three times in the past few months I have been writing \u00a0a lot about babies, parents and early childhood \u2013 maybe that will add up to a sequence? Before that I was engaged in the new landscapes, social as well as physical, impressed on us by a move from Norfolk to the West Midlands.<\/p>\n
2)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>How does my work differ from others of this genre?<\/b> \u00a0Narrative verse used to fascinate me \u2013 especially that of Chaucer. \u00a0Writing long (mostly unreadable) poems has been part of a life-long protest against what I considered to be the \u201cminor-isation\u201d of much contemporary poetry. But nowadays, thanks to the shorter energy bursts and briefer concentration spans that have been brought about by old age, I am writing \u00a0shorter \u201cbyte-sized\u201d poems – hopefully in a more accessible free verse style. \u00a0I am writing those occasional lyrics and \u201cminor\u201d observations that I used to despise so heartily. So perhaps my poems are becoming less different, more mainstream. <\/b><\/p>\n
3)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>Why do I write what I do?<\/b> \u00a0<\/b>\u00a0Because I have tried to write \u201cpoetry\u201d for so long that I can\u2019t stop now even nearing the age of 70 when I probably should be finding more useful things to do like tidying up the house. I guess that a psychologist might say writing is<\/span> actually a way of tidying up the psychic house, which would otherwise be full of cobwebby corners, haunting memories, puzzling encounters, personal chaos…\u00a0 But one also hopes that one\u2019s best poems might be thought-provoking and entertaining for \u201cthe general reader\u201d as well. \u00a0One hopes that such a reader might be able to relate to one\u2019s exploration of common human experience. (What alot of \u201cones\u201d one has used!) \u00a0I like the idea of poetry as descriptive play but I also like the idea that it should be instructive, – \u201ceye-opening\u201d in the widest sense.<\/p>\n 4)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>How does your writing process work?<\/b> I have been interested to read how previous contributors to this blog tour still use old-fashioned long hand on paper… Jeff even mentions a \u201cbiro\u201d \u2013 how quaint!\u00a0 My own handwriting has been illegible for so long, my eyesight so poor, that I have got used to composing straight into\/onto a computer… I find it invaluable for moving text around, for filing, drafting, endlessly redrafting \u2013 in other words for continual experimentation.\u00a0 As for the mysterious sources of the creative process itself, a useful metaphor might be that of dropping a first idea, sensation or image like a log on a rope into the depths of the unconscious, then pulling it up from <\/b>time to time to discover whatever images, even clusters of language, have accreted. More practically, exposing drafts to writing workshops and to fellow writers I find to be increasingly useful; nearly always others can spot mistakes or suggest improvements that I have overlooked.<\/p>\n Thank you for giving time (if you have) to reading this. \u00a0How flattering to be afforded the space to muse, like some attention seeking adolescent, on My Poetic Self. \u00a0\u00a0Two further writers on this Blog Tour who I would enthusiastically recommend are Nadia Kingsley, who publishes beautifully produced books and pamphlets at Fairacre press as well as being a meticulous nature poet herself, and Tom Wentworth, an exciting and award-winning\u00a0 young dramatist.\u00a0 Tom and Nadia will be posting their answers to the four leading questions on March 17th<\/sup> .\u00a0 Here are their details:<\/p>\n Nadia Kingsley is a poet, writer,\u00a0editor and publisher. Her poems have appeared in Orbis, the colours issue of Here Comes Everyone, We’re all in this together (Offa’s Press), Inspired by Dudmaston, and Bridgnorth Writers’ Anthologies. Her short stories and poems have been placed in competitions; but most of her recent work can be found as part of the growing Fair Acre Press catalogue.<\/p>\n\n