What inspired you to start writing poetry and join this group?

I first started writing at the beginning of 2021, during yet another pandemic lockdown. I had always found poetry difficult, having only ever written academic assignments until then; absolutely no poetry.

My wife’s brother-in-law had been writing poetry and lyrics for decades, and during the pandemic I started to type up his fragmented work into something more presentable (ending in over 200 poems and song lyrics formally set out and titled). And so I began to understand the voice of a poet.

However, it was Ian McMillan who really got me started, through a Twitter/X lockdown sonnet of his. At the end of the video he said: “Have a go”. So I did, and started writing my own lockdown sonnets.

I joined Spread The Word when a short series was advertised in my local library, from a weekly shared reading group my wife and I regularly attended. And that’s where I met you Vic!

Through these sessions I have been able to tap into a community, then connect with that community, be part of that community, and then reap the benefits from that community.

Can you share the story behind one of the favourite poems you've written?

It’s hard to select a favourite poem. I have an idea, write something that feels OK on the page, and move on. I rarely look back to revisit and edit earlier poems, and rarely read them again. However, having recently started performing my poetry at a number of local open mic events, I have been trawling back through the 400+ poems I have written to date, and edited previous narrative works to put together a selection for reading aloud.

‘Field of Dreams’ is a poem I wrote from a Spread The Word session. From a prompt I was taken back to my childhood when I used to play in the fields at the end of the road where I was born. The poem tries to capture the imagination and freedom of being in the wild; at one with the natural world. The poem then became part of a ‘washing line’ of tea towel prints and toured a number of libraries in Rotherham.

How has being part of this poetry group influenced your writing?

Being part of the Spread The Word poetry group has been a rewarding journey. With the support of Flux Rotherham and the leadership of you, Vic, I have been encouraged to write on themes that I would not have otherwise considered. I have met other poets in the group, and the shared encouragement that comes from being part of a group. Latterly, it has given me the confidence to perform my work alongside other Spread The Word and other local poets, and become known and begun to feel part of a wider poetry community.

What themes or topics do you find yourself most drawn to in your poetry?

I draw inspiration from a wide canvas, and rather than writing on particular themes or styles, I feel most comfortable writing about anything and everything, both narrative and imagist. More than anything perhaps I am drawn to the human condition, the intangible and ephemeral, natural and supernatural, and the fractured moral vacuum of contemporary life; the poetry of perceptions and impressions. I write for my mental health, more than anything,  to get it out of my head and onto the page, but what I find I'm drawn to is so eclectic.

Who are some of your favourite poets and how have they influenced your work?

A difficult question. I don’t really have any favourite poets, so there are no direct influences on my writing; I don’t’ write ‘after’ anyone. I am not inspired by anything traditional. I read a lot of contemporary poetry, but overall I prefer to take what the wind blows towards me, when the spirit moves and piques my interest.

Can you describe your writing process and do you have any specific rituals or routines?

Other than the discipline of writing to order as part of a Spread The Word session, I have no particular routine, preferring to wait until something draws me in, e.g. a visit to Haworth Parsonage, or finding a prompt from the Twitter/X poetry community that inspires me to respond. I write more often than not first thing in the morning or last thing at night; at the edge of sleeping or waking; while my mind and thoughts are free.

How and where do you find inspiration to write?

Inspiration can come from anywhere and anything, from responding to a dance performance, a political event, a TV programme, the landscape, an aspect of the seasons, or my own mental state and musing. 

What role do you think poetry creative writing plays in society/in Rotherham today?

Poetry and creative writing is not for everyone, but if you don’t try, sow the seeds and nurture the seedlings (Flux Rotherham has been the critical pump primer here), there would be little more than there is now; isolated groups or solo writers like me. I have gained a huge benefit from being part of something (in Rotherham) that is alive and thriving, and has the potential to support itself into the future. The links have been made. It is ours to keep it going, as other groups in Barnsley, Mexborough and Doncaster have been doing for many years. 

How has sharing your work with the group impacted your confidence and development as a poet, creative writer?

Sharing my work has been significant in building personal confidence; that I have something to say that other people want to hear. It has given me the opportunity to try out my poems in front of an supportive and encouraging group, and believe that what I write is worth sharing. I could not have done this without Flux Rotherham and Spread the Word. It has also helped me to write more narrative than impressionist or imagist poetry so that I have something that can be performed and enjoyed by others instead of only being readable on the page or social media channel. Doing the open mics has also given me a different kind of confidence.

What advice would you give to someone who is just starting out in poetry?

Don’t be afraid to try. More than anything, join a group and see what happens. I didn’t start until I had retired from a working life. You may feel intimidated, as we probably all were, the first time you turn up [to a group], “I haven't got anything to share”, “You don't want to hear my words”, etc. but you do gradually  throw those thoughts away. And then go on, what I always describe as, an emotional journey, that you can begin to trust. And when you trust, you can share, and then when you can share, you can cry. And that's the most important point of all of.

Above all, let the words flow from you and how you want to write rather than how you think you should write (as if you were in an English class at school, and had just been asked to respond to a ‘traditional’ poem). Don't write something that you think somebody else wants to hear. Write what is truly you. It takes a while, but be yourself and you will find yourself.

The most important thing is build a connection with someone, a community, you then begin to tell your own story, and you share the life experiences which then inform your poetry, so your poetry can become more rounded. Suddenly you are given a voice, no different from the voice you had before, but it's much richer.

Anything else that you want to say?

Thank you Vic, and thank you Flux Rotherham for everything you have encouraged to flow from my pen, even if some of it is weird or far from a finished work. And thank you for giving me the confidence to perform!

Brew Order: Tea (Earl Grey if you have it) or Coffee (Americano), white with one sweetener.