Tuesday 17 May 2011

My Bum Is Blue

I was driving to Marsden primary school today, doing some more school visits for the StreetSpeak Playing for Success project. I went across the moors from Hebden Bridge to Nelson and man o man was it dramatic!!! There was a low mist up on the tops and when i drove into it it felt like driving into Jurassic park. IT DID!! it must be spooky at night!!! Pitch black!!!If a T-Rex had appeared out of the mist i would have waved hello and said ' Good Morning Mr Rex, did you send your mate a text??'. I saw rain and wind and more rain. I saw little twisty turny roads with big sheer drops down the edge. I saw Eesaw sitting on a seesaw. I saw loads of rabbits and rooks and crows trying to fly in the wind. I thought i was going the wrong way but it was awesome i kept going and eventually i found the school. Doing the job that i do and travelling all over the place means that i get to see places that i might have not have seen if was a postman or something. Anyway, i got to school and we ended up writing a poems called My Bum Is Blue!!! Just the way to end a brilliant and dramatic trip!!!

Tuesday 10 May 2011

Dancing On The Moor

I had a great day the other day. I was working on a great project that i've been involved in called Streetspeak. It started at the National Football Museum a couple of years ago and it involves me and some other writers going around schools and talking to young people about writing, poetry and all that stuff. Anyway.. i waa doing some follow ups in schools in Burnley. It was an amazing day and i thought that i would set off early and go the scenic route. So i got up at daft o'clock and started out. I drove to Colne over in Lancashire. I drove over teh moors and it was awesome. I stopped by a reservoir for a minute and just looked around. The sky was clear and the birds were singing and i felt like dancing. So i did. I did a quick jig on the moor. Tahst how to start the day. I recommend it!! I got some strange looks off passing drivers but like i always say, dance like no-ones looking and you'll be OK!!

May all your skies be blue and keep dancing!!!!!!!!

Friday 6 May 2011

Le Artiste

I was in the Scarborough Evening News the other day, they came along and snapped me while i was doing a gig in the library at Hunmanby near Scarborough. It was part of the Scarborough Literature Festival. The write up or the words about the picture ( it was a good pic by the way, big hello to Ellen and Joe!! ) were good cos they called me a self styled, multi talented performance artiste!!
I've been called many things before but never that. I remember when i used to be a comedian ( i gave up cos everyone used to laugh at me!!) i once got called the Master Of Mirth, which was funny. Lots of teachers introduce me in schools as That Poetry Bloke which is great. I think they also use that if they forget my name which is cool. I once got to a school and got called Geoff Barker. Nothing wrong with that. Geoff Barker is a good name its just not my name!! Good name for a 1950s centre forward for West Ham. Among the other things i've been called are 'Prize winning writer' (true), 'Ex Grave digger', ( true) and Bruce Willis ( not true ).Being a performance artiste is cool though, i'm more than happy with that!! Its all a bit French sounding which is ace. And if i am gonna be french lets do it...."Les Grandes Pensees viennent du coeur....

Le Homme Poetic!!!!

Monday 2 May 2011

Back Into It

I have had two weeks on not doing much but now its time to get back into doing stuff!!! I haven't been sat down all day eating Kitkats ( i wish) but I've been doing bit and bobs. I was in a school in Stoke and i took my family and from there we went to Chester, had a look at the town - its ace, full of old Romans - and then we went to the zoo. I up really close to monkey, WOW, it was amazing!!! Then we went to Liverpool and saw the Iron men on Crosby beach. I love stuff like that. There are 100 life size men made from Iron just standing there looking at the sea. Its all a bit weird and wonderfull and kinda scary for some reason. Then we had a look around Liverpool and the Albert Docks. Great stuff and all the time the sun was shining and shining, makes all the difference. So its been a great holiday - Chester and Liverpool!! But i'm looking forward to getting back into schools reading my poems out and having a laff!! Bring it on....