Poem of the week

I have written a great deal of poetry over the years; some was commissioned for various plays and projects, some were in the form of  poetic text in the body of a play, and some I just wrote because I wanted to.  I’ve kind of given up trying to get them published, and so I thought I may as well just put them out there and see what people think.  So I’ve decided to post a poem every week, and where appropriate include a short paragraph explaining the idea or inspiration, and from then on simply list the collection name.  So here’s the first one from a play called Tango Apocalypso - a book of poetry, commissioned for The Shysters Theatre Company for their play, Tango Apocalypso.  The poetry was there to inspire the action and plot, which was a mixture of mime and dance, and was about 'love' - the poems ranged from romantic to loss, from comic to tragic and everything in-between.  The audience were handed copies of the poetry at each performance.

YOU'VE GONE

You've gone

But you've left your print on my life,

I can hear you laugh through the roar of the traffic

And feel the touch of your hand

In the middle of the night.

I turn over, wandering how you can still touch me

Even though you're gone...

It makes me smile.

Clive Horrobin's Arse

Ain't blogged for a while, but loads has been happening.  I was fortunate enough to get selected from 1600 scripts for the channel 4 screenwriting scheme, and have spent months being mentored together with eleven other writers, and worked with a couple of brilliant script editors, and have spent a while writing and developing a six part drama series called Caring, inspired by work in children's homes.  I also wrote a play called Kidz for an Irish youth theatre, but unfortunately didn't have the funds to go and see it.  But below is the copy for the play...

"We're kids, and kids can be cruel.  We're all competing so much we forget how much harm we do to each other; there's all these rules about who you can be friends with and who's cool and who isn't and how you dress and what music you like and if you're good at sports, and a million other things...  It's tough being a kid, but one day we'll wake up and we'll be older and maybe then we can start getting on with our lives... I hope so anyway, because I've pretty much given up trying to fit in - it's fucking exhausting."

'Tackling weighty issues, including homophobia in schools, risky sexual relationships and bullying, Kidz takes an honest look at the exhausting rituals of growing up:  Painful, poignant, funny and sometimes tragic; a community of young people discover truthes about each other that will change their lives forever.'

I'm working hard at trying to get my work out there still, and pushing my script from channel 4, and I do actually have a meeting coming up with a company that may be interested, but it seems it's tougher than ever at the moment to get produced.  Recently my play, Canned Peaches In Syrup had a reading at the Joint Stock venue in Birmingham and the response was great - loads of laughter throughout and the feedback after was all really very positive.  Tessa Walker was there from Birmingham Rep and asked for a copy of the script; I've been sending stuff there for ages though and never get a response, but maybe this time something might happen?

            I did however, have to return to hospital again recently following quite worrying blood tests, and was subjected to yet more uncomfortable invasive investigations under local aenesthetic.  The consultant who was administering the endoscopy though was hilarious; he and the nurse were trying their best to distract me through the difficult and rather embarassing procedure, and so he asked me what I did for a living.  I told him I had a variety of jobs - a carer in children's homes, writer and actor.  It turned out he was a massive Archers fan, and when he discovered I played the infamous Clive Horrobin he grew quite animated, and so we discussed various Archers storylines and characters while stuck his probe up my bum and took what seemed like endless biopsies.  When he finished, the nurse quipped that he was always on about The Archers, and would probably be talking about this for weeks.  And I could just imagine him at a dinner party: "You'll never guess who's arse I was up last week?"  It doesn't bear thinking about!

            But seriously, the tests were unbearably worrying, given what I had been through, and the wait for results was excrutiating.  All was well in the end, and I was so relieved I went straight out and booked a holiday to Kephalonia; our first holiday abroad for many years, and it was just what we all needed: a restored Venetian house in a little harbour, great snorkelling, swimming, great food, and all with my two most favourite people in the world - my wife and daughter.

            I'm feeling great at the moment, and even helped get the hay in for a local farmer; really strenuous, back-breaking work, lugging bales onto a tractor and loading barns.  But the tests I'm afraid will continue, and I have another hospital appointment looming in the not too distant future.

            So as you can see, my life at the moment is complicated and bloody stressful; my work as a carer is not easy either; they're challenging kids, and sometimes things can kick off; I've found myself for instance running down a dual-carriageway into oncoming traffic, chasing after a girl who wanted to throw herself under a car.  I have also stood in the middle of the same road, stepping out in front of a speeding car that one of our girls had flagged down, and then had to face an angry kid with a steel bar in her hand and talk her down, while getting her to safety at the side of the road.  I've been kicked, punched and swore at, but sometimes I feel I've made a connection with a kid, and that just keeps me turning up for work.  But Christ, it's emotionally draining work, and after a difficult day with a kid with challenging behaviour I do wonder just how long I can keep turning up for shifts.  Be great if the phone would ring soon though, and someone would say - "Just read your script; you're a genius; we want to put your play on and pay you shitloads of dosh!"  Please?