‘I can’t understand poetry, Steve. It’s never appealed to me...’
She looked at me and realised what she’d said. ‘Oh, I don’t mean your poetry, dear. You’re not too poetry.’
I thanked her for her compliment as we supped tea after church one Sunday. She didn’t know it, but she gave me an idea. It lingered and influenced the naming of my first three collections.
I like the notion of poetry that is more accessible than our typical memory of school poetry readings, when you were told which poetry to read. As an adult I love walking around library poetry sections, where you have permission to graze til you find a flavour that appears to you.
Why is it okay to name favourite novel writers, favourite TV programmes, favourite artists, but some are quick to write off all poetry because of a bad experience at school. Well, if we dip into poetry enough, we’ll maybe find favourite poets.
If you dip into my poetry – either at a reading or through My Poetry Library (see link above) and find something that pleases you, then you can enjoy my collections at Amazon.
Have a delve. You never know what you’ll find, but I hope it won’t be too poetry.
Not Too Poetry 