DislexicPoet Notebook
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# Poetry in a Northern Kitchen: My Gran
# Poetry in a Northern Kitchen: My Gran Some people leave behind photographs. Others leave behind houses, jewellery, or money. But many of us are left with something far more precious. A memory of walking through our Gran’s front door. In my new book, *Poetry in a Northern Kitchen*, I write a poem called **Gran**.…
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Welcome to Poetry in a Northern Kitchen
Some books begin with a plot. This one begins with a kettle. Poetry in a Northern Kitchen is my next poetry collection/book, and over the coming months I’ll be sharing some of the memories, places and stories that inspired it—without giving away the poems themselves. This isn’t a book about famous people or extraordinary lives.…
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You Had All of Me: When Love Becomes Surrender
There are some loves that arrive quietly, asking permission before they enter your life. And then there are the ones that don’t. The ones that crash through every defence you’ve carefully built, leaving you wondering where you end and the other person begins. You Had All of Me was born from that feeling. It isn’t…
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The Wolf Within: The Part of Me That Finally Learned
Some poems arrive quietly. They don’t demand attention. They don’t shout. They simply sit beside you until you’re ready to hear them. The Wolf Within was one of those poems. People often think wolves represent anger, aggression, or danger. That isn’t what this poem is about. For me, the wolf represents something much quieter. It…
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Featured by Poetry Cooperative – #PoetsLift
There are moments in a writer’s journey that arrive quietly. No fanfare. No grand announcement. Just the simple realisation that someone has found your work and connected with it. I was honoured to be featured by Poetry Cooperative as part of their #PoetsLift series. Poetry Cooperative highlights poets from around the world, sharing their stories,…
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Featured on You’re the Poet Podcast – Episode 77
I recently had the pleasure of being a guest on Episode 77 of You’re the Poet with hosts Matt and Phil Burgio. During the episode, we discussed poetry, creativity, spoken word, and the stories behind some of my work. I was honoured to share four poems: • Ma’s Good Biscuit Tin • The Slow Disappearance…
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Poetry in a Northern Kitchen
Three Photographs and a Life Well Lived. Every photograph tells a story. Most of the time, we don’t realise it when the picture is taken. We stand where we’re told, smile for the camera, and carry on with our day. Years later, we look back and realise the photograph captured far more than a face.…
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Poetry in a Northern Kitchen
Northern Working-Class Life (Part 1) When Everyone Knew Your Name When I think about Northern working-class life, I don’t think about statistics or politics. I think about borrowing a cup of sugar from next door. I think about front doors that were rarely locked because everyone knew everyone. I think about neighbours popping in for…
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When the Mirror Sees What We Hide
Some poems begin with an idea. Others begin with a feeling. This poem began with a moment of recognition. The kind of moment that arrives unexpectedly. A glance in a mirror. A reflection held a little too long. A sudden awareness that the person staring back at you doesn’t feel entirely familiar. The opening of…
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The Story Behind The Lioness Roar
Some poems arrive quietly. Others arrive with their claws out. The Lioness Roar was one of those poems. It wasn’t written from a place of fear about death. It was written from a place of acceptance — the understanding that none of us know how long we have, but we do get to choose how…