people in poetry.

Now Playing: 'The Scientist' by Coldplay

I don't know how to write poems that aren't about people. Put it that way.

I love the larger than life characters in history. Potemkin, Catherine, (sorry you guys didn't get to see that), Sir Thomas Wyatt...there's just so much to write about. There is so much poetry and music in their lives, we could probably sing it in two part harmony.

Maybe not.

I've always been fascinated with the six wives of Henry VIII; it's not often where you get presented with that kind of psychological, moral, religious, sexual etc dilemma. The two wives I particularly focus on are Katherine and Anne, simply because their feud was so long and violent, but because they're both fascinating women are are fascinatingly similar. And I feel like all women can relate to one or both at some point in their lives. I'm also fascinated as to how Anne of Cleves is portrayed in popular culture; she wasn't ugly, as far as we can tell, and she's one of the first instances where we just have to admit that there was no chemistry. But was she the lucky wife? I doubt it. A crime of passion is a passion nonetheless; to live and die unwanted and alone is the greater punishment.

But then there are the people I know. All the people I write about mean a lot to me, and I don't always mean it in a good way - sometimes you have to write about the people who cut deep and leave a scar. I love the anonymity of poetry, but nontheless I will say that The Girl Called Beauty is a girl I know, and also features - sort of - in kai su, teknon, He Who Was Never Mine and My Dear Rochester.

And then there are the people I will meet. The people I will love, one day; the people that will convince me that somehow all the ups an downs of life have meaning, have purpose. The people I love so unconditionally I love them even before I know them, even if I will never know them.

And then there is me. There is only one muse you can trust; and that is yourself.

As for the song influences, I don't know of any poets who actually do that. I love music, and much of the music I listen to I listen to for the lyrics; I love song lyrics. The first time I did this was The Only Exception, and I loved it. Music is a wonderful inspiration. The level of influence varies, of course - sometimes I will quote lines directly, whilst other times a song just triggers something deep within. I love that. It's beautiful.

Most of the time I write my poems in a spur of the moment. Other times I will scribble down something in the middle of the night (yes, I do have a pen and paper next to my bed), and I'll edit and publish it the next day. Sometimes I spend days and days mulling over one idea, a few lines, a particular song. Sometimes I'll go back and edit things, or delete things entirely. Poetry is a bit like that. As for structure...I don't really pay attention to meter and that. I love verse libre, and I love modern poetic structure. My favourite poets are T.S. Eliot, e.e. cummings and Sylvia Plath, although I certainly write a lot more poetry than I actually read; I never read poetry at all, really, until last year. Now I love it.  

I have two poems that I have written for this blog, but haven't published - Potemkin, and one inspired by Turning Tables by Adele. It's the first time I've felt the need to keep things private. Isn't that weird?