- Paperback: 116 pages
- Publisher: CreateSpace (1 Nov 2010)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1456302132
- ISBN-13: 978-1456302139
- Product Dimensions: 14 x 21.6 x 0.6 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,624,677 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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3 reviews
Street-centered poetry from a tough part of town
3 July 2011
Format:Paperback
I've read enough about Hull, England, to know that it has gone through some rough times, has some mean streets and probably more than a fair share of drugs and too much booze to lubricate and sooth the experience, and has experienced a creative renaissance since the arrival of poet Philip Larkin some years ago. As his publisher says, Mike Watts writes poetry that "looks like Hull, it sounds like Hull and it smells like Hull, a place we are all proud to come from, even if we don't always enjoy the experience of being there at the time." I can think of any number of cities in the U.S. and elsewhere, and though I've never lived in one, from reading Mike Watts' fine book, I can imagine what it is like.
There are some gritty poems in this book, like "Cider Barry", "Two Things", "Chaos Magnet" or "Me". in Cider Barry, "My mate's a boozer,/ Always smashed on cider,/ Always lost in space,/ Wind milling/ All over the place./ And it troubles me./ It's horrible./ ... He's no different from me;/ Good home,/ Good family,/ No trauma,/ No tragedy." Puts a fellow in an awful dilemma. "Come on just a fiver/ You know I'd do the same for you."/ I know I shouldn't,/ But tell me,/ What would you do?"
In "Me", "I'm afraid of change,/ I'm afraid to change,/ I can't explain why./ Perhaps this life will do./ Perhaps this life will have to do." "You want to see angry?" he asks in "Chaos Magnet"; "I'll show you angry./ Try spending a day in the life of me,/ Try fighting chaos constantly."
Did I say "gritty"? Gritty and hopeless when faced with a life that looks dead-ended in a dead-end kind of place. But is life limited to that? No, but circumstances can make it seem as though it is, especially when booze and drugs are stirred into the mix.
There are some gritty poems in this book, like "Cider Barry", "Two Things", "Chaos Magnet" or "Me". in Cider Barry, "My mate's a boozer,/ Always smashed on cider,/ Always lost in space,/ Wind milling/ All over the place./ And it troubles me./ It's horrible./ ... He's no different from me;/ Good home,/ Good family,/ No trauma,/ No tragedy." Puts a fellow in an awful dilemma. "Come on just a fiver/ You know I'd do the same for you."/ I know I shouldn't,/ But tell me,/ What would you do?"
In "Me", "I'm afraid of change,/ I'm afraid to change,/ I can't explain why./ Perhaps this life will do./ Perhaps this life will have to do." "You want to see angry?" he asks in "Chaos Magnet"; "I'll show you angry./ Try spending a day in the life of me,/ Try fighting chaos constantly."
Did I say "gritty"? Gritty and hopeless when faced with a life that looks dead-ended in a dead-end kind of place. But is life limited to that? No, but circumstances can make it seem as though it is, especially when booze and drugs are stirred into the mix.
Coming to a street near you
19 Dec 2010
Format:Paperback
I first met Mike on a local radio station for National Poetry Day 2009, and various times since. One of the driving forces behind the Hull Truck Larkin 25 celebration he is a huge talent.
Think poetry is sissy - read Mike Watts
Think poetry is irrelevant - read Mike Watts
Think poetry is not with it - read Mike Watts.
Best of all, go see him perform live.
Go Mike...!!!
terry ireland
Think poetry is sissy - read Mike Watts
Think poetry is irrelevant - read Mike Watts
Think poetry is not with it - read Mike Watts.
Best of all, go see him perform live.
Go Mike...!!!
terry ireland
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Doing Hull proud
24 Nov 2010
Format:Paperback
Coming from a street near Mike, I happen to know quite a lot about Hull and the extraordinary artistic flare up that has happened there over the last 40 years since the arrival of Philip Larkin of Hull University, John Godber of Hull Truck, and Cilla Wykes of ThisisUll, all of whom have had a major fertilising effect on the area (and if those sound like honorary titles they've got there, they should be).
Mike is out of the ThisisUll stable of poets, writers and musicians, which means that he is scrutinising the streets of his less than fair city with a scalpel and microscope. If he were from the University set, he would be gazing through a telescope into the beyond. That is the significant divide in Hull poetry.
I love this stuff. It looks like Hull, it sounds like Hull and it smells like Hull, a place we are all proud to come from, even if we don't always enjoy the experience of being there at the time.
In this collection, Mike proves himself a true poetic trawlerman of his city. What a catch!
Mike is out of the ThisisUll stable of poets, writers and musicians, which means that he is scrutinising the streets of his less than fair city with a scalpel and microscope. If he were from the University set, he would be gazing through a telescope into the beyond. That is the significant divide in Hull poetry.
I love this stuff. It looks like Hull, it sounds like Hull and it smells like Hull, a place we are all proud to come from, even if we don't always enjoy the experience of being there at the time.
In this collection, Mike proves himself a true poetic trawlerman of his city. What a catch!
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