Biography

I began writing at the age of 25 as a way of recording and making sense of the world. Most of my poetry is reflective and confessional. My influences include Dorothy Parker, Maya Angelou, Sylvia Plath, Julia Copus, Carol Ann Duffy,Nora Jones, Benjamin Zephaniah, Leonard Cohen, John lennon, Jonny Cash, Joseph Arthur to name but a few. I've been published in 'Dazzled by the Moon' and 'A passion for Poetry' two anthologies. I recieved a special commendation for my poem 'Angel' in the HASSRA national annual competition. I was part of 24 hour Arty people and we performed live readings and published our work. I have also facilitated poetry workshops and projects in the community for projects such as womens week . My photography is displayed at Fort Alice (Boltons Domestic Refuge Service). Other art projects I have worked on are displayed in local charities and organisations such as a health centre for young people and an anti-bullying charity. I documented Bolton Against Racism, The Womens Festival and Mens Health week through my photography. I'm based in Bolton and my interests include photography, poetry music and art.

In the words of Maya Angelou 'you may shoot me with your eyes, you may cut me with your words, you may trod me in the very earth but still like dust I'll rise'


In the words of Paloma Faith - I dont claim to be perfect, I know I'm damaged goods, but I want to be led out of the darkness like every lady should"

" May the hearts and minds of all our women be free" Benjamin Zephaniah

" May the souls and tears of all our men be free" Nicola Beckett

"we don't fall in love:it rises through us
the way that certain music does -
and whatever damage might result we're not to blame for it:love is an autocrat and won't be disobeyed.
Sometimes we manage to convince ourselves of that......from in Defence of Adultery by Julia Copus........

And if my sky should fall would you even call?...... Nora Jones

You treated my woman to a piece of your life and when she came back she was nobodys wife.... Leonard Cohen

THE LAW OF THE UNIVERSE
LOVE CONQUERS HATE
RECOGNISE THIS LAW
THROUGHTOUT ALL TIME........

GOD BLESS....XX

Nicola

Samples

She's in the Sea Again
...........................................

She’s in the sea again,
She’s got her sundress on,
Striding through the dark waves.
Silhouetted by the moonlight.

He’s calling her name again and again,
louder and louder,
and only the rocks can answer.

His voice echoes off them,
he stumbles.
She watches him.

Her eyes are sea shells,
her dress is made of sea horses,
she’s oblivious to his shouting and ignores him,
watches as he staggers back,
giving up the search so easily.
She dances with the waves,
free for a while,
Her dress blowing in the wind,
She’s in the sea again.



The Moon Watches
.........................................

I want you and you are not here.
I pause,
the water trickling between my fingers.
Dishes left uncared for.
I picture you stood here.
Grasp onto your memory, before it too seeps away.

You’re smiling again.
fixing me with the look you always do.

The one that says I am wrong,
that I should carry on.
The moon watches us together,
dancing on the dusty floor.
The colour of our memory everywhere.
It’s light photographs us.
Always together,
always apart.


Entwined
....................

Entwined,
Forever,
Limb around limb,
Clasped in embrace,
Captured in stained glass,
Purple and blue,
Hues of love,
and lust.
Secret sighs’
Etched by a palette of watercolours,.
Now all can see,
In the windows above.
Your face hidden from view.
Tucked into your lovers nest
Of half truths and half remembered lies,
Soft daylight caresses your skin and his
and you awake caught by the dawn.
Hushed whispers,
Of hurried words and gentle sighs.
Some love is secret,
But pure,
Not bound with tape
Vows or papers.
It’s fragmented and rare,
Like the dawn light,
Exposing the beauty of skin upon skin,
Mouth upon mouth,
Seeking salvation,
In sweet folds of time.




Angel - (for Sylvia)
..........................

The firework heavens,
open their skies.
Snow falling on leaves,
echoes a sweet melody.
The beat of a wing is heard,
through the twilight hours of days.

An angel flies,
through the December air,
embracing the rhythm of notes.
Ice melts with the slowing down of time,
yesterdays lost in a haze of life.
The stars are smiling at me tonight.


God takes away,
who he loved the most,
leaves behind a hole to fill.
Candles burn in churches still.
Icicles form in the dead of night.
The beat of a wing is heard.



Little Ghost
-------------------------
In memory of Edith Piaf

Bundles of joy escape me,
I hear you cry out in the darkness,
My dreams are tied up in knots.
Sometimes I hear the tread of your feet,
See your shoelaces trailing on the ground.
Grazed knees from playground troubles.
The wind is cold.
I hear thunder tonight.
In the morning all will be calm.
The sun will come again and the clouds will lift.
But tonight I sing a lullabye, to my little
ghost in the sky.

Nowhere
--------------

(ever felt like running away?)
and the power of forgiveness

When there's nowhere else to run but home,
There's nowhere else to hide,
Take a look inside yourself and find a little pride,
cast the tears from your eyelashes,
hear the blood run through your veins,
Forgive your mother, your brother and your lover,
Realise there's no one left to blame,
What's the point of hatin anymore?
What's the point of feeling blue,
There is no point in doin the things you do?
Cast the tears from you eyelashes,
laugh loud and stand up tall,
Tomorrow's another day my friend,
Forgive them,
Forgive them all.

xxxxxxxxxxx
Nicola Beckett 2010


Its's a Secret
---------------------

Its a secret that just needs tellin,
a Star Gazer Lily that just needs smellin,
Its a secret for me to know,
for me to show,
Its a secret for me to share,
for you to care...
Its a secret with fears, years and tears
Its a secret that just need tellin,
Its a secret.
(written at Bury Met 2003, to jazz music facilitator Romi Smith........)


Eyes
----------
What colour are my eyes she said...
closing hers tight shut....
He knew he was being tested..
Blue...
Brown...

No Green....

If he doesnt know what colour my eyes are.
What else may he not know about me..she thought
As if this was a licence now..
to do exactly as she pleased......



The Red Shoes
-----------------

My shoe doesnt fit anymore,
It's too tight and too sensible,
I long for a pair of red dancing shoes,
Like a ballerina.
that could hang on the hook,
at the back of the door,
their ribbons trailing,
curling in the summer heat,
I can hear them now,
tap tap tapping down the lane,
taking me to freedom,
dancing away with a life of their own,
I stare at my black shoes,
too tight and too sensible,
they are scuffed,
where life has treated them badly,
When I close my eyes,
I can hear the tap tap tapping,
of my new red shoes......
down the lane they go

away....
away....
away....


Photograph Album
-------------------

The dusty album sits in a box,
Its full of pictures of a girl I once knew,
smiling with blond curls and happy eyes,
She didnt know of the sadness to come,
She's in many different lands,
Always with a friend or two at hand,
The pages are littered,
with dates and places,
But the photos stop half way through,
the dust is disappointing,
it hides the smiles like a shroud,
The girl I once knew,
looks back with strong eyes,
and a look of defiance,
maybe I should talk to her,
that girl I once knew,
ask her for help,
ask her for coffee,
pick her brains on how to escape this cloud,
how to see those lands,
and to fill the rest of the book,
with dates and places,
places and dates,
and a friend or two..........

maybe.........


The Ledge
--------------

If I stand on the ledge,
Will you stand there too?
Will you cross the line of
what is and what isnt,
Reality,
Will you live a life time in a dream,
and grow old together,
But never grow old,
and never wake up?
Its cold on this ledge,
and high up,
slightly frightening,
but exhilarating too,
I can feel the whoosh of night air,
up my dress,
like Marilyn..
Will you jump with me?
Will you hold my hand
and embrace the dream,
falling falling falling,
or will you stay on the ledge,
frowning,
and backing away from my outstretched hand..
into the safe warmth of the hotel room,
away from the night air,
and the stars in the sky,
and the moon that watches,
away from the dream...
and the marilyn dress
that goes on forever.........and ever and ever

All poems are copyright of the originating author. Permission must be obtained before using or performing others' poems.

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