Biography
I have been published in various magazines as a poet and writer of prose. I was a part of the anthology 'Misery Begins At Home' with Rachel Bond, Marianne Daniels and Winston Plowes. Some more of my poems were published in September 2014 in 'Holding Your Hand Through Hard Times' with Ralph Dartford, Matt Abbott, Matthew Hedley Stoppard and Genevieve L Walsh as 'A Firm of Poets.' I am always interested in love, loss and Turkish culture. My first solo collection ‘I meet myself returning’ will be published by Flapjack press on 25th February 2019.
Samples
DRENCHED Your face still damp from your undried hair an echo of the sweat that you wore on the brow last night, as you sighed your first farewell of our long goodbye and our lives untwined; The freckles flecked on the parchment skin I daren’t breathe out as your sharp breath in (while my puckered lips meet an ice cold screen) is a sign of lives detaching; Your fingertips on the gear stick three hours before formed a human clutch from then to now everything you touch gives me jealousy of objects; A five month stretch from the first flushed cheeks and the child like thrill for a life’s new bloom to the sepia tint of a rented room where the scent of last night lingers…. THERE IS AN OLD JOKE ABOUT THE TURKS Today I, Smiled with my mouth and ate with fingers, dry cleaned my soul but left my teeth untouched. Shared a lover’s private joke with myself. Smoked like two Turks, accepted that racial stereotypes are harmful though perhaps not as unhealthy as smoking like a Turk or two. Somewhere between nostalgia and regret stared at weather beaten rocks, willed the lapping sea to stop; a mute Canute passed time badly. Worked for a living, stared at a colleague’s backside four paces but a lifetime away. Looked on a tramp with compassion bought him gin, a low-trousered youth with less twatted him, murdered a paedophile priest then confessed I forgot, thou shalt not kill a man of god. Today I did the usual things, One day closer to nothing. THE DAYLIGHT COMES WITH ME Leave the world alone and close the door, seal this room from everything outside, nothing else exists but these four walls; we have eight hours and five minutes to decide Drape your charm around me and yourself, chide and choke the past and stop the clock, charm and calm the chaos from my mind, the terror. What we’ve started cannot stop; Catch the tears and salt sweat from my brow, clasp each moment’s passing, breathe it in, the stomach churns as daylight comes with me and I go back to her and you to him.
All poems are copyright of the originating author. Permission must be obtained before using or performing others' poems.
Blog entries by John Darwin
Paraffins (27/01/2016)
All of our Fathers are dead (29/10/2015)
Sisters (19/07/2014)
Cuckoo (14/09/2013)
Deathbed Regrets (01/08/2013)
I just like art galleries and getting pissed (03/07/2013)
The Daily Mail's our Bible (07/03/2013)
Men Can't Dance (04/09/2012)
The Pessimist's Song (17/07/2012)
Song for an unborn child (I never) (08/06/2011)
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Comments
I have sent my BIO to the wrong place - God knows where. Another one coming up later today. Damn!
Good to see you're back John - and your front ;)
Thanks for your comment on my poem. You need to start liking funny poetry and I need to remember how to write it :)
Look forward to reading more of yours. x
The Big Man is Back! lol
John
just seen your latest blog - which prompted me to go back a few and read some of he earlier ones. have to say that I really like your style and prose - a good mix of heady topics covered in a thought provoking way. Being a newbie I'm still finding my way and tend only to check back on earlier work if i really like a blog posting - so BIG thumbs up for 'the daily mail....' and a great back catologue to boot.
Cheers
Ian
Areet fella - ta for y'note on Purple :) Didn't think that'd be up your street! Cheers :)
Hi John, It was my pleasure - brilliant poem!
And I understand, its been a hard time, and hope you are ok. A catch up would be lovely buddy, I have missed thee!
xx
thanks for the comments John on Summer is here I wrote this after getting soaked at lunchtime on Wednesday and thinking oh god - here we go again - i could taste the rain also.... A
Thx for the feedback on the ill room poem John.
Hope to see you soon at an event the other side of Christmas.
We can have a talk about what I mentioned too.
Have a great Christmas mate.
Chris
Thanks, John, much appreciated.
Thanks John,Have a brill solstice x
only if i get to hear the Darwinian Drawl... x
<Deleted User> (6315)
Sun 12th Dec 2010 20:42
hi..thanks for the comment on just for fun..so pleased you did for i have enjoyed reading your stuff too.. :o)
Thx for the feedback on my latest poem John....glad you like it.
My Best
Chris
Thanks for the comments on Gaspers, John. I don't smoke myself (or drink, or eat meat) so pleasures are at a premium.
I do enjoy, though, trying to cause accidents on the motorway.
Hi John, glad you liked the last one... "childhood memories of chapel on sunday and love hidden behind piety" hits the nail on the head. Maybe Yorkshire can be like South Wales too! Thanks . Wino X
Hi John. Thanks for your much-valued comment on Snow on the Pass. Greg
hey john...abdul was rather disapointed today to discover that you are 'man' and either potentially my boyfriend or an unsuitable match for him. in my feeble attempts to invite him to wigan, where you could meet him and do me a big favour of interpreting for me, i think i managed to convince him that you are in love with him and would like to make beautiful poetry with him :) please provide appropriate turkish phrase that means stuff john, stuff poetry,stuff wigan, stuff conversation, lets go back to my place and fuck while the weathers good :)
oh and what is turkish for 'unlimited free car wash' just so he understands the transaction. ;)
hi john
i saw him today.
he cleaned away the dirt tracks near my tyres
and asked me not to pay,
then stood squinting at me in the sun
smiling.
in weather like this, on this day
he fell in love.
I hope he remembers to take home his bread and salt xx
hiya john...could you send me that turkish pulling poem please. My car is very dirty and needs washing again (it has a couple of marks on it)...will have to go see the lovely abdul x
Thanks for your comments on my wonderful poem 'Window box'.
Though I can assure you it is not a cut-up (wash yer mouth out) though I suppose it is a bit 'miserablist' school of poetry.
For my answer on a virtual postard to the Picasso question please see orig blog entry. Win x
Hi John
Thanks for commenting on 'Care Home'. Good luck with the book.
John, where is Rachel?
Rachel Bond
Wed 5th May 2010 01:58
hog...all awash with that same whiskey smelt welsh breath.
love it my brother.
Rachel Bond
Wed 5th May 2010 01:40
hey john...new poem ferryman has to go in as its most gruesome thing.
ill bring it tomorrow.
Hi John, thanks for commenting on the woods thing. Its growing on me. Win
Rachel Bond
Mon 19th Apr 2010 15:35
hey johnniejohn
new poem apocolypse heart, as liked by marianne, is on the page and ready to go in book if u agree...its suitably intense.
John, just to say belatedly how nice it was to meet you at Hebden Bridge the other week. I wanted to look again at some of the poems you read out that night, but they don't seem to be available ... I did admire them. Greg
Thanks very much for the comment John. It made me smile :)
x
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Ian Whiteley
Sun 18th Oct 2015 19:33
thanks for your kind and insightful comments on 'Don't Pay The Poets' John - my comments weren't directed at Open Micers - more so at Landlords and Promoters who throw poets onto a bill with other acts and pay everyone BUT the poets because, as Laura comments, they don't hold the same 'value' even thought hey are entertaining just the same. I get quite a few odd payments here and there and it's always nice to be recognised as 'valuable'. None of us do it for the money - but put a guitar around my neck and let me use the same words and - hey presto - the money appears.
On another note - I was hoping to be at Sale this mon th to see Gerry.P - unfortunately Steve Earle decided to play Manchester on the same night - but I'll be back (that's not a threat)
Ian