Richard Young

Biography

I'm not sure I'm a poet really but I do attend spoken word/performance poetry events. Here's what happened... I was doing Am Dram and enjoying it but when its over there's always the feeling of - so now what? plus you put in 3 months work for 5 times in front of an audience. So after one play finished, I thought I'd try something else -> storytelling - since there was a local club. I wrote a story and learnt it by heart - that wasn't the style of the story telling venue - they wanted spontaneity - so I looked around for other venues and chanced my arm at spoken word events - (all appearances labouriously listed on my website - I'm sure I'll get bored of doing that soon). So basically I write narratives that rythme - mainly to help me remember them. Maybe I'll branch out into other styles - I certainly hope so. The website might be useful for performers in the east midlands as it lists a number of venues there. I was aiming to do about 30 performances in 2011 but its looking like it'll be just over 20. I do anywhere within a hour's drive of nottingham. The only review I care to quote "Richard Young is a Performance Poet, and a very good one at that. Strong material is supported by even stronger delivery, the master of the pause, a sideways glance, or a 'stage aside'." - behind the arras

Samples

The car park out the back of Tesco held my romantic fate Having preened myself in the mirror, missed the bus, I was running late I panted round the corner, to find that desolate rain drenched slab Devoid of all humanity, and you know, part of me was glad. Unaware that my blind date Jenny hid in a nearby Trolley Shelter I paced considering potential greetings, settled on a belter 'Well, no-ones about, might as well practise out loud, give it my best shot Hello, nice to meet you, you look nice, actually I don't know if you do or not Lets see a film, grab a pizza and back to my place for breakfast' Listening Jenny’s, silent retort, I’d rather break my neck first But Jenny swiftly sized me up, delved for a recent purchase US import Pepper Spray, bought to ward off unwanted lurchers So while I sunk deep into reverie, dreaming of sensual delight Jenny concluded that my evident immaturity, warranted a damn good fright She crept up behind me, right in my ear, screamed for all her life I fell to the ground, protected my head, and waited for the knife Sobbing gently, thinking I'm mugged, I yelled 'Take my wallet, mate' 'Thanks' said Jenny, taking the mickey now, 'lovely way to greet your blind date' I spun to see a lovely smile, pepper spray, and more than passable features 'Steady now Richard, I thought, take your time, sucess may yet still be in reaches' 'So you must be Jenny, nice name, have you had it long?' I floundered 'Ofcourse you have, all your life, ages and ages', how stupid I sounded 'Well not that long, you don't look very old, but not young either' Was it the hands hips, or the pursed lips, but obvious I hadn't pleased her 'About the right age, I'd say, how old are you?', Jenny says 'Never mind about that' 'In the description you supplied the agency, you ommitted to state, complete prat.' 'Give the form here, I'll fix the fault and add a point two' I wrote 'I get things wrong, I make mistakes, but not in arranging to meet you' Jenny pretended to throw up but I reckoned I'd gained perhaps a yard 'Nice weather', my next gambit, 'given that its raining hard' Jenny shook her head defeated, and handed me something that made my day Taking my arm to see the film, Jenny had given me her Pepper Spray We get married in May

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