Rod Whitworth

Biography

I live in Oldham, but I was born, raised and lived most of my life much further south: in Ashton-under-Lyne, I’m passionate about all the obvious things: social justice, riding my bike, my wife, my descendants, words, music, mathematics, ... writing. I think I’ve got all the right things, but not necessarily in the right ... I’ve always written. For most of my life it was factual, reports, analyses, polemics. For some time I’ve had the notion that I would like to write imaginatively. But it didn’t get beyond that: just a notion. Four years ago (2007), I told myself it was time to stop dreaming and do it. I have been guest poet at Middleton Write out Loud. The organiser says: 'Our guest poet, Rod Whitworth, delivered not only some great poems but a well planned and executed set.'

Samples

Rejoice 16 November, 2010 Prince Willy and his woman are to wed. The world unites to say that we are blessed. (In Haiti cholera’s claimed a thousand dead.) Polluted water means the plague will spread, but Will was born within the royal nest and he and Katie say they are to wed. The paparazzi’s frenzy must be fed. The print and broadcast media are obsessed. (In Haiti cholera’s claimed a thousand dead.) On midday’s news another talking head opined upon the nature of the dress Miss Middleton will wear when she gets wed. There must be something they can say instead of drooling in this sycophancy-fest. (In Haiti cholera’s claimed a thousand dead.) His father’s mother’s father’s brother said ‘I’m going to marry someone who’s divorced’ and so the fuss now Willy’s getting wed. (In Haiti cholera’s claimed a thousand dead.) ___________________________________ The Dock, Nuremberg (1946) by Laura Knight Laura Knight translated all the tongues into one canvas. (Edward Josephson) That druggie, turkeyed and denied, defies the court: the judges, lawyers, soldiers wear their varied uniforms. He says they lie. His co-accused take other lines: declare they can’t remember, never knew, obeyed the orders others gave, are certified insane, and after all are civilised. Today they’d say At no time did we stray outside the rules. And even though we did no wrong, we’re sorry. Now we’d like to draw a line, move on. Your painting had the power to clear away the courtroom’s walls and show the broken wall, the burning roof and tower and more than Agamemnon dead. ______________________________________ Cooking the book ‘For tea,’ she said, ‘I’m making something using the Jamie Oliver book.’ My saliva glands flowed as I wondered what verbal confections she’d cook. Consommé of contents simile soup verb vol-au-vents liververse on toast summary sentence salad pages en croûte pan-fried paragraphs with refried nouns filleted phrases with mixed metaphors grilled grammar with colon coulis tetrameters of tripe with mushy prose quotation quiche with minced words steamed stanzas with mashed metres sorbet of syntax cold compôte of conditional clauses publisher pudding footnote fool creme catalogue or just alphabeti spaghetti

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

Blog entries by Rod Whitworth

Rejoice (18/11/2010)

If Ds died (17/05/2010)

Not the Spanish Inquisition (26/03/2009)

In praise of imbalance (15/03/2009)

Cooking the book (24/02/2009)

Haiku by Tree no. 02269 (21/02/2009)

La Carrière des Fusillés (27/01/2009)

Hail to the chief (20/01/2009)

Blog link: https://www.writeoutloud.net/blogs/rodwhitworth