steve pottinger
Updated: Mon, 21 Dec 2015 05:08 pm
Biography
My fourth book of poems 'more bees bigger bonnets' came out early in 2015, and was positively reviewed on this website, on Louder Than War, and by Tax Research UK(!) among others. The title gives a massive clue about my interests (I write a lot of political poetry) and my attitude (presenting it with a sly sense of humour). I've been writing and performing for a long while, and have performed all over the country, in pubs, clubs, and at festivals. You can see the kind of thing I do by visiting the video page on my website. Caffè Nero and Starbucks are big fans of my work.... Honest. ;-) Finally, I'm always interested in standing up in front of a new audience, if anyone's offering. I'm passionate about the power of poetry to shape people's lives for the better. And I'm in no way a diva. cheers Steve
Samples
13th floor. And I remember him opening the door saying Come in, make yourself at home. Wanting to show it off, like you do with a new place. And walking into a big, bare lounge, not a stick of furniture in it, just a mustard-coloured carpet and a view out over Leeds. Thinking Shit, that’s depressing thank god I don’t live here. But knowing what it means to him. Him putting stuff away in the kitchen pulls 2 litres of martini, 12 cans of brew from the shopping bags, saying Well I cut a bit loose at the weekends. Pulls a can of glue from the bottom, sees my face, says Only a can a day now used to be six or seven. Me thinking jesusfuckingchrist. And no smack at all, he says, rolling his sleeves way up past home-made tattoos that spell glasgow. See? No tracks. And him asking What’ll it be? Brew? Glue? Martini? Me saying No, really. Him thinking I was trying to be polite and me thinking It’s a quarter to ten in the fucking morning. Showing me round: bathroom, bedroom, toilet, look! I’ve got a cupboard. Me saying Yeah. That’s great. And back in the lounge him handing me a letter. Saying I wrote to the blood people see if I could give. Told them no more needles just a little bit of glue, nothing like I used to do. and me seeing someone’s written to him personally, saying Sorry. No we can’t but thanks for the offer, all the best and good luck. And I look up and he’s grinning and scratching his head, happy and embarrassed and full of hope, and after everything he’s been through still so innocent, which you don’t really think of with junkies. And me knowing the odds are stacked way, way against him, that the walls will close in or the DSS will forget to treat him like a human being, and wanting to give him a huge great hug and tell him Steve, I am so fucking proud of you So he might remember when the time comes. And him unscrewing the martini, levering the lid off the can of glue. The moment gone. And me going back down in the lift, out to the dogshit and the broken glass, hoping against hope he has a chance. Him gazing out the window over Leeds, watching the lights dance.
All poems are copyright of the originating author. Permission must be obtained before using or performing others' poems.
Blog entries by steve pottinger
Haiku for the Tory voter (a lament) (24/05/2020)
Going Viral (with Teflon Dom) (24/05/2020)
the punch that never was (10/12/2019)
The Royal Mint rides again! (31/10/2018)
Complex mathematics, Oldbury (09/02/2018)
these winter days (12/12/2016)
stabberjocky (04/07/2016)
In the spirit of Leona... (04/04/2016)
Humanity (22/03/2016)
Read more entries by steve pottinger…
Blog link: https://www.writeoutloud.net/blogs/stevepottinger
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Comments
Hi Steve. Thanks for your comment on " Albert Edward Burrows". I have read a lot about his case, and I wanted to share the story so that people know what an evil man he was.
Cheers Kevin
Thank you for stopping by to read my Winter Haiku Steve. Much appreciated..?
thanks for the comment on 'blown it' Steve -laughed out loud eh? - been away so apologies for late reply - glad you liked it
Ian
<Deleted User> (18118)
Tue 2nd Jan 2018 16:56
Thank you so much for your comment on my poem, much appreciated.
Hannah
Cheers Steve for your warning re Wittgenstein
?
Hi Steve. Thanks for taking the time to comment on "The Smegroyd's moonlight Flit". It pleased me that you compared it to a music hall ditty, because that's the feeling that I'm aiming for.
Cheers Kevin
Hi Steve Glad you liked my poem 'Cities'.
Thanks Steve, glad you liked the poem. Perhaps I'll run into you at some point when I'm doing all these book gigs!
Hi Steve. Thanks for the comment on Jasper Slugshaw. When I wrote the original "driving through Grimstone Low" it was as a one-off, but I think I'm going to stick with it now.
Cheers Kevin
Hi Steve , thanks so much for going forward on the technical issue for me. I do take the point about the certificate thing being on my computer. It is a random thing, and seems to home in on WOL only by law of averages. I use the site more than any other; funnily enough it also happened on a youtube link from an email last night. Apparently it might an adware thing. I'll keep my eye on it and won't let it deter me !
regards Ray
Hi Steve: thanks for you comment on World of Plastic. I'll have a go at this at WOL in Send. I did think it would be a sort of tongue twister, to be read in a fairly brisk manner; much obliged.
Ray
steve mellor
Wed 17th Aug 2016 14:35
Hi Steve
Pleased you enjoyed Exposure. It's frightening what you can see walking around.
Of course my dress-sense in all conditions is absolutely perfect ?))
thanks for your comment on 'anger is a stone..' mate - I can' claim that title as my own as it's part of a quote by Pope Paul VI :-) glad you liked it though
Ian
<Deleted User> (13947)
Fri 1st Jul 2016 01:05
Thank you for the comment and the like on Late Night Sadness xx
Thu 30th Jun 2016 18:59
Hi Steve
Thanks for the comment. Enjoyed your performances at Guildford over the years.
Chris
Hi Steve, thanks for your comment on Ghosts On The Platform. :)
Hi Steve Glad you liked 'Having her Say'.
Preeti Sinha
Sat 25th Jun 2016 11:44
Steve - Thank you
Steve
thanks for picking out the line in Coward - good to look at it in isolation. The poems don't come all of a piece but it's a reminder to weigh the elements.
best
Dom.
<Deleted User> (13947)
Wed 22nd Jun 2016 22:29
Thanks for the like on My Pinpoint :)
Glad you liked Raring to Go talking about that - - -
you must come to our next meet up at Stockport W O L
on Monday June 13th the theme is War and Peace.
... thanks for reading 'Tourdion' Steve .. and thank-you for the comment .. best wishes .. chris.
Really enjoyed this. Great read.
Thanks Steve for your positive comments and likes. Hope I can someday emulate your achievements :)
Hi Steve. Very much enjoyed your set at Bath on Wednesday. Hope to see you perform again some time in the near future. Cheers, David.
Thanks for commenting on 'Tumbleweed' Steve - really pleased you liked it
Thanks, Ray. I'm really glad you enjoyed 13th floor. It's a true story, and one I really wanted to tell.
Just read your sample - 13th floor. Not that you need praise, but I thought this was etched nay incised in words so vivid and direct that it was like a body blow. Certainly a wonderful read for me. Ray
Hey Spotty xx
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John Marks
Mon 20th May 2019 23:14
Very late to the party I know Steve but 13th floor was N.O.T. a bore.. Well-penned.
John