‘Brisbane Road’ by Rick Gammon is the new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week. A poem about youth and age, it celebrates a goalscoring hero of yesteryear, Tommy Johnston, and imagines a meeting on the terraces between a young football fan and his older self, 40 years on. On his profile page Rick Gammon says he used to write novels but finds poetry “more meaty”. In his answers to Write Out Loud’s questions, he reveals the unusual circumstances that led him to start writing poetry two years ago.

What got you into writing poetry?

This might seem unlikely but a couple of years ago I was stuck at home whiling away my life doing nostalgic jigsaw puzzles. A very good friend had died and one night I got the “sense” that she wanted me to write something about our friendship - so I composed a tanka, my first serious poem, and it turned out better than I expected.  I googled “poetry performances in Hull area” and found a local pub and it grew from there.

How long have you been writing?

 Off and on for over 30 years - used to run a creative writing group in a local pub - it was virtually Dublin in the 50s revisited and we got banned for over-boisterous bantering.  Since then I have written a couple of novels but find I prefer poetry nowadays.

Do you go to many open mic nights?

I go to three or four a week in the Hull area - there is quite a poetic tradition here and there are numerous really good poets around. For me, I think poetry ought to be taken into places where it is usually unheard - and many people have told me they have been inspired to write after hearing live poetry performed.

What’s your favourite poem/poet?

I tend to say my favourite poem is ‘Prufrock’ and I love Eliot - and am finding  The Four Quartets growing on me. I'm recently re-discovering Imagism so that is becoming an influence - but I also like the Irish poets, Paul Durcan et al.

You’re cast away on a desert island. What’s your luxury?

It would have to be a word processer  - something on which to store images and words.