The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Temporal Anomaly’ by Trevor Alexander, which cites Albert Einstein and muses on the possibilities and pitfalls of time travel back into the past. In a series of quick Q&As, Trevor, who reads his poetry in Cleckheaton and in Bradford, told how he started writing poetry after retirement; that he writes mainly in rhyme; and how inspiration can come to him from unpredictable directions.

 

How long has poetry been an important part of your life and can you remember why it became so?

Poetry came to the fore about 18 months ago. I retired three years ago, and fancied having a try at writing – something I never previously had time for. To that end, I embarked on some creative writing courses, envisaging that I might write a novel. And I actually started to write one, but got becalmed in the plot. While waiting for inspiration, I decided to try my hand at poetry, and have sort of got into a groove with it.

 

What kind of poetry do you write?  What motivates you?

I write mainly rhyming-form poetry, although I have also made forays into free verse. I like to have a go at different forms that perhaps are not currently in vogue – just to see if I can. As an engineer by profession, I like the structures of these forms to guide me in what/how I write. The strangest things can motivate me – for example, ‘Temporal Anomaly’ came from watching an old Star Trek episode! And (very!) often I sit down to write about a particular topic, and “dry up” – at which point something else occasionally just seems to come in from left field, as it were.

 

If you could only have one poet’s work to read, which one would you choose?

Very difficult: I haven’t really read much poetry until the last year or so, so I don’t really know what’s out there – especially from more recent writers. And it’s the old story of “I like what I like”. Poetry that I read at school many years ago springs to mind, eg the war poets like Wilfred Owen. I also like some of Yeats, Kipling etc. And I like the frivolity of people like Pam Ayres. But I couldn’t pick just one – sorry!

 

Do you perform your work and if so, where are your favourite places to perform?

I contribute to readarounds at Talking Zebras in Cleckheaton, Cleckheaton Library Poets, and at the Beehive Poets in Bradford. Via the auspices of the Beehive group, I have also read my poems at Wakefield LitFest, and Bradford LitFest. Again, I don’t have a favourite – all these groups are different and have their own character. I must enjoy them all though, since I keep going back!

 

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

Do you mean other than a boat to get off the island? Probably a solar powered tablet.

 

 

TEMPORAL ANOMALY

by Trevor Alexander

 

 

Time travel’s a reality,

We do it every day;

A function of causality,

But only goes one way.

 

That’s how it always seems to me,

Despite what Einstein said;

I’ll never make the speed of light

To turn time on its head.

 

So though time’s only linear

And no-one has the knack

Life might be so much happier

If some could travel back

 

I’d get to whisper in my ear

When acting like a brat,

And say with foreknowledge clear,

For Pete’s sake, don’t do that!

 

But then I think what might transpire

If history was changed;

My future self may not be here,

‘Cause life was re-arranged.

 

A temporal anomaly

Would not be too much fun;

It’s safer just to wait and see

That what I did is done!