A poetry-art collaboration involving Stockport Write Out Loud member poet Martin Elder and artist Mark Sheeky that was part of an exhibition at Stockport art gallery earlier this year is popping up at Euston station on Tuesday 26 November.

The artwork ‘Silver’ by Mark Sheeky will be displayed alongside the poem that inspired it by Martin Elder in the first-class passenger lounge by Mark on a pop-up stall.  Martin’s poem, also titled ‘Silver’, is about a Ronson lighter:   

 

This shingle silver slick gripped

Push button one stop flame

An adjustable gas fuelled spark

Smooth and sharp to the touch

Wavered patterned sides front and back

A blue and green torch

With the vaguest hint of gas

Slipped into a pocket

Amongst keys and change

Yet no wear or scratch

 

I was the sophisticated man about town

Armed with Ronson and smokes

With my single action lighter than air

Can I give you light?

Flick of a switch

Slips nicely into waistcoat chest high pocket

I feel gently press against my ribs when buttoned up

 

Even now I am reminded of the Jacques lousier trio

Playing Bach’s air on a G 

As I slide out my trusted friend

Pushing the button

And hearing a click

One more smoke for the road

And off I go into the night

 

But now no flint, no gas

No action to fire against

No more smoking gun haze

Just the timeless reminder

Of what once was

But will never be again

Just another

Twenty something phase

 

The Ekphrastic Towers exhibition earlier this year at Stockport art gallery was curated by John Keane, organiser of Stockport Write Out Loud, and began with a series of strange objects. Poems were written about these, then artwork was painted or drawn about the poems, then more art and poems inspired by those works.

Mark Sheeky is a contemporary artist, painter, and performer based in Cheshire. He said: “I've had two little art installations in Crewe station (and one piano performance) and those led to this.” His pop-up stall at Euston will include some of his books, and copies of a new collection by poet Deborah Edgeley.

 

ARTWORK: 'SILVER' BY MARK SHEEKY