Some background about his background.
I had an audience with Simon Armitage this week as part of the annual literary festival. I was extremely keen to listen to him and find out about how he works, how he puts pen to paper and how he feels when confronted with a blank sheet of paper. He was down to earth and interesting and gave us all an insight into what its like being a writer who actually writes for a living.
From a personal perspective I wanted to listen to him because he comes from Huddersfield, Marsden to be precise. He had a bit of a google time on stage finding images to enhance his words and I felt a pang of homesickness when he had an image of stone built old mills with the Pennines in the distance. His accent enthralled me.
For me, the best bit, was being able to relate to his experiences. He's about my age and has had similar experiences. I particularly enjoyed his The Clown Punk which is a poem about a tattooed faced punk in Huddersfield who I have also spotted and was also disturbed by his permanent choices of skin decoration.
I had with me 45 students who I took along to broaden their literary experience and expose them to world class authors.
I elbowed my way through their slow shuffle out of the auditorium to be the first to shake his hand and express my gratitude at his presence in Hong Kong.
Then I think I became star struck and the babbling started. Some how I failed to ask him about his writing, the conversation launched into 'I used to live in Holmfirth' and the exact details of where his house is in Honley, just up by the station and "Oh I used to live their, Hall Ing Lane" "Yes I know it very well" and then I told him my house was for sale and did he want to buy it or have any friends in the market...and then a student quite rudely, I thought, came along and asked him a question about poetry and my turn was up and I was gone.
Now I still have questions in my mind, the ones I failed to ask him and probably always will.
I saw Luka Lesson too, he was a great performer, a slam poet.
Good listening to your experience of your visit to listen to Simon Armitage. It made me smile.
Posted by: Pauline Wilson | May 18, 2019 at 01:46 PM