Poets from 4/12/4 Event
As I write, it’s 29/11/04, not
such a symmetrical date as that above, although mathematicians, and people who
can add up, amongst you, might note that the three numbers within that date add
up to, wait for it, 44! Which is somehow fitting.
And although 29/11/04 not a
particularly sexy looking date, it is still generating a semblance of excitement
within my bones, for it is just 5 whole days away from the more exciting date
(above). Fewer days, if you’re reading this after today. None, if you’re not
reading this at all (likely). Something peculiar if you’re reading this after
the big day, and before I’ve bothered changing the wording to make it more
suitable.
Anyway, the night is proof once
again of the existence of other poets other than myself. Hopefully, I will be
able to add samples of all the people involved. For the time being, I have just
a couple from Phil Knight and the notorious Scott Fitzgerald.
Phil Knight
It must be said, I don’t know
an awful lot about Phil. I should get around to asking him more about himself so
that I do know more about him. What I do know is that he entered the Swansea
heat of the John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry, as I did (fancying I may fare
better in a less crowded Swansea heat than the Cardiff one - no such luck).
Phil’s luck also was, like a politician the day after a scandal has broken, not
in.
I also know that Phil is a
portly gentleman who hails from Neath, which I know doesn’t tell you all that
much. As you might imagine, his accent is quite broad. And his comedic value
also, is of some merit, hence the decision to include him in a comedic night.
Anyway, I’m waffling here really, trying, like a journalist who has discovered
no truth in a scandalous story he was attempting to "break", to make a story out
of nothing. So I will instead, let Phil’s words, to use an extraordinarily
hackneyed expression, "speak for themselves". Should really try to get some of
the poems Phil read at the Swansea heat too.
Scott Fitzgerald
If you thought this guy’s
interest-value did not extend further than his remarkable name, think again.
Scott was a loser in the Cardiff heat of the John Tripp award, and yet again,
proof positive that not all losers are in fact losers. And that in fact, many
losers could be better than winners (if only those judges had understood...).
Actually though, in Scott’s case, perhaps one of the main reasons why he was
eliminated from the judging process was that he went almost a full minute over
the 5 minutes that you’re allowed to read in. What a rebel. Anyway, other than
being a window cleaner, a film producer, and of course, also a poet, Scott has a
particularly interesting, and, perhaps, I should add, shady, past. A past which
Scott recounted to me when we met up for a friendly coffee the other day.
However, I’m going to be a spoiler of sports and not divulge this shady past. I
shall leave it up to you to ask Scott about it, if ever you should meet. I mean,
it would beat the tedious, "gosh, is that your real name?" question. Just
mention the News of the World to him. I say no more.
Here are some of Scott’s words,
words which, indeed, he will be speaking, in just a few short days from now
(exciting, eh?). You will detect a pattern running through this verse, and Scott
has a whole series of these, but I have put just a few on the site, so that,
just in case you do happen to read this before attending the event, you won’t
know all the poems by heart, and make it pointless you turning up. Actually, I’m
doing it to save on the typing, and give you something to look forward to.
Anyway - 3 poems from Scott.
Juvenile Delinquents with Bugger all else to do