Me and my Jam poem took to the stage in front of an audience of 100 on Sunday Aug 15th along with other selected performers from BBC Scotland Upload.
It was my first time performing my poetry in person, alive. This was an incredible experience which has left me looking for more live lit opportunities to engage with an audience. To connect with so many creative people (mostly musicians) back stage in the BBC green room has inspired me to think about how I might use music, beats, and/or video for new poetry using different structures.
The positive feedback from friends and family for the three poems (Jam, Everything In The World Is About Food, and Number 19 Dream) in my ‘new voice’ inspired me to submit the three audio-clip poems to BBC Scotland Upload. Two of the three poems (Jam and Number 19 Dream) were chosen by Anna Welander to feature on the Afternoon Show, then Jam was selected for the Best of Upload feature, and now I’ve Jam-med live on stage at the Edinburgh Festival in front of 100 people. I am stunned.
What about the third poem, Everything In The World Is About Food? It’s too risqué for afternoon listening on the Beeb. Winky face emoji!
The confidence in my creative writing has boosted my confidence in my academic writing, too. I am working poetry into research for my thesis. And, as a result of Number 19 Dream, I was asked to respond in kind with my prose and poetry to the creative work of an academic-poet in Australia, on the theme of disconnection. My late in life creativity gives me so much joy.
This clip is about 2 mins long. There is a longer clip of 7 mins with more chat hosted off my website. Thanks to Graham for recording, driving, and being a fanboy on the day.
Thank you to everyone who has helped me to this point. Special mention to the Captain in Edinburgh for his questions and observations.
Sayonara, Quick Brown Fox 