Bryn
Gerard

Poetry

When people read or hear a poem they are usually in a state of internal conflict. Every word must be considered as to its worth and the sentiment will be judged and while all of this is going on the poem is not heard. So I am going to suggest a way to read or listen to poetry in order for you to get what the poet wants you to have.

Poetry should create a vibration in you that leads to trancendance into the state that the poet entered into when creating the poem. This is best achieved by letting go of the mind and allowing the poem to flow through you. I appreciate that that may sound a little esoteric but bear with me.

Letting go of your mind means to cease using it in critical way, simply read or listen without forming an opinion while it is going on. When you read poetry you should read it out loud and try to insert the emotion into the words. Try to learn a poem off by heart and recite it to yourself.
The voice alone has spirit!

Streets of Experience

These poems are from my "Streets of Experience" collection. They deal with the human condition and the idea behind the theme was to include a Liverpool street name into each poem. I am not hard and fast about this rule but most of the poems should comply.

Use the "drop-down box" to access the poems. Each poems has an MP3 recording for you to dowload or listen to in your browser. It is OK to copy these files and share them with your friends but better would be for you to share a link to this site with them.

They are also in some way a tribute to the "Songs of Experience" by William Blake who's work I thoroughly enjoy and admire.

There are more from the series and I will post them here in the near future. Subscribe to my news feed for updates.

Classic Poetry Recordings

I intend to share recordings that I have made of classic poems. These will include: Shakespeare, Blake and a Liverpool Poet from the 18th century called William Roscoe.

Roscoe is seen as the Father of high-culture in Liverpool. He was a banker, botanist, academic (auto didact) and leading figure in the Abolitionist movement that eventually made slavery and the "trade" of slavery illegal. Much of the art in Liverpool Walker Art Gallery was origionally owned by him.

I will be concentrating on his poetry for children. His other work is worth considering but is lengthy and is best read.