On Wednesday afternoon, July 30, about fifty visitors, some from outside Rye, came to hear two famous poets, Henry Normal and Tim Barlow, talk about their life and read some of their poems in the town’s library. From both, they were eclectic in the sense that they had funny, serious and amusing contents. The audience, several local poets amongst them, were very appreciative and attentive during the hour and questions were answered afterwards. This is the second visit to Rye for Henry Normal.
Henry Normal, English poet, writer, TV and film producer, introduced himself and Tim Barlow. Henry was born as Peter James Cornell but decided to change his public name to Henry Normal. He was the founder of the Manchester Poetry Festival (now the Manchester Literary Festival) and co-founder of the Nottingham Poetry Festival.
In 2017, he was honoured with a special BAFTA for services in television. His creativity had no bounds; he set up Baby Cow Productions and was its managing director until his retirement in 2016. His production company was involved in many known films and TV shows, like Mrs Merton Show, The Royle Family and many more.
In his talk he said: “I love the fact that poetry can be funny and can work on all different levels.” The poems in Henry’s book, The First Spark has led to this Blaze, illustrated by Pete Ramskill, certainly do work on different levels.
Henry explained how he has loved libraries all his life because they are free and books have led his imagination into directions he wants to travel. He didn’t take breath talking enthusiastically and amusingly about words, poetry and life, then realising it was time to introduce Tim Barlow.
Tim Barlow is a performance poet and writer from Hastings whose work has appeared in anthologies, digital magazines and newspapers. Tim’s work is at times serious, often witty and always poetic. His anthology which is available, Poems from the Edge of England, gives a sense of his eclectic musing on pubs, punk, reincarnation, plasterers, philosophers, ratcatchers and more. In his poem Does a Dragonfly weigh more than your soul or Will AI steal your lover? plays with many of the 21st century questions.
Tim says of himself:” I am an amateur part-time writer. I usually write realist stories and poems set in modern day.” In 2022 he earned a masters degree in Creative Writing, from Hull University (with distinction). He is the programme secretary at Hastings Writing Group. He loves to write poems and perform them at spoken word events. Tim can be contacted at timbarlowwrites@tim.barlow.35
It was a well spent and very enjoyable afternoon.
Image Credits: Heidi Foster .