Performed by Amaka Umeh
Poetry Reading: What is Love, by Colin Guest
Poetry Reading: The Second Cup by Michael Westcombe
Poetry Reading: THE ALMOST HOLY QUATERNITY by Gloria D Gonsalves
Poetry Reading: Plica, by Ewan Lawrie
Poetry Reading: ON THE WATER by Tammi Croteau
Poetry Reading: FIVE by Tammi Croteau
Poetry Reading: DREAM by Mary Freericks
Performed by Omaka Umeh
7 questions:
What is the theme of your poem?
The theme of my poem is regaining youth.
What motivated you to write this poem?
Sleeping in my granddaughter’s bed.
How long have you been writing poetry?
Perhaps thirty years. I attended Columbia University Graduate School of the Arts with a major in poetry.
If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would that be?
I want to say God. But God is not a person.
What influenced you to submit to have your poetry performed by a professional actor?
Your invitation.
Do you write other works? scripts? Short Stories? Etc..?
I have a published book, Creative Puppetry in the Classroom published by New Plays and some published educational articles and as well as memory articles about my childhood in Iran I also wrote a piece on Alice Hulyer Ramsey, the first woman to drive across the United States for an Encyclopedia on women’s accomplishments. but mostly I write poetry.
What is your passion in life?
I am an artist as well as poet and I love to paint. I also enjoy walking along the ocean and my family and friends.
Poetry performed by Amaka Umeh
POETRY 7 questions:
What is the theme of your poem?
The theme is growing up and letting go – a father’s desire for his son to become a strong man (even when he’s not quite willing to let go of his little boy yet). There’s also a hint of co-parenting between mother ocean and the father on the shore, building trust as the little boy sails off on his own to become the man they’ve raised him to be.
What motivated you to write this poem?
A former soldier had contacted me to thank me for believing in him when I was his commander. He’d had a rough time and made a lot of mistakes, but his son was his reason for turning his life around and I was very proud of him for that.
How long have you been writing poetry?
Since I was in high school (though I was much cheesier way back then!)
If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would that be?
Jimmy Buffett – he’s my calypso poet role model in songwriting.
What influenced you to submit to have your poetry performed by a professional actor?
I think in movie scenes. Poetry helps to bring words and images to life in the minds of the readers, so a professional reading would add a whole new dimension.
Do you write other works? scripts? Short Stories? Etc..?
I’ve self-published two collections of poems and short stories as well as a children’s book and song lyrics. I’ve also completed one full-length feature script.
What is your passion in life?
Connections – learning how people, places, things, and events are intertwined.
Poetry performed by Amaka Umeh
POETRY 7 questions:
What is the theme of your poem?
The theme is growing up and letting go – a father’s desire for his son to become a strong man (even when he’s not quite willing to let go of his little boy yet). There’s also a hint of co-parenting between mother ocean and the father on the shore, building trust as the little boy sails off on his own to become the man they’ve raised him to be.
What motivated you to write this poem?
A former soldier had contacted me to thank me for believing in him when I was his commander. He’d had a rough time and made a lot of mistakes, but his son was his reason for turning his life around and I was very proud of him for that.
How long have you been writing poetry?
Since I was in high school (though I was much cheesier way back then!)
If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would that be?
Jimmy Buffett – he’s my calypso poet role model in songwriting.
What influenced you to submit to have your poetry performed by a professional actor?
I think in movie scenes. Poetry helps to bring words and images to life in the minds of the readers, so a professional reading would add a whole new dimension.
Do you write other works? scripts? Short Stories? Etc..?
I’ve self-published two collections of poems and short stories as well as a children’s book and song lyrics. I’ve also completed one full-length feature script.
What is your passion in life?
Connections – learning how people, places, things, and events are intertwined.
Performed by Amaka Umeh
POETRY 7 questions:
What is the theme of your poem?
The theme of the poem is fear of the unknown other and how fairy tales and folklore attempt make sense of all the inexplicable things like war and disease.
What motivated you to write this poem?
The state of Europe now.
How long have you been writing poetry?
About 10 years
If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would that be?
Not a poet, but Frank Zappa.
What influenced you to submit to have your poetry performed by a professional actor?
About 10 years ago I published a poem (Parallel Heaven) on ABCTales which was part of a short lived project called ABCRadio. A professional actor read the poem and I’ve often wished the recording still existed.
https://www.abctales.com/story/ewan/parallel-heaven
Do you write other works? scripts? Short Stories? Etc..?
I have a novel which was published 3 months ago by Unbound, available in Bookshops and on Amazon and other websites.
http://tinyurl.com/gibboushousehere
What is your passion in life?
I hate the great and small injustices of life, from playground bullying to the “othering” of immigrants.
Performed by Amaka Umeh
POETRY 7 questions:
What is the theme of your poem?
the relationship between husband and wife, within the family
What motivated you to write this poem?
I found the image, and the structure, to express my perceptions and thoughts correctly.
How long have you been writing poetry?
For about fifty years
If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would that be?
E. M. Forster, or G. F. Handel
What influenced you to submit to have your poetry performed by a professional actor?
Nothing. It was a condition of your competition. In my experience, actors are terrible at this
Do you write other works? scripts? Short Stories? Etc..?
Sometimes
What is your passion in life?
Music, and political philosophy.
Performed by Amaka Umeh
POETRY 7 questions:
What is the theme of your poem?
Love.
What motivated you to write this poem?
My strong feelings of love for my wife.
How long have you been writing poetry?
I started writing poems back in 1983 while working in Brunei. I have recently written a number of love poems for my wife, with two of them in the final four in WildSound Poetry Festivals, with another of my poems that Julian Ford read out online, in the final four.
If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would that be?
I think due to my love of writing, it would Le Child, whose writing I think is in a class of its own.
What influenced you to submit to have your poetry performed by a professional actor?
I think the words in my poem would appeal to many people, especially those who do not know the difference between love and desire. Also, by having my poem read out live, it acts to give more publicity to my writing endeavours.
Do you write other works? scripts? Short Stories? Etc..?
I have written and had published two short fiction books, plus one re my life in Turkey where I have lived for over 25 years, and a memoir entitled Follow in the Tigerman’s Footsteps. This covers my working as an expat for nineteen years in fifteen countries spread throughout the Middle, Far East and North Africa. In conjunction with Voyage Media who think my memoir could be used as the basis for a television series, I have written a pitch, which is on a list that Voyage sends out to over 6,000 producers to see if one is interested in using it.
At present, Julian Ford, one of your readers is working on turning my memoir into an audio book. I am presently writing a novel, and had over 14 articles published in online magazines, and one published in a UK expat magazine. I also took part in a live radio show in America re my writing.
What is your passion in life?
My passion is writing and hoping that one day I might have one of my books used as the basis for a film.
Performed by Amaka Umeh
POETRY 7 questions:
What is the theme of your poem?
Family, Memories
What motivated you to write this poem?
This poem was written in 2016 during NaPoWriMo/GloPoWriMo. The prompt was to write a poem that takes the form of a family portrait. Your call for a family poem fitted the piece and hence my submission.
How long have you been writing poetry?
About 10 years and I’m still learning every day.
If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would that be?
Maya Angelou and Shaaban bin Robert.
What influenced you to submit to have your poetry performed by a professional actor?
I dislike public performance. So your platform is perfect for me to co-share the skill of writing and performing with someone else.
Do you write other works? scripts? Short Stories? Etc..?
I have published books on fantasy/adventure/educational tales with moral lessons. In the published portfolio is also a novella and anthology of thoughts. For anyone interested to know more, I am giving free books to visitors on my website.
What is your passion in life?
Reading, writing and discovering new places.
Genre: Life, Family
Deadline: FREE POETRY Festival – Get your poem made into a MOVIE and seen by 1000s. Three options to submit:
http://www.wildsound.ca/poetrycontest.html
Watch Poetry performance readings:
Watch Poetry made into Movies:
Genre: Abstract, Love
I live in the darkest apartment of the city under the bridge.
This is not a love poem. It does not have hidden meanings.
It has a story of the happiest man I know.
I am certain that I love the color black.
But I do not wear any. I wear brown instead.
I like darkness not on me but outside
To assure that it isn’t curbed anywhere inside.
I cheat myself when I add milk to coffee and
When I shave my head and
When I do not ascertain my groceries at night.
You can touch me from anywhere
I guarantee you my existence
But not my location.
I do not carry maps. Only train passes.
I choose girls wearing black on themselves
To help me with addresses
And get ignored due to juxtapose dressing.
The story is colorless. Less interesting than rainbows.
I have many ‘Once upon a time’ in my head
The tales no one would love in dark.
I sleep till 2 in the morning.
My bag has black and white paints
Black to build and white for corrections.
This hiding place of mine has a bulb
Whose occasional presence is reminded
Only for reading dates on the cans.
I paint signboards for a living.
People provide me colors only then.
How selfish.
My friendships start on an endgame.
I have friends whom I have met only once.
And shall never meet again.
Storms are good until and unless the roof leaks
I find weeds beautiful too.
My family does not know I live almost homeless
All they know is that I am happy.
Deadline: FREE POETRY Festival – Get your poem made into a MOVIE and seen by 1000s. Three options to submit:
http://www.wildsound.ca/poetrycontest.html
Watch Poetry performance readings:
Watch Poetry made into Movies:
POETRY FESTIVAL. Submit to site for FREE. Submit for actor performance. Submit poem to be made into film. 