The Tall Poet Andrew Fusek Peters Andrew is an Anglo-Czech poet, author, anthologist, storyteller, didgeridoo player, broadcaster and creative writing tutor. He lives in a converted chapel in Shropshire and has two goldfish and a six-toed cat called Merlin. He has written and edited over 25 books. Here's what he has to say about himself: I started writing at 10 - for two reasons - first girlfriend - love poems to impress her (it didn't work!) and cos my brother who was 14 started writing and I thought if he can do it, I can do it too. Also, I was bullied constantly and poems gave me a way of expressing my feelings. I started working in schools in 1987 - performing my poems and running workshops. I had a long plastic tube that was my first didgeridoo and some groovy rhythm poems. The kids liked it, and I got more work! Before this, I was a painter and decorator and a barman in a trendy café where we used to compete as to who could wear the most loud ties! The pay was terrible, I was living in a bedsit and dreaming of being a full time poet! E- PET- APH Gerbil Gerry made a mess When he got trapped in the trouser press. It's sad to say, the truth is that Both of us now feel quite flat. Poor old pet with a permanent crease, Gerry Gerbil, Pressed In Peace. Fav Subject: Maths - really into numbers, which must be why I like the different forms of complicated rhyming poems - they are like equations to be worked out! And English, obviously! Ambitions: Fame and fishfingers! Seriously, I would like my work to be respected and to have a big audience. I am also doing some TV presenting and scripting and would like to do more on TV. A few literary prizes would be nice also! But also to live for ages, travel lots, and keep writing until I am a doddery old fool. What I most like about being a writer: playing with ideas for a job! Seeing thoughts end up in print and liked by readers. Seeing your imagination illustrated by fab artist in books. Showing off. Spare time: Walking, swimming in the local rivers and the sea body surfing in a wet suit! Eating chocolate. Reading rubbish thrillers where the bad guys get it in the end! Fav food: Free Range, barbecued chicken, real noodles with lots of fresh coriander and spices and loads of puddings Music: Medieval - instrumental and voice, folk music, world music, anything with Didgeridoo. Extravagance: My notebook computer with tiny colour printer - though I do use it for work! I am trying to convince my wife that I neeeeeeeed a digital camera, but it's no go at the moment! AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS I live at the top of the stairs, The safest place to be, Especially when there's an argument In my stormy family. It starts off in the living room, It isn't very polite, Their whisper grows into thunder, I'm glad I'm out of sight. I hate it when they shout, It fills me up with gloom, I hope the hurricane stays below As I run to the safe of my room. I think that they forget about me, And my space at the top of the stairs, Oh when will the storm blow over? I wonder if anyone cares? Watch out for Andrew's tasty new anthology published by Hodder-Wayland THE UNIDENTIFIED FRYING OMELETTE A fabulous Feast of Form Poems - available in the Poetry Zone Shop Best Quality: Outrageous sense of humour when I perform Worst: Stubborn and very very very ratty sometimes Fav place: Shingle Street in Suffolk - a pebble beach at the end of the road - sea in front, sunset behind - seriously spiritual. Fav authors then and now: As a child - Enid Blyton (Yes!), Tolkein and Asimov. Now - lots of poets - Liverpool Poets (Roger McGough, Adrian Henri and Brian Patten), Gerard Manley Hopkins (very dead - but groovy - the first Victorian Performance Poet!) and a book called Waterlog by a guy who swam his way round Britain in lakes, canals, rivers and seaside - my hero! Fav childhood toy: Action Man! Who do I identify with? Modestly, that playwright and poet bloke, Bill something or other - he wrote because that was his job and his craft, but filled his words with spirit and brought the English Language to life. If you want to become a writer - don't put yourself in a vacuum - you have to read other writers both dead and alive and find out about the world of words we live in. POEMS WITH ATTITUDE (Hodder-Wayland) written by Andrew and his wife, Polly, is a hard-hitting and humorous collection of poems for teenagers. It's just about the best book of poems for teenagers that I've ever read. And it's available in the Poetry Zone Shop.(RS) GOLDILOCKS & THE PHWOAR BOYS (after: we're going on a bear hunt) We're going on a boy hunt! We're going to catch a good one. We're not scared! Uh Oh! Spots! We can't go out with them. We can't get over them, We'll have to just cover them! DIBBY DABBY DIBBY DABBY DIBBY DABBY SPLAT! We're going on a boy hunt! We're going to catch a good one. We're not scared! Uh Oh! Hair! Just can't cope with it! Can't get around it! We'll have to comb through it! FRIZZY TANGLE FRIZZY TANGLE FRIZZY TANGLE OW! We're going on a boy hunt! We're going to catch a good one. We're not scared! Uh Oh! Breath! Can't get over him, Can't get off with him, Got to Listerine GARGLE GURGLE GARGLE GURGLE GARGLE GURGLE BELCH! We're going on a boy hunt! We're going to catch a good one. We're not scared! Uh oh! Clothes Gone over everything, Can't get into it! Have to go through them all! ZIP SNAP ZIP SNAP ZIP SNAP RIP! We're going on a boy hunt! We're going to catch a good one. If only we dared! Uh Oh! Make-up Foundation under, blusher over it, Looking gorgeous through and through! BRUSH BLUSH BRUSH BLUSH BRUSH BLUSH CRUSH! We're going on a boy hunt! We're going to catch a GREAT one. We'll be paired! Uh oh! Mum! No way over this, can't get round her, She'll see through me. FLOUNCE SLAM FLOUNCE SLAM FLOUNCE SLAM DAMN! Website: soon to be up and running at www.tallpoet.com What do I always carry with me? Pen, notebook and an apple. See you all around sometime. Thanks for your time. Be good. E-pet-aph and At The Top Of The Stairs are in Sadderday and Funday, Andrew and Polly's new book - out now! Goldilocks and the Phwoar Boys comes from Poems With Attitude All are copyright by Hodder/ Wayland. Back to the top of the page