Forty Years Of My Hobbies

Writing And Poetry – A Hobby That Never Really Leaves Me

Poetry

Back in 1985, when I was in Year 11 at high school, I had the good fortune to hear Australian poet Geoff Goodfellow during an English class. His writing had a major influence on my own, shaping both my style and the subjects I explore in my poetry.

Over the years, I’ve put together poems drawn from my own history and experiences. It’s a habit I’ve kept for decades, and I can’t see myself stopping any time soon.

Poetry can take over my thoughts, although not necessarily in the way you might imagine. I’m not sitting at a desk every waking hour scribbling into a notebook. More often, an idea is turning over in my head while I’m doing something entirely unrelated.

I might be working or getting on with everyday life, while part of my mind is quietly trying to turn an experience into words. Some of my more recent poems have developed that way, particularly those exploring life as a single man again, what came before and what might come next.

For me, poetry is a way to examine my life and preserve thoughts that might otherwise fade with time. Sometimes the words arrive easily. At other times, an idea hangs around for weeks or months before I find the right way to express it.

Writing

Poetry isn’t my only form of writing. I also write about personal experiences, reflections and subjects that catch my interest. The things I do and the projects I take on provide plenty of material, and writing gives me a chance to explore an idea and share what I’ve learnt.

I’ve also turned some of my writing into video blogs on YouTube. I used to make them much more often, but that hobby has taken a back seat while I work on getting my mojo back.

I’d like to publish some of my poetry here on Substack over the coming months, too. There’s a fair bit of history sitting in those poems. After all, there’s only so much room in my head for all these words. I might as well let a few of them out into the world.

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