Interview with Julian Bishop

I think Dobby whisked him off for tips and advice on how to be annoying!

Great to be on the show.

I don’t think I had a very high opinion of poetry until I discovered Ted Hughes and Seamus Heaney in my late teens. I was more into “Hawk in the Rain” than Led Zeppelin, I can still just about recite it off by heart. And weirdly Thom Gunn’s Tamer and Hawk too.

I did English at University and wanted to write my dissertation on Heaney but was told “it’s too modern”. I ended up doing it on Wordsworth’s tedious The Prelude.

Even though I hated Led Zepp, my first job was as rock reporter for the South Wales Echo.

Unbelievably I got to “interview” Michael Jackson and asked him if he had a message for Wales to which he said “I love whales, they’re so cute”. My story was headlined “Michael’s Message to Wales: I Love You”. Pure poetry. 

I went on to work for BBC Wales then got a job at ITN’s News At Ten when they were relaunching it with Trevor McDonald. Unbelievably stressful job.

I don’t think I picked up a book of poetry until I’d stopped working full time as a journalist and came across an Alice Oswald poem called Flies (2015?) which captured the fabulous yuckiness of flies so brilliantly.

I was hooked. I started to devour as much contemporary poetry as I could and of course that led to trying to write some myself…

I’ve already mentioned three, I’d also add my namesake Elizabeth Bishop for her amazing multi-layered poems, Mark Doty for his opulent language and Kei Miller for his gentle dexterity with language and form.

If ever I need inspiration, I’ll grab one of Heaney’s books – I have three copies of his first volume of Selected Poems, not sure how that happened… 

While I was at BBC Wales I spent some time working as their first environment reporter. Those were the days before climate change was a “thing” and most of my time was spent covering weather stories, usually floods given this was Wales. I owned five pairs of wellies because most of them were usually drying out.

Climate change has crept up the news agenda but statistics only appeal to the head not the heart. And I thought this was where poetry could fill a gap. I called it We Saw It All Happen because like me, we’re all witnesses to what’s going on and all equally guilty of not doing enough to tackle it, bar the odd bit of recycling perhaps.

I’m not sure poetry makes anything happen but it can at least make people think a little deeper about their choices. I should add it’s not an entirely gloomy book, there’s humour in there although admittedly it’s quite dark humour. 

I’m sure the gig you’ve kindly asked me to take part in this summer will be the best Heather!

And I did enjoy a gig you arranged for me at the Vauxhall Tea House in London which is the first time in my life people chanted “more, more” after a poem!

The worst was at a venue I won’t name where only four people turned up. At least one of the other poets had brought along some Pipers Cheese and Onion crisps.

Well, Heather, I think I’ve lost Sid to Dobby. So it’s best I find him and take him home.

(Thunderous applause as Julian Bishop legs it up the stairs calling for Sid)

Wasn’t Julian a wonderful and fascinating guest?! To treat yourself to this wonderful collection, click onto Julian’s website now

http://Julianbishoppoet.com

Thanks for watching, PL’s. We’ll be back with more poetry action real soon …..