Interview with Roger Waldron

Hello Poetry Lovers

Welcome back to the talk show studio. Today, our special guest is talented poet Roger Waldron…

( rapturous applause as our esteemed guest walks somewhat cautiously down the lighted stairs )

Hello Heather, thank you so much for inviting me.

(Roger eases off his shoes)

I grew up in North Sheffield with my mum, dad and older brother. I still live in the area with Jane. Our grown-up children and their families also live in Sheffield.

I left school at 15 years old, without any qualifications. I didn’t take to school that well and they didn’t take to me – it didn’t matter because I was going to be a footballer.

After leaving school I went to work as an apprentice plumber for the council, but plumbing wasn’t for me, so after serving my 5 years, I left. I spent 18 months working in the steelworks before going on to work for a well-known telecommunications outfit where I spent the next 23 years moving through the ranks. I started as a telephone engineer which meant I dug roads and repaired cables, making sure that everyone was connected to their phones (hopefully…)

I moved to another company and became a supervisor/project manager which meant travelling round the north of England meeting lots of amazing people.

Now I’m retired and I am Head Gardener at both my children’s houses, look after our grandchildren and grand-dogs. I enjoy reading – I’m addicted to second-hand book shops – and writing poetry. 

I’ve always said, my education began when John Lennon walked up to a microphone and sang “Don’t Let Me Down.” Music has always been a big influence for me. I don’t remember doing poetry at school and if we did it would have gone in one ear and out the other. 

In the early 1980s, Ian McMillan hosted a show on Radio Sheffield and asked for people to send in their poetry. I did this under a pen-name – Stan Cummings. At the time, I was digging holes and repairing cables and I’d listen to the radio with my workmates. I didn’t want them to know that the poems that were being read out were mine but then the secret was out when Rotherham libraries published a pamphlet “The 9’oclock from Rotherham.” I was also published in various poetry magazines of the time. 

I then stopped writing for a long-time due to work and family life. But in 2018, I began to write again,  I haven’t stopped since. 

Musicians are my biggest influences – including The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and of course being from Sheffield, Pulp and The Arctic Monkeys.

Poetry wise, my influences include Ian McMillan and Geoff Hattersley – as they are both from South Yorkshire – Selima Hill, Brendan Cleary, Fred Voss, Frank O’Hara and Carl Burkitt etc etc . All these poets write about the ‘everyday’ and I like to think that I do the same. 

I had been published by Dreich Magazine (thanks Jack Caradoc) so when I heard they were running a competition to publish a pamphlet, I sent off a bunch of my poems. My poems were chosen, and “My C&A Years” was published. I knew which poem needed to be at the beginning, which one I wanted in the middle and then which one should be at the end but then there’s no order to them or theme.

The poems are about everyday life and the people I meet along the way. People always say I have a story for every occasion.  I always write the same poem but hopefully with different words.

I am always writing. At the moment, I am looking for a publisher for the pamphlet “Notes from Under a Continental Quilt.”

The best one is always going to be the next! One good memory is of a  recent poetry night at Theatre Deli in Sheffield. They had a power-cut which meant that I had to stand behind the bar and read my poems as it was the only place that had lights. That suited my poetry fine as people have said they picture me sat at a bar reading my poetry. 

The worst one was quite a few years ago in Halifax in West Yorkshire. The room was full. But when the audience realised we were from South Yorkshire, everyone left apart from three women, and then halfway through the performance they said, “We don’t like poetry” and walked out. “Poetry to an empty room” that sounds like a title for my next pamphlet. 

Actually, Heather, I’m going to meet Dobby at a club. She can get me in anywhere apparently.

Wasn’t Roger a terrific guest?! Do treat yourselves to a copy of The C&A Years A truly terrific collection.

Follow Roger on Twitter on @rogerthereg

Thanks for tuning in, PL’s and listening to another fascinating poet. We’ll be back with more poetry action real soon…..