Hello Poetry Lovers
Welcome back to the talk show studio (rapturous applause) 
Our guest tonight is talented and prolific poet Paul McGrane! (Pandemonium. Security nervous) 
Now settle down, PL’s, because here comes Paul McGrane now!!! (Cheers and vast applause)
(our guest descends elegantly down the lighted staircase)
Welcome to the show, Paul. I’ve been looking forward to having you as our guest.
(Audience cheers in agreement)
Pleasure to be here, Heather.
Fill us in a bit on your background and when did poetry become a part of your life?
It wasn’t until I was in my early 40’s, I’m 62 now… before that, I didn’t even know that poetry was still a ‘thing’, even though I studied English at university. I thought that only dead people wrote it.
I’d been taking a creative writing night class at City Lit when I noticed that the reaction by the rest of the class to my poems was more immediate and louder – actual applause! – so I was hooked.
I quickly took an introduction to poetry class and I’ve been regularly dabbling in poems ever since.
I was ‘in-between jobs’ at the time but luckily I became the Poetry Society’s Membership Manager soon after and started up a poetry group in Walthamstow -Forest Poets. I also run monthly poetry open mics in Walthamstow and Soho -‘Poems Not Bombs.’ So you could say poetry dominates my every waking hour.
Fascinating, Paul. Interesting how it takes others to help us see the way.
Who have been your biggest influences?
When I started writing poems, I chanced upon an online poetry forum run by Adele Ward – Adele and the rest of the group were tremendous at giving constructive feedback and I feel blessed to have been part of it all. I’ll always be grateful to Adele.
I read quite widely but I’ll usually come back to poets such as Fleur Adcock, Jackie Kay, Elizabeth Bishop and Kathleen Jamie – as comfort reads and inspiration.
Oh Paul, what a wonderful support group you had there.
Fleur Adcock left us very recently, as you know. End of an era, such a powerful poet.
Are you working on anything at the moment?
I’m writing quite regularly at the moment, which hasn’t always been the case.
Being part of a poetry group definitely helps. It gives me the spur to come up with at least one poem every month to present to the group for feedback.
I’ve got a bunch of poems about my family so I’m hoping to turn them into a new poetry collection soon.
I’m very excited about that, Paul and looking forward to reading them. Families are right up my street!
Now my favourite question! What is the best poetry gig you’ve done? And the Worst?!
I once did a gig where the only people present were the two organisers, one of their mates, and us three poets. I opened my set with ‘can you hear me at the back?’
Actually the lack of an audience made the event quite cosy and we all had a drink afterwards in the bar so I rather enjoyed it.
I launched my first poetry collection in the same room when it was standing room only, and I had a lot of friends there so I’d say that was probably my best moment at a poetry gig – people laughed quite loudly at my funny poems, which is never a guarantee.
No, it really isn’t, is it. Not knowing quite how people are going to react keeps us on the edge.
Well, Paul, it sounds like your worse gig had a sweet edge to it, and I remember your launch of British People in Hot Weather at St Anne’s Church. It was a terrific atmosphere.
Thank you so much for coming on the show, Paul, you’ve been a wonderful guest.
(Earpiece crackles in the Host’s ear) I’ve just had Security on and they say Dobby’s on the prowl! Would you like to go out the back way?
(Proudly). Not at all. I’ll go out the way I came in!
A big hand for the wonderful, talented (and brave) Paul McGrane
(audience give a standing ovation as our guest ascends the stairs)
Ooh! Wait for it! (Screams of pain are heard up above) I think the lovely Paul has just met Dobby! 
Wasn’t Paul McGrane a fascinating guest?! A wonderful poet. We look forward to seeing him as a guest at Teddington next year.
Treat yourselves to Paul’s collection British People in Hot Weather published by Indigo Dreams
http://www.indigodreams.co.uk/
Thanks for visiting the studio, PL’s. We’ll be back with more poetry action real soon….
Heather Moulson 
Fascinating interview ! Paul does such a lot for the poetry community- I love going to the Spice of Life Soho when I can and he also runs a poetry competition- amazing!
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I know. Me too. Poems not Bombs is a great innovation
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