Brian Wake

Brian Wake

Biography

Liverpool born Brian Wake has published eight books of poetry. He has been published in literary magazines and journals all over the world and has had his work broadcast on radio and television for many years. His latest book is ETCETERA  New & Selected Poems (published by Headland Publications in 2011).

Brian Wake founded Driftwood, a poetry promoting organisation, in 1972. He has introduced some of the best known poets in the world to audiences at poetry reading venues in Merseyside, Bristol, Dublin and Worcester. He has published numerous new and neglected poets in his Driftwood Poets series of books and pamphlets. He also organised and presented poetry events for Sefton’s Arts Services between 1988 and 2011. Until leaving Sefton Arts at the end of 2011, he was the organiser of the now annual Sefton Celebrates Writing festival.

 

Website

Genre

Poetry

 

Publications & Performance History

Etcetera: New & Selected Poems (Headland Publications 2011). About Etcetera  Brian Patten says: Brian Wake’s voice is uniquely his own, a poetic voice that’s grown in strength and craftsmanship for over forty and more years of writing. There is a slow thoughtfulness about his work. Internal rhymes surprise and hold together beautifully crafted poems that never seem forced. This is a collection from a remarkably good poet to be savoured at leisure.

Unbuilding The Ark (Headland Publications 1999). Reviewing Unbuilding The Ark (Headland 1999), Matt Simpson said, : Something new and strong has been triggered off, something that is quite clearly his own , a special tone of voice, original turns of phrase, a particular kind of playful seriousness and serious playfulness.

Into Hiding (Headland Publications 1993). About Into Hiding (Headland 1993), Adrian Henri wrote: Brian Wake conjures up a vanished world of childhood, unsentimental; doors that often open in their turn onto the memories of others in poems like Adrift and Into Hiding.

 

Workshop & Reading Experience

Brian Wake has read his work at venues throughout the UK for many years. He delivered weekly poetry workshops at Orrell Arts Centre for more than 5 years in the 2000s. He led poetry sessions at Stamps in Liverpool, The Freshfiled Hotel, Southport Arts Centre, The Left Bank Bistro, Merseyside.
 

Reference

Gladys Mary Coles (Headland Publications) headlandpublications@hotmail.co.uk Tony Dash – Contributing Editor (Poetry) Ambit Magazine tonydash@hotmail.co.uk Dennis Conroy – MD Associated Islands Music Publishers dennconroy@aol.com
 

Group size preference

Aug-15
 

Group age preference

Not children
 

Working languages

English
 

Area prepared to travel

Merseyside, Wirrall.
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