When did you start writing poetry?
It's a cliché but I guess I always have - I have a book of terrible poems
from when I was around 9.
It's been a joy in recent years to see my sons take it up.
It's either in the blood or just in our kitchen.
I do it to make sense of the world -
I know a lot of people do it for therapy
but it was always more a lens for me.
A way of seeing the world.
Do you remember what your first pieces were about?
The first piece of the modern era
was a piece I wrote in Calais in the migrant camps -
the former jungle. I was there filming a documentary
with some artists when I wrote 'Curriculum Vitae'
about the people I met.
I first performed it at a launch night
and this booker for this night called the Guild Session
booked me then and there
and so it all started like that.
I had one 'proper poem' but I was a poet ;-)
The documentary never saw the light of day
in the end but thousands of poems were born instead.
I'll perform the piece on Monday for you.
Why do you write poetry?
I get ideas - ethical moments of clarity, I guess.
And then they need a home.
So I build one.
What is your favourite thing about it?
My favourite thing about travelling to perform it
s the meeting of people.
I love people - my first love.
My poems are always about
kindness and courage in the end.
I never really understood
why anything else is needed.
When it comes to your own work, how would you describe it?
It culminated as a 'work' last year
when I published 'Leviathan'.
I was so proud of that book.
I loved the process of working with Adam - my illustrator -
and making the pieces hang together as a collection.
The book is punctuated throughout
with live performances on QR codes -
the experience of filming them in a studio
without an audience was frankly harrowing!
But it's a little bit of me now. It's out there.
What themes inspire you?
Kindness, courage, history,
literature and my love for my wife and children.
Tell us a little more about your work, and what moves you.
It's the stage where I am most at home.
I like rhythm and power.
I guess I am a failed actor - a failed folk singer.
I'm comfortable sharing words.
Feels like I am on fire. 🔥
In Leicester we are trying to unite the poetry scene, in collaboration with other poetry nights,
How would you describe the leicester poetry scene, and what, in your opinion could be improved upon?
This is my first Get Mouthy!
Massive fan of Some-Antics.
Sammy is a legend.
Do you have any favourite poets, both locally and further afield that you would like to share.
Jeez - Keats, Taylor Mali, Heaney,
Betjeman, Ren, Plath Shakespeare, Dizraeli...
A supporting cast of thousands.
I could go all day.
Locally it's the Linklings...
my Lincoln stable
with whom I write and perform...
Steve Cawte, Rob Taylor, Richard Fender,
Adam Stanley and Jakespeare.
We're an old crap poetry boyband
who travel in a Volvo. ;-)
If people want to follow your social media where can they find you.
Amazon
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064133978402
YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/user/JenkinsJaeAlan
Massive thank you to Jae for these thoughtful answers,
grab a copy of his book if you can,
and help support our local poetry scenes.
And a big thank you to Kulvir and Mike
at Some-Antics for the photos,
and most of all
thank you to all of you reading this
and coming to our shows!
Peace, Love & Poetry
Kyle
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