Kettering author, Carl Peach will be at the Three Swans Hotel on Saturday 22nd March giving a talk entitled ‘Seeing with words at the Market Harborough Book Extravaganza.
All of my Poetry prior to sight loss was dark; I just heaped it all onto paper and it was a way of coping. But I wanted people to listen and enjoy my poetry; I thought I needed to write something a little more fulfilling.
At 59, Carl lost his eyesight following a routine eye test that led to the discovery of a hereditary and incurable defect in his optic nerve.
A public speaker with a background in journalism, Carl started creative writing after his separation from his wife in 2009.
Poetry became his anchor, helping him navigate life’s challenges.
His debut collection, Man Up, is deeply personal and introspective, exploring many of life’s major themes.
Well known on the spoken word circuit in Northamptonshire, Carl continues to use his voice to inspire others.
Currently, he’s in the midst of an ambitious fundraising challenge for the Northamptonshire Association for the Blind (NAB), aiming to walk 10 million steps—approximately 4,000 miles—in a year. Northants Mag will be joining him for part of this journey in May.
The following poem is taken from Man Up, a collection where the author seeks to discover himself through the cathartic process of writing.
History
Mister History Teacher, did you stop to consider
When you bullied my friend
A vulnerable 12-year old
When you wound that elastic band in his unruly blonde hair
And tugged away and showed
Orgiastic delight at his pain and tears
In front of his mates
Did you ever think that one day
He might recall the extra misery you heaped
On the misery of a wretched home life
And a stepdad who dispensed misery
With fists instead of kind words
Did you even imagine that you might
Have damaged his fragile self-esteem
To the point where he remembered this
As he stood contemplating his life
Starved of meaning, affection and connection
Do you think that he thought of you
As he plummeted to the brutal concrete
Five floors and a bit below
Depressed man jumps from multi-storey car park
Inquest hears
Do you ever wish that just once
You had offered him a crumb of comfort
Praise or kindly word that he surely deserved
But then you probably didn’t know
Or care that he died alone that day
You were a fool with a beard and a blue suit
I have no fond memories of you.
from the collection, ‘Man Up,’ by Carl Peach
Carl will be at the Three Swans Hotel on Saturday 22nd March giving a talk entitled ‘Seeing with words at the Market Harborough Book Extravaganza.
The collection of poems ‘Man Up’ is available for purchase on Amazon.