Considering that 67 year old Islander Robin Ford didn’t start writing poetry until his mid fifties, it’s pretty impressive that as well as already having published two poetry collections, he has another about to be launched.
Following ‘After The Wound’ and ‘Never Quite Prepared For Light’ (both published by Arrowhead Press) comes ‘On The Brink’ (published by Cinnamon Press).
Born in Cowes and growing up in Newport, Robin tells VB that he first started writing after a serious bout of illness. His past career had been in teaching during which, for the most part, he taught at Cowes High School.
He also served the community as a councillor on Newport Borough and Medina Councils, becoming Mayor of Medina 1984-5.
Robin will be signing copies of ‘On The Brink’ at Waterstone’s next month when the collection is launched.
Robin has kindly allowed us to reproduce one of the poems from the new collection.
ISLAND by Robin Ford
You see I come from here,
I will not deny the isle nor expel it
from me. Islands either draw you or repel,
hold you tight or wash you onto greater shores.
Indifference not option, else why stay?
I am from its hills,
swaddled in a web of deep green lanes,
feel sometimes like a figurehead
scanning sea and sky,
my Janus face to land and sea.
Islands give themselves to those who let them,
I could never find a new way now,
but then, not ever,
and though I feel for other places
when sea small-washes over me
I am driftwood flung ashore and beached again.
Boundaries here are fixed, horizons limitless.
