A MAN referred to as the 'Unexpected Poet' has written a poem on his experience at the Alnwick Garden's Garden Party.
David Roe, 57, has lived in Haltwhistle for 27 years and volunteers at the Haltwhistle Partnership, which advocates for town infrastructure, investment and organises community projects to benefit the local area.
12 volunteers from the Partnership, including David, attended the Alnwick Garden Party on Wednesday, June 15 which is an annual event to celebrate volunteers and unsung heroes in local communities.
He wrote a poem inspired by his experience, titled 'Well Done'.
"It's about the people who make up the Haltwhistle Partnership, they're ordinary everyday folk who don't normally get seen, but for one day they were seen and recognised," David said.
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The poem developed over the weekend David said, before he wrote it down on the afternoon of Monday, June 20.
David is a performance poet and writes poetry 'all the time' he says.
A stage performer, he is a multi-slam winner of poetry slam competitions, which brings poets together to compete against each other.
"I'm dyslexic and I didn't study poetry at university, I'm a natural poet and I'm inspired by what happens around me.
"These are everyday folk that potter around Haltwhistle and no one gives them a second glance, that was the inspiration for the poem."
With themes including nature, love and current topics, David writes about whatever inspires and grabs him at that moment, he says.
When he started writing poetry, he kept it secret from everyone.
"I started in my teens but dyselxia wasn't understood back then and I didn't tell anyone for 40 years. I'm called the 'Unexpected Poet' cause no one expected this of me, including me."
He said to write a poem, people need to be in touch with their emotions.
David teaches wellbeing and poetry at Saint Vincent De Paul community charity, which helps people around the world who are struggling for food and clothing.
"I believe everyone is a poet, I tease poems out of people and it helps them address issues they're facing in their life. People can let go in poems when they can't in a normal conversation. It gets people in touch with their emotional self."
David will be performing at Feltonbury festival, held in Felton, on the weekend.
David's poem, 'Well Done' -
"They climbed up from the soil. Dusted dirt from jeans and kicked wellies into corners. They came from offices, emails and paperwork, abandoned for finery and fascinators.
They stepped away from council, motherhood, boiler suits and day-glow haz-vests. Shank’s pony, bicycles and vans exchanged for waxed cars and chauffeurs. Suits ’n’ tie, summer frocks and Sunday finest. They came as partners.
Small cogs combined in partnership to form the bigger machine. The engine at the heart of a community. Silently turning under the hood of Haltwhistle. Time given freely for the love of home. This day, they sat in sunshine. This day they ate like kings.
This day they smiled, and were seen. This day, they were told, Thank You. Returning home, they carried the glow deep in their hearts. Donned Wellies and work clothes, opened their arms and shared it with the community. A wonderful Partnership."
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