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John Hirst John was raised in Derbyshire, the son of a miner. He enjoyed a successful career in the Retail Trade, working for the Burton Group and then Sears, rising from sales assistant to Operations Director before ill-health forced his premature retirement. His life-long chronic Asthma developed into full-scale Respiratory disease, complicated by dependency of high-dose Steroids, making sleep almost impossible, as little as 3 hours a night. Depression is a constant companion with a drug regime that features all the main ‘Brand Names’. His first poem in March 97 was called ‘Breathless’. It was published within a month of being written and has since appeared four times. He has enjoyed modest success with over 130 poems published in anthologies and small press publications. His three-booklet series ‘NightLites’ sold over 300 copies and raised £1200 for his local church, hospital and school. He reads extensively enjoying such female contemporaries as Duffy, Shapcott, Hill and Padel, plus the late Ted Hughes, Simon Armitage and Matthew Sweeney. He also found inspiration from the works of Dylan Thomas and Sylvia Plath. He writes ‘personalised poems’. and commissioned ‘speech writing’, a member of the commercial writing web company.. Poems to Please. He contributes specialist retail articles to trade press. He is regularly invited to review books and performances for local press and poetry press publications. He has featured twice, with mini-collections in the ‘Forward Press’ Spotlight Poet Publication series. Perceptions of Reality was published by Poetry Monthly Press in 1999, the first print run sold out. He his a member and board advisor to Survivors Poetry and organiser of a local Poetry group ‘Gallery Poets’, based at Solihull Library. He is also Editor of quarterly Poetry Press Magazine 'Solo Survivors' and can be commissioned for live performance readings. John also paints, ‘Monet-style oils’ and nude sketched watercolours. Now aged 48, his health as deteriorated leaving him unable to drive and reliant on oxygen overnight. His latest collection, ‘Beauty and some Beasts’, dedicated, with all proceeds to survivors poetry was published in April, so far over 100 copies have been sold and over £500.00 raised. he has lived in Solihull for the past 18 years, married to Wendy and their ‘handful’ of big-kids, aged 17-21 years Quotes ‘John Hirst creates powerful images, he has width and vision’. "From sentiment to terror, you can’t deny the power of John Hirst’s work" "He paints pictures with ease, and treats us to a language that stirs our moral indignation" "Made me sit up and take notice." "Hirst is a dedicated, skilful poet, not afraid to experiment, always willing to learn" "A true poet is one whose words challenge and inspire, Hirst is one such poet" "John Hirst is an imaginative poet, aggressive and energetic, almost grafting out words in stone, a gutsy insight, rooted in reality." "John Hirst’s poetry is rhythmic and punchy, evocative and poignant, he constantly bombards and pounds the readers imagination." "He unearths every emotion, sad and soulful." winner - poetry in art competition - 2002 winner - poet idol 2003 awarded - survivor in poetry prize - 2004 |