Answering Questions Posed by Young POETS

UPDATED, May 2020

As a frequent visitor to schools I have the great pleasure of working with groups of young, enthusiastic poets and their teachers.

When I arrive in a classroom, young poets are often pre-loaded with questions, and most keen to have them answered.  I try to answer as many as I can, but we frequently run out of time, and the poetry caravan moves on to the next classroom. So I am here to answer some of those questions -right here, right now.
So here goes:

When you were little did you love writing?
The short answer is yes. I have always enjoyed words and language. I can't recall a time when I wasn't doing some kind of writing.

When did you write your first poetry book?
I have had poems published over the years, but it wasn't until 2014 that I had an entire book of poems (an anthology) published. When I looked back through all my notebooks I realized I had hundreds of poems from which to choose. So, 'Searching For Hen's Teeth-Poetry From The Search Zone' became my first collection of poems to go public. I then published a second collection of poems titled, 'I Bet There's No Broccoli On The Moon.' The third anthology is titled, 'What The Poemster Found.' I am currently working on a verse novel. I have many more poems to release...

How many poetry books do you own?
I am not really sure of the exact number, but I would estimate, close to two hundred. I am a collector. The words of my fellow poets inspire me. That's why I started my very own poet's suitcase to house my very special book collection. I am continually adding books to my collection. You can't have too much poetry...

When did you write your first poem?
I wrote my first poem in Grade 3. It was a poem about springtime. I can't remember the words, but I can remember how good it felt to write a poem that my teacher and my classmates liked. It gave me the encouragement to keep writing. When you feel good about something, it inspires you to keep trying. That's what happened with poetry. I liked the feeling the writing gave me.

What inspired you to write poetry?
My Dad always played with words and encouraged me to think about the way language works. Riddles and puzzles and word games were a part of my childhood. In Grade 6 at Monbulk Primary School, my teacher, Frank Harris loved reading poetry to his students, particularly Australian poetry. He ignited the spark that grew into my life long love of poetry. My book,'What the Poemster Found' is dedicated to Mr Harris and his influence upon my writing.

What is your favourite poetry book?
I would have to say, 'Quick,Let's Get Out of Here by Michael Rosen. A wonderful book of narrative poems that continue to make me smile and inspire me as a poet.The poems have a strong thread of humour running through them and remind me of my own adventures as a kid. My all time favourite poem, 'Chocolate Cake' is in this book. I have shared it more than any other poem, including any of my own. That poem is so well liked, it now has it's own separate book.

Have you written any new poems lately?
Well, yes I have. I am continually writing poems. Some of my more recent poems can be found by clicking on this link:
http://alanjwrightpoetrypizzazz.blogspot.com.au/

Of the poems you have written, which one is your favourite?
That's a hard question to answer. It's like saying you have a favourite child. I still get a laugh from reading 'The Puny Knight and The Miffed Maiden.' It's a poem I enjoyed writing very much. Lots of kids like the 'Dead Rat' poem, so that pleases me too. Right now, I am enjoying reading 'The Opposite' poem. It makes me smile when I read it.

Where do you get your ideas?
Ah ideas! They're everywhere. They float in the air. I hear ideas. I see ideas. I feel ideas. I even smell ideas. 
A writer must use their senses. Ideas present themselves in the books I read, the conversations I have and the places I go. I get ideas from other writers. They exist in my memories. They exist in 'things.' Just sit and look around you. There are ideas everywhere, just waiting to be discovered. Ideas exist in the playground, the park, your house; just about anywhere. As writers we must become collectors and observers. 

What was your favourite book as a child?
My favourite book as a child was 'The Complete Adventures of Blinky Bill by Dorothy Wall.  I still have it. It sits proudly on my book shelves to this day. Every kid wanted a copy, a bit like the Treehouse books today. Even though it was written a long time ago, the words are still magical. Age has not wearied them.

What do you like about poetry?
Poetry gives me the chance to play with words. It challenges me to use my best words because we write poetry in tight,squeezy spaces. I love poetry's rhyme and rhythms. I love its close relationship to music. I love poetry's many moods. Poetry is equally about the mud, as it is the flowers. I love how words dance off my tongue when I say them. I love the feeling of power I get when I create poetry. I especially love how poetry can be created in many different ways. Poetry makes my heart sing! I hear it. I see it. I feel it in my heart. Poetry is my oxygen.