Before you read this, it might help to read this https://godisamanc.wordpress.com/2011/01/12/acceptance-dike-omeje-1972-2007/

January 13th 2017 is the tenth anniversary of Dike Omejé’s death. I want to celebrate his achievements with friends and family and introduce new readers to his life and his work.

So, a group of his friends are in the process of organising “Articulate -Dike Omejé” A day to celebrate the life of our beatiful friend and amazing poet and performer.

It’s taking place at Contact Theatre on Saturday January 14th between 12 noon and 10pm

We aren’t fully sure what is going to be happening yet, but we do know that we want to Articulate Diké – whatever that means!

We want to do workshops at both his Primary and Secondary schools

We want to talk about his life

Get people to read his poems

Assemble a collection of video, recordings and photos to share

Have a collection of his books on sale

We want to hear the amazing Speakeasy band, a wonderful collective of musicians who Diké performed with regularly (please see a festive performance here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjLXZ1jjil4)  and generally remember him.

If you have any recordings or photos or anecdotes about Dike please send them to me at

mikegarry@hotmail.com

But most importantly, put january 14th in the diary and lets celebrate and Articulate – Dike Omejé

Brexit hey!

Ok, the majority voted to leave and as a “remain” voter, I accept that but will it be “Hard” or “Soft”?

What are the terms of our exit?

Who decides?

Theresa, Boris and Nigel want it “hard” but they can’t just decide exit terms without some sort of consultation or vote –  That’s be undemocratic and considering one of their arguments was to win back our Parliamentary Sovereignty, it seems peculiar that they don’t want Parliament involved in negotiations concerning our exit terms.

Thank God Miliband, Clegg and the “rebel” MP’s went to the High Court or the our exit would be crueler, harder and uglier than we could have imagined.

I wrote a poem about it which was aired on BBC Radio 5 live and BBC Radio Manchester (Gods own country) – The text is below but if you want to hear me reading it, follow this link

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04f7zpw

The Maiden of Maidenhead

Remember Remember the third of November

And Parliaments latest plot

For the High Court ruled

MP’s can choose

Whether Brexit would be “Hard” or “Soft”

When the Maiden of Maidenhead’s was so intent

That she would decide and not parliament

“Hard” Brexit would commence during lent of 2017

And that Article 50 would be invoked

Hidden behind a puff of smoke

But MP’s did plot and that plan was choked

There’s never any smoke without fire

So, Holler boys

Holler Boys

Let Division Bells ring

While the Maiden of Maidenhead sings

Appeal

Appeal

Appeal

I contemplated Suicide once – For 1 Millionth of a second – then i realised, It’d hurt and not just me – So, I sat down and wrote this

Suicide Song

Cast your shadow across midnight
Stand up to your knees in the tide
Wait till the morning and you’ll disappear – Drown by tears of fright

Illuminated by sunshine
Toasted by the sun
Escape with yourself in a ball of flames – There’s never any need to run

Swallow yourself whole for pudding
Don’t ask for custard or cream
The whole street’s been out looking for you – But only I know where you’ve been

Shoot yourself in the face with a water pistol  – Slash your wrists with an Easter egg
Have the time of your life on a cerebral ride – But never trust your own head

Dive off the Empire State Building – Get chased by a dog in the Park
Ask your dad if he was Jack The Lad – Ask your mam if she was Joan of Arc

Sing to the coppers at the football match – Start on the cock of the school
Never get paid for a full weeks work – Better to be honest than a fool

Turn the T.V on at midnight
Spin it round to face the wall
Bung your ears with cotton wool
You’ll hear the whisper of the bullet as you fall

I’ve written a new book

It’s full of poems

It took 50 years to write it

It’s a celebration of life

with a nod to the dead

It’s called Men’s Mournings

I’m launching it tomorrow night at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival Hub in Albert Square from 8

I’ve invited some of my favourite poets down to celebrate with me

Sahra Al-Shamiry – an 18 year old Moss Side girl who is taking the poetry scene by storm

Marvin Cheeseman – the funniest darkest poet I’ve ever met

Toria Garbut hurling vocal javelins from her Yorkshire council house window

And there’s live music as well

I’m launching my book @mfdf16’s Poetry Not Poverty night because they support Streetsmart – the Homeless Charity

if you’ve never heard of them, Check out the brilliant work they do here……..http://streetsmart.org.uk

Copies of Men’s Mourings will be available for sale on the night but if you can’t make it email me mikegarry@hotmail.com – I’ll sign copies and post it out to you

and don’t forget

The nights are drawing in

Christmas round the corner

Get your stocking fillers early

And happy National Poetry day for Thursday

I’m doing the Edinburgh Festival at the Scottish ARTS Club August 20 – 25 at 12 noon daily

I wouldn’t normally be interested in the hassle of it all but I was made an offer I couldn’t refuse

So, I’ve decided to have fun with two of my closest mates.

I’ve known them both for forty years and have loved the music they create so i set them a task of creating a soundscape to go along with my poem

I’ve decided to use a twenty year old poem and update it a bit – it was featured on BBC Radio 4 in May and Jackie Kay, The Scottish Makar responded to my Men’s Morning by writing a Woman’s Morning – it was Pick of the Week – have a listen here

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07ctvg1

I received the music a week ago – so all in all, i’ve had a week to work on it

I could be stressed by that but I refuse to be because they are my mates and you can’t get stressed when working with your mates, can you? Can YOU?

If your in Edinburgh at all from this saturday – come along – see what we’ve created

The Scottish Arts club is beautiful – We are gonna Manc it up – be good to see you there

After an amazing weekend in Glasgow and Edinburgh with John Cooper Clarke and Simon Day and an incredible week of love and kind words from around the globe for Men’s Morning on BBC Radio 4 (If you haven’t heard it, you can listen again here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07ctvg1 ) and the Sottish Makar, Jackie Kay’s response to Men’s Morning, “Moss Side Mirrors” (If you haven’t heard it, you can listen again here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07dklgf#play )

I am very proud to announce that Men’s Morning will be Premiered Live at this summers  Edinburgh Fringe Festival. I shall be performing it at the Scottish Arts Club in Rutland Square in the heart of Edinburgh from Saturday 20th of August – Thursday 25th

Tickets are available at the The Edinburgh Fringe site https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/men-s-morning

I truly miss my son today

I need to hear his name spoken aloud

I scream till I’m raucous when I’m at home alone

I sing whisper it when I’m stood in a crowd

We’ve not fallen out

We’re just miles apart

Makes me feel lost, lonely and Astray

My heart slow bleeds as my soul departs

And I truly miss my son today

I’m gonna hold that boy in these two loving arms

I’m gonna tell that boy just how his Father feels

How I’d walk across Europe and Asia in bare feet

Swim naked through the south china sea

For a moment of his beauty

For a instance of his grace

For a second of his cheeky northern charm

And I’ll tell him things I’ve never told him before

When I hold my boy in these two loving arms