Featuring a prologue by Suzanne Vega, an intermission sequence by Supertramp’s Rodger Hodgson and an epilogue by kind permission of Anais Mitchell, this fourth collection of poetry features many autobiographical tales. There are also a few ghosts and storms that appear throughout the book, but these chronicles are tempered by other true saga’s about the our mystical, natural and sensual world.

About having a rebel nature; it may be shown in how a person acts, campaigns and stands up for what they believe in or it can be in subtle ways working in the niggling things of everyday life but beyond all this, there is the power within everyone to help change the world and make it a bit better. It’s when two bohemian rebel hearts collide together - that’s when it gets exciting.

And so just when you think you’ve read all of the poems and reached the very end of the book … that’s when another journey begins.

Introduction

Poetry is like taking a journey, sometimes quick and simple, moving just around the corner but it can also be a long twisty adventure that takes the traveller to the distant reaches of the universe chasing and seeking that brightest star which always seems just out of reach.

So these poems, many autobiographical, some long, some short are as always written from the heart of a contemporary teller of tales; stories to make you smile or stir an emotion in the light and darkness of an ever unfolding world. Some of the poems recall events past and present as in “Nagasaki” or “Nightingales Lamp” which are visually uncomfortable and shocking but then as in “Kenny’s Tank” offer us tangible glimpses of harmony and understanding. So among all the many ghosts and storms that appear throughout the book these chronicles are tempered by other saga’s about the mystical, natural and sensual world.

The English summer of 2022 brought that short but intense heatwave set against the drama of an ever unfolding and chaotic descent of our government amid the unrest and uneasiness of rising inﬂation and national strikes. That climatically charged burst of hot weather brought back to mind those three crazy scorching months of 1976 and as a direct result “Summer of Ladybirds” was composed. And still nothing has really changed or moved on since then and the world is still struggling to ﬁnd peace and love among the turmoil.

The places and everyone that appear in these poems are real and true and among many you will discover Misters Clough, Entwistle, Mrs Rathbone, The Hangman and what did ever happen to Les?

And so just when you think you’ve reached the very end of the book … that’s when another journey begins.

John Paul Kirkham born in the 1950s, growing up in Merseyside, training at the Laird School of Art in photography and design is a poet, photographer and author of over twenty books and collaborations and is the ofﬁcial biographer of two Italian saints - Clare of Assisi and Gemma Galgani of Lucca. John Paul has also written journal editorial, ﬁlm and book reviews and has appeared both on television and radio.