Wrinkles

About the Book

I think it was Maxim Gorky (lower depths) who once said that laughter not only opens the mouth to laugh but also opens the mind to thought. In this book, there are many poems that give that food for thought, for consideration and debate, but I have added a humorous bent on much of the material, for as in my case at least, humour is a good, strong tool in dealing in many cases of diversity. As for the rest of the book, well, it’s a mixture really with funny poems, well, just for the sake of a laugh.

About the Author

I was born in North London, but I was raised in hackney, or Shoreditch as it was known back in the day. I had a comprehensive education, and I left school without any qualifications in 1968. My first job was as a trainee motor mechanic, but that only lasted a few weeks as the governor at the time seemed to take objection to me turning up late nearly every morning. After one or two garages later, it soon became apparent that motor mechanics was not for me. Well, okay, work of any kind was a general interruption to my day at the time, but I persevered, and I thought I would give screen printing a trial. I started with this small firm and was doing okya, and I was sent to the London college of printing for a term, but on my return, I was sacked, and the firm went under a week or so later; then I saw a "Boy Wanted for Bakehouse" poster in the local pie and mash shop (pie and mash is a traditional cockney dish), so I thought, “Well, that may see me over for a few weeks.” I was there for eleven years. I finished in the shop, selling rather than making it. The shop closed in 1980. I spent the rest of my working life as a salesman and an accounts rep for the local electricity supplier. I always kept involved in local community issues, chairing the local residents committee for a while. In 2010, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and after the initial coming to terms with the disease, I felt there were many things I could not do anymore, so I concentrated more on those that I could and discovered new challenges. I have always tried to be a " glass half full" type of guy, and this first book is my new first challenge.