John Siddique

About me:

You’ve Got to Get in to Get Out

The world will impinge into your need
for silence, into your prayers. In the hardest seconds
of your life, your neighbours will be drunk,
booming hip-hop through thin inconvenient walls.

At the lighting of your candles, in the moment
you need to focus — the apex of your flame,
the voice of the Holy Spirit, someone
will be vacuuming, talking, ringing up change,
a bin wagon bleeping as it reverses, builders
swearing into the distance you put by pulling into
yourself. It sounds like they are calling your name.

From 'RECITAL - An Almanac' (SALT)
© John Siddique 2009

...... PINS AND NEEDLES

That bed, spread with colour like a Klimt kiss.
We are wrapped in cloth, wrapped in glist.
Bound up with each other. Jigsaw pieces of arms.

You find me down the side of the couch.
You sleep hard on my chest. It only takes a minute .
Your breath in time with my heartbeat, and you sleep.

I watch & guess the light through the blind cracks.

In the steep field opposite cows are sleeping,
huddled together. A warm black and white chin
steams on anothers back.

We are wrapped in purple and gold thread
You wanted to feel royal. My chin against your forehead,
my sleeping arm quite numb & dead, holding round your back.

From 'The Prize' (Rialto)
© John Siddique 2005

A Portrait of the Poet - John Siddique
In a time when so many consider poetry to be of little relevance, here is a writer and a book that has never been more relevant to the questions of today and the people we are. Yet it is with a sensuous and loving eye that Siddique writes about secrets that we almost dare not think about. He reveals the quest for love and the spiritual meaning that underpins us.

It has been said of John Siddique that he is the ideal poet for twenty-first century Britain. Straddling the contemporary from an Anglo, Irish, and Indian heritage - his writing is direct and human, reflecting the world and people of today. His work has at times been compared to that of Philip Larkin and ee cummings, yet his voice is uniquely his own. His passion for sharing literature sees him drawing on the whole tradition of poetry and often creating and working in a whole range of places where you would expect to find art. He has worked in prisons, schools, and hospitals, and is involved in promoting regeneration and renaissance through the creation of public art. He was recently commissioned to create a poem for the seaside town of Blackpool, which will be permanently installed by the sea. His current commission is from Lancaster University to create a series of portraiture poems exploring the immigrant experience in Manchester. John was The British Council's Los Angeles Writer in Residence 2009.

John has published four collections of poetry including one for children, he has written a short play for Radio 3's 'Freethinking' Festival, and co-authored a collection of short stories. His new book 'RECITAL - An Almanac' is published by SALT. He is well known for his captivating readings, and his ability to communicate with all types of audiences opening up the world of poetry and language. He often works with the Arvon Foundation, British Council, The Poetry Society, and The Poetry School and has been a visiting lecturer at Vienna and Manchester Metropolitan Universities.

QUOTES
John Siddique brims with verve, depth and pathos
The Big Issue

John Siddique's writing is playful and poignant. It explores the complexities of a fragmented world - of sex, family, loss and dream-life - with such clear-eyed, unsentimental candour that I go back to certain poems time and again for another immersion. He's not afraid of writing about love, its pain and rewards, its sudden, shocking forces and darkly funny epiphanies - and his poems demonstrate a generosity and humanity so often lacking in more brittle, defensive writers.
Catherine Smith (Next Generation Poet)

His knowledge and love of poetry shines through.
Rachel Feldberg - Ilkley Literature Festival

John Siddique is one of Britain's most interesting and original poets. He probes the contradictory jumble of contemporary Britain revealing the daily heroism and the bravery of the urban sprawl that he clearly knows well.
Elizabeth Rosa Horan - Professor of English - Arizona State University

Please Visit www.johnsiddique.co.uk For More Information

............................