'The law will gaol the man or woman
who steals the goose from off the common,
but lets the greater villain loose
who steals the common from the goose.'
(Anonymous radical, c. 1820)
‘It’s up to you to react against Auden’s negative belief that ‘poetry makes nothing happen’, and to prove the opposite - that it changes the world every single moment with the tang of biting into a ripe orange.’
(Jeremy Reed)
'Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world'. (Einstein)
hoelderlin
chet baker
dylan thomas
mayakovsky
adrian mitchell
jacques prevert
vincent van gogh
george melly
j.m.w. turner
shelley
norman mccaig
forth bridge
kilburn white horse
deuchars
william blake
jack common
stuart adamson
byron
billie holiday
cerys matthews
che guevara
magritte
thomas bewick
thomas spence
bob marley
edinburgh
tuebingen
den bosch carnival
hieronymus bosch
shane macgowan
hermann hesse
amsterdam
ray davies
earl hines
bob dylan
robert burns
erik satie
vaughan williams
nigel kennedy
neil young
algernon charles swinburne
ornette coleman
brecht
barcelona
baudelaire
john lennon
beethoven
leonard cohen
newcastle upon tyne
groningen
john coltrane
charles mingus
sonny rollins
robert louis stevenson
michael flatley
henri cartier bresson
larry david
phil silvers
keith allen
freddie frinton
john cleese
tony hancock
stella cartwright
douglas dunn
terry hall
robert hughes
bohumil hrabal
"I am the least difficult of men. All I want is boundless love. " --Frank O'Hara
“The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it.” - Albert Einstein
“... a true revolutionary is guided by love......We must strive every day so that this love of living humanity is transformed into actual deeds, into acts that serve as examples, as a moving force.” - Che Guevara
“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” - John Wesley
'DEAR PALACE OF CULTURE, GET MY DAD OUT OF JAIL'.
‘People warn you against the profession of poet,
Also against playing the flute, the drums, the violin,
Because riffraff of this sort
So often tend toward drinking and frivolity.’
(Hermann Hesse)
Born in Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne, where he has
worked as a community development worker, poet,
librarian and publisher, Keith Armstrong, now residing
in the seaside town of Whitley Bay, is coordinator of
the Northern Voices creative writing and community
publishing project which specialises in recording the
experiences of people in the North East of England.
He was founder of Ostrich poetry magazine, Poetry North East,
Tyneside Writers' Workshop, Tyneside Poets, East
Durham Writers' Workshop, Tyneside Trade Unionists for
Socialist Arts, Tyneside Street Press and the Strong
Words and Durham Voices community publishing series.
He has recently compiled and edited books on the
Durham Miners Gala and on the former mining
communities of County Durham and the market town of
Hexham.
He has been a self-employed writer since 1986 and has
just been awarded a doctorate for his work on
Newcastle writer Jack Common at the University of
Durham where he received a BA Honours Degree in
Sociology in 1995 and Masters Degree in 1998 for his
studies on regional culture in the North East of
England. He was Year of the Artist 2000
poet-in-residence at Hexham Races.
In his youth, he travelled to Paris to seek out the
grave of poet Charles Baudelaire and he has been
making cultural pilgrimages abroad ever since.He has
toured to Russia, Georgia, Bulgaria, Poland, Iceland
(including readings during the Cod
War), Denmark, France, Germany (including readings at
the Universities of Hamburg, Kiel, Oldenburg, Trier
and Tuebingen), Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Spain,
Sweden, Czech Republic, The Netherlands, the United
States, Cuba, Jamaica and Kenya.
His poetry has been translated into Dutch, German,
Russian, Italian, Icelandic and Czech.
MOST RECENT COMMENTS:
'To the wonderful, amusing, spot-on Keith!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for coming to the Isle of Man and sharing your ace sense of humour and brilliantly crafted words. Please come back again.' (Shelley Ann Dwornik, Isle of Man)
'You give people like me the confidence to believe in ourselves and
get out there. Terrific.' (Catherine Graham).
'Keith Armstrong is a bard who has the knack of writing real songs. That’s why every place is named, why the names of persons he grants an appearance in verse are correct, why his poems have historical causes and sometimes take historic shape, just like the performance. Historic.
But one should, while laughing, never forget: this poet is someone who in his biography and work inseparably unites wit and long gained knowledge, enthusiasm and great talent, pluck and social commitment....This is a man who conquers, with his poems and charms, pubs as well as universities. He has always been an instigator and an actor in social and literary projects, an activist without whom the exchanges between the twin towns of Durham and Tübingen would be a much quieter affair. That he is a friend of many friends, able to open the most amazing doors for his guests, can be taken as read. Keith Armstrong’s songs of a sensitive self in an ugly world and of a beautiful world in an unfathomable self are capable of opening the hearts of listeners and readers.'
(Uwe Kolbe, Berlin poet).
'Thanks for last night mate, it was great.
I loved that poem about Wallace's right arm.'
(Dave Douglass).
'Dear Dr Armstrong,
'I'm messaging you now, simply to say thank you! Having discovered your work
some time ago now, i have become a regular visitor to your space and a keen fan.
It's because of you and your work that i took up writing again and have begun
to actively seek publication. I whole heartedly thank you!'
(Matt "The Rover" Routledge)
'Keith Armstrong certainly hasn't been spending his time cataloguing his prizes......
He has been far too busy having a good time with a panoply of European women......
It is one of his strong points, in poetry that could be simply pornographic,
that he nearly always locates the sexuality in a relationship, however fleeting.'
(Michael Standen, Other Poetry).
After you've finished here, you may like to hear this poem sung on myspace...
Poem 162 of 230, WalkaboutsVerse (please see my blog): TEES TO TYNE: FIRST IMPRESSIONS - SUMMER 2001
Where traditions are not so rare; Sea, country and works scent the air; A multitude of monuments, Planted tubs and patterned pavements.
The longish pedestrian malls; The remnants of defensive walls; Historic buildings are a gauge Of the respect for heritage.
Wheat, rape and pines in the fields; Estuaries guarded by shields; Long sandy beaches and wide scenes; Romantic-ruin go-betweens.
Rivers in parts licked by trees, Or fringed by boat clubs, wharfs, gantries, And crossed by practical delights - Varied spans, forming pleasing sights.
Fine churches headed at Durham; Football kits ad infinitum; Kept castles - one for study; Masonry behind masonry.
And, with moulding-works out that way, It’s somewhere for a longer stay..?
After you've finished here, you may like to hear this poem sung on myspace...
Poem 2 of 230, WalkaboutsVerse (please see my blog): WALKABOUT WITH MY PEN
Once drove an old sedan, up north, From a place in Sydney to Cairns; Then to Kuranda I went forth, By train, to look without set plans.
I browsed through the trendy market, With fresh fruits of tropical kind; Walked to the creek through lush thicket - Nature’s hand giving peace of mind.
I dined in a scenic cafe; Then, outside, as I wrote for yen, Some passing Kooris called-out: “Hey, You go walkabout with your pen.”
Request or question, I don’t know - Assured voices, elderly men. That’s now several years ago, And I’ve seen the world - with my pen.
10K Poets takes poetry submissions. Details on how to submit are on our front page. Stop by & read the most original POETS on MySpace that you will ever encounter.
Just sending a huge hug and wishing the best for your projects. Been a "little" busy and away due to work and life. Cross your fingers so I can get on my pace soon, which means, more available to be out here ;)
Sóni
----------------------- For my Portuguese Speaking Friends -----------
Olá!
Venho só deixar um grande abraço e votos de que os projectos em curso corram pelo melhor. Por aqui, um pouco atarefada demais devido a trabalho e vida pessoal. Façam "figas" para que tudo corra bem para este lado, o que significa voltar a ter mais tempo para este cantinho delicioso que é a música e a arte.
Hi Keith thanks for adding me to your friends. Love your work it was a pleasure to listen to it. If you get a chance would love you to listen to what I have done it would be nice to hear your comments.
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Online!
