About Patrick Winstanley

'Would that we could see ourselves as others see us'. With these sage words in mind and trying to save you from the usual biographical embarrassments which litter websites, I offer instead an unsolicited poem written (following an evening in the pub) by a friend, Jean Woodman, which says more about me than I would ever say myself. Female perspicacity wins over male reticence, but you don't stand a chance when you're drinking pints and the opposition is sipping soda water. Jean describes it as being catchily entitled ‘Observations on the Assistant Parish Clerk during a visit to a Ruddington Public House on a Thursday evening in February 2004.’

Gavin Walker
What a talker!
Honeyed vowels and accent clear
(Not a ‘Rudd’ sound flat and ugly)
Mellow tones, a joy to hear

Bushy eyebrows
Twitching madly
Flashing down and raising high
Adding emphasis to statement
Phrase or word – they catch the eye

Cigarette smoke swirls about him
Elbow rests on bended knee
Yellow trousered
Tall and languid
Parish Cleric – This is He.

Jean followed this poetic appreciation with a further offering, inspired it appears by my slightly eccentric mode of dress. If a colour blind, manic depressive poet can't dress flamboyantly, who can?

Reflections on a Coffee Morning in St Peter's Rooms

Coffee Morning
Saturday
Sun is shining
Lovely day
Plants and novels on display
just waiting to be purchased

Chutney
Jams in many guises
Cuddly toys
as raffle prizes
Cakes and coffee, bric a brac
and Gavin in pink shorts!

I would argue vehemently that the shorts were a rather fetching 'crushed raspberry' colour, but am willing to bow to Jean's superior knowledge in this respect.

It is perhaps worth explaining that I adopted the 'nom de plume' Patrick Winstanley to put a bit of distance between my poetry and the more mundane parts of my existence. I do everything else apart from write as Gavin Walker.

You can email Patrick Winstanley at patrick@peculiar-poetry.com