East Sussex poet Laurie Wilkinson offers new collection

It is available from bookshops, Amazon and preferably directly from the author on: [email protected]; 07967 355236; or www.lauriewilkinson.com.

Laurie, aged 72, said: “The book is my eighth book of poetry in six years and like the previous seven books and all my activities, I donate all above costs to the charity Help for Heroes.

“My son served in the military for ten years but is out now and fine.

“I have proudly just got from Help for Heroes a certificate of Achievement and Gratitude for my fund-raising and promotion of the charity!

“Also like the previous books, it has four subject sections Romance, Humours, Reflection and Tragedy that affect us all in life. This book was aimed for publication November 2020 but as in lockdown I brought it out early.

“I write very down-to-earth poems that affect us all, Murphy’s Law, driving, shopping, love, getting older, passing away etc – in fact all aspects of our life and the world. It also includes, like all my others, poems on my two created (but real) Teddy Bears, Ted ‘n’ Beth who have a fan club and their own Facebook page.

“The starting point of the book was after my last book as I write continually now with 500 poems written in seven years, but this book has three serious poems on the current virus situation and one humorous poem called Toilet Rolls (the stockpiling of them).

“Also this eighth book includes for the first time four themed article and poems from columns for an online Sussex newspaper I have written and done for five years now. I always enjoying writing my poems about life as people, the world, situations etc are always fascinating and ever changing! I observe life, situations and people and write poems on them.

“Anybody could feature without any prejudice. I even have big pops at me too!”

“I am eight times published, and my books have all evolved from the first which was meant to be the only book. I have recalled writing most of my life from writing songs and lyrics in groups I sang with in the 1960s in East London where I was born.

“I wrote over the years but only formally from the 1990s until prolifically from 2013 when I moved to Eastbourne.

“I’m called The Psychy Poet because of my career of 30 years in psychiatry for which I have a forensic psychiatry degree, obtained at the age of 54.

“I do Napoleonic re-enactment battles and living history, reading and entertainment talks and I love sport and people.”

Laurie is delighted that Help for Heroes have allowed him to use their logo on the back cover of the book.

www.psychypoet.com