Press Release

 

‘A CATHARTIC experience’ are the words used by a Castledawson poet to describe his first published work ‘O Derry Boy.’

The nostalgic piece by Mervyn Cooke revisits a childhood spent in the great outdoors, in hayfields and farmyards, in the 1950s and 1960s.

Cooke imparts that the collection of poems, described by him as “a very intimate portrayal of life,” was penned after the loss of both his parents in successive years.

Each poem is illustrated beautifully with black-and-white photographs that recall summers past, yet cause one to stop for a moment and reflect – like the poetry itself.

Reviews of this very personal collection appear to have one thing in common, with each highlighting that Cooke’s book will not fail to stir the emotions. One reads: “This book will make you cry and laugh and love at what you have and lost,” and another states: “This is a most moving and delicate account of childhood...told simply and purely through photos and poems... Wonderful.”

Now resident in England, Cooke gives poetry readings of his work and that of the Late Bard, Seamus Heaney, whom he describes as “a big source of inspiration, although the realisation was in retrospect.”

WORDS are a powerful tool – just ask Mervyn Cooke, whose evocative book written following his father’s death has reduced grown men to tears.

The Northern Ireland-born salesman was left devastated and heartbroken following the passing of his dad Herbert, 92, in 2007.

The High Wycombe father of three read pieces by Kipling from his son’s GCSE books to his poetry-loving dad as he lay dying in his hospital bed.

A year later, Mr Cooke went on a charity walk along the Great Wall of China which awoke memories of his childhood and the Derry farm he spent his summers.

He committed his thoughts on to paper as part of the grieving process and, after reciting the pieces at live readings, he was stunned to find his words hit the hearts of others who had lost.

He said: “I never sat down to write poems, it was just a way of coping and it came naturally – the words just spilled on to the page.

“If someone asked me to write a poem about the last summer’s day in July, I couldn’t do it. And when I went to the live readings and I was introduced as a poet from High Wycombe, I sat there thinking ‘are they referring to me?’ “But people were very moved by the words. It brings up a lot of things that people put to the side and bottle up.

 “Words are so powerful, you can move people. Everyone can relate to it as everyone has lost someone close to them.”

The 58-year-old has now self-published his collection of ten poems and family photos into the book O Derry Boy – which has drawn high praise from readers.

The unwitting poet now plans to head back out to China, where the process began, to recite his work in schools and clubs, and hopes his work will continue to touch peoples’ hearts.

He said: “There’s a famous saying ‘uneasy lies the head that wears the crown’ and that refers to me and my writing – but it has given me a new lease of life.

“I want to make sure people benefit from what my father left and to move people with words.”

To view and download the book, visit www.GOOGLE.COM and search for O Derry Boy. To listen to poems from the book and more information, visit http://poetryinpubs.blogspot.com.

 

Excerpt from the MID_ULSTER_MAIL