Author’s top 100 poems in new book

A WRITER has published an anthology of the top 100 poems from his life’s work as chosen by his readers.

Michael James Cook from Hinckley produced Selected Poems: Take Your Pick based on the favourite poems chosen by family, friends, former pupils and even strangers.

The varied collection includes the author’s first poem he wrote aged 17 in 1959 and religious songs that have been used for weddings and funerals.

Mr Cook said: “I wanted to know what were people’s favourite poems of mine.

“Over time I had discovered there was some disparity between what I saw as my best poems and what other people said were their favourites.”

Among the poems is School Cat, which was based on one of Mr Cook’s pupils when he was a teacher in Axminster, and Hospital Food and New Building, written at his wife’s bedside while she was in Taunton hospital in 1985.

He said: “I should imagine the appeal of Selected Poems is that the poems were selected by ordinary people and not by or for the elite.

“The poems are easy to relate to and understand, and they cover a kaleidoscope of subjects in a variety of poetic forms, from comic to sober in mood, with plenty to contemplate throughout.”

The author is originally from Stockport and worked as a youth leader in Bristol and as a teacher of Religious and Social Education in secondary modern, comprehensive and grammar schools in Devon, Durham, Essex and Somerset for almost 30 years.

He took early retirement from teaching and he and his wife ran the village shop in Kirkby Mallory for 10 years.

Mr Cook said his major influences were poet Howard Sergeant and Cornish poet and teacher Charles Causley, who encouraged him in his earlier years.

The book is the sixth anthology he has published, with the fifth anthology being a compilation of his poems chosen by Mr Cook himself.

Selected Poems is available in major bookstores and from The Vine book shop in Hinckley.

You can also purchase it on Amazon and from the publisher, Mereo Books.