Bernard Pearson’s work appears in many publications, including; Aesthetica Magazine , The Edinburgh Review, Crossways, The Gentian, Nymphs The Poetry Village, Beneath The Fever, The Beach Hut Little stone In 2017 a selection of his poetry ‘In Free Fall’ was published by Leaf by Leaf Press. In 2019 he won second prize in The Aurora Prize for Writing.
You can read The Ward Room in the January 2024 issue.
Would you like to tell us a little bit more about your poem? For instance, how or why you wrote it, or perhaps provide some extra context?
My poem is a rumination on one of the last times I saw my father, who was a curious mixture of a Royal naval officer who loved the sea, but also loved the metaphorical shoreless ocean of ideas and spiritual exploration. He faced a lot of illness in his life and a lot of soul-searching. I hope this poem captures something of this.
Why was the poetic form the best fit for this particular piece of work?
I have written a memoir of my father but wanted to use poetry in some way to describe his Odyssey through life.
Do you have a collection of poetry or even a single poem that acts as a touchstone?
I just love reading the great Auden, Eliot, Yates, Blake, etc.
How do you revise your work?
I do not do a lot of this, perhaps a bit of tinkering and tweaking but, for good or ill, usually things come pretty fully-formed for me.
What are you working on now?
A novel, a collection of children’s poems, a satirical novella, and a memoir.
How or where or with what does a poem begin?
A prescient feeling that emerges perhaps with a line and goes from there.
Are there other art forms that inspire or inform your poetry?
I have written ekphratic poems, but only one or two.
How do you make space for poetry in your daily routine?
I’m retired so this is easy for me.
Do you belong to a writer’s group? If not, where do you find poetry community and feedback?
Yes I work with other writers and am part of the online poetry community from which I draw great comfort and support.
In terms of poetic style or craft, is there a big question you are trying to find an answer for?
Not really, I’m just grateful to have poetry as a big part of my life.