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Mard Ward Find!
Mark Ward is a Blackburn-born poet whose work I have only just 
discovered. His latest collection of poetry is called 'Thunder Alley' and is inspired by his home town. Ward has done an eclectic mix of jobs all around the world including, building film sets in Africa, hosting a show on Alaskan radio, and working on a tuna boat. But it seems, despite his travels, Blackburn is still a great source of inspiration. 'Thunder Alley' is a collection of poems about growing up in Blackburn and the town today; it's touchingly honest, real, and at times graphic. He writes of old friends being attacked outside nightclubs alongside poems about home-grown terrorists, but throughout the collection there is also a lot of comedy.
7 September 2009 from Peter
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RE: Thunder Alley.
Blackburn's a place I grew up and continue to revisit, and as such I've never had a nostalgic overview of the town - something that distance often encourages. The decision to write the sonnets about real people as opposed to fictional characters (especially people who still exist) meant I had to be honest as well as accurate. It is graphic in places, but then I never saw the point in sprinkling sugar over things that are apparent THat kind of deception doesn't fool anyone.
Edwin Morgan's six gritty, uncompromising sonnets on Glasgow were the initial inspiration - the town itself, the story.
I'm honoured that my book(s) have been selected and reviewed by Reading Detectives.
Thanks guys
Mark