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AUTHOR PROFILE

 

Chris Barnes was born in the West Riding of Yorkshire, married and living in North Wales. He has one son and two step sons.

 

He says:

 

I have an unusual background for a poet, Science and Engineering degrees rather than English! I did not begin writing until I was in my mid twenties and in love with the girl who is now my wife.  My poetry then was simple, sincere, in traditional rhyming forms.  It was my love for Gwyneth, my wife and my adopted country Wales ‘land of song’ that gave me the initial urge to write. My life is not completely dominated by poetry as I have other hobbies besides poetry and enjoy hill walking, D.I.Y/ property renovation and Ham radio. However some of the locations and situations these hobbies have transported me into have on occasion provided inspiration to write. 

 

   

My favorite poets from the past are Blake, Keats, Marlowe, Shelley and Christina Rossetti and from 20th Century contemporary times; Betjamen and Welsh Poet R.S. Thomas.

Just like any poet I derive immense personal pleasure and satisfaction from my writing. I actually believe in ‘poetry place vibes’. Some houses and locations  seem to me to simply funnel or tune-in to poetic karma. I have tried writing poetry in my student’s houses in some it works great in others it flounders and flunks!

 

My style has matured and diversified recently, I experiment with Blank Verse, Free Verse, Sonnets, Haiku, Tanka and Mixed Forms and have been influenced by listening to my son’s Rap music. My output has proliferated significantly over recent years coinciding with a personal exploration of theology and philosophy.  

 

I write on several different genres and platforms. I write general audience poetry, but also specifically for adults and children. I also enjoy ‘personification poetry’. I’m currently consumed by animating our cousins the trees, plants, fruit and vegetables! 

 

My poetry is divided into several group headings which are:

 

Group 1: Nature, Local Places and the Natural World, particularly personifications thereof.   

 

 

Group 2:   Includes Love, Attraction and Eros. 

 

 

Group 3:  Metaphysical, I am particularly interested in Theological and Existential contradictions.  Hindu, Taoist and Buddhist ideas have influenced my work as have the words of Christ in the Gnostic gospels, particularly the gospel of Thomas.   I have also been influenced by the notion of out of place historical artifacts in Middle Eastern place and  Notions of Aboriginals and other ancient peoples on Earth as star children and the latest discoveries in Cosmology and High Energy Physics, not forgetting the possibly of ‘faster than light’ communication.

 

 Group 4: Childhood memories both good and bad!

 

Finally in Group 5 are; Children’s Poems: Pets, Animals and Humor. 

 

 

 

My first joint anthology has been published by Forward Press ISBN1 84077 124 0

and I will  have work in Aesthetica magazine    www.aestheticamagazine.com. I am particularly proud to have work at http://www.artvilla.com

 

CHRIS BARNES LIST OF POETRY PUBLICATIONS

 

The following are published as single poems in forward press anthologies

 

  1. ‘Thoughts of a better World’, p28 in  ‘New Day Has Come’ ISBN 1-84418-343-2  also in anthology ‘New Beginnings’
  2. ‘Plexi’ in Anthology ‘Animal Antics’ ISBN 1-8441-8379-3
  3.  From a passionate bloke to his would-be missus in ‘Requiem of love’ 2005
  4.  ‘ For English Roses Everywhere’
  5. ‘Collective wish’ in Anthology ‘A wish away’
  6. ‘My cat Benny’ in Children’s anthology ‘Each Little Treasure’ISBN 1-84418-341-6
  7.  ‘First meeting’ ‘ Anthology Love me do’ ISBN 1-81460-816-6
  8. ‘Eden’ page 85 Poetry Now Regions of u. k . ISBN 1-84460-844-1
  9. ‘Wishful stance against war’ in A little bit of Rhyme July 2004
  10.  ‘Graceful Creator’ in Triumph House ISBN 84431-072-8
  11.  ‘Rose Garden’ in Poets in bloom ISBN 84460-830-1
  12.  ‘One gent’s fruity desires’ Erotic Verse ISBN 1-84460-858-1

 

 

 

The following are poems in my first shared anthology ‘Spotlight Poets-The Wisdom of Life’ ISBN 1-84077-124-0 pp24-38 inclusive.

 

  • Rose Garden
  • Tulips (long version)
  • Red currants (long version )
  • Violas
  • Gladioli
  • Snowdrops
  • Hillgrove Coppice
  • Cornfield
  • Mynydd Braichmelyn (Yellow- arm Mountain
  • Loner in the Coppice
  • Mountainous character (version 1)
  • Bird City
  • Del Montes murder
  • Theme aquaria
  • In his own image  

 

 

I have the following in Aesthetica Magazine, Volume 9 page 40

 

‘Poignant Contrasts’ which is a poem expressing the tragedy of the Iraq war.

 

I also had a large collection of Poetry at Artvilla.com but I believe the site got so busy that it no longer hosts many poets.