Arts
To celebrate National Poetry Day’s 25th anniversary, join writer, producer and comedian Henry Normal as he reads and discusses his favourite poems, and the lines of poetry that speak truth to him. Comedy writer behind hit shows The Royle Family and the Mrs Merton Show, Henry founded the production company Baby Cow with Steve Coogan in 1999, going on to produce BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated hits including Gavin and Stacey, Red Dwarf, The Mighty Boosh and Philomena. Also a poet, Henry is founder of the Manchester Poetry Festival and co-Founder of the Nottingham Poetry Festival. Sharing and discussing poems including Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley, Wait for Me by Konstantin Simonov and his own poems The House is Not the Same Since You Left, A Prayer for the Hesitant and Photos with My Son, he speaks about the ever-growing popularity of poetry in allowing us to share universal feelings such as loss, and how writing poems allows him to express his inner life with his family. As Henry’s writing and performing poetry led to a career in comedy, he talks about how becoming a father changed him, and how important it is for men to communicate their emotions. Tell Me The Truth About Life: A National Poetry Day Anthology, curated by Cerys Matthews, is published by Michael O’Mara Books. Share poems that speak a truth to you via Twitter using #TellMeTheTruthAboutLife.