1st October 2025
Dave Medd
One of my poems begins with the lines:
In 1965 I discovered folk music, Bob Dylan and Dylan / In that order.
That really does encapsulate my beginnings as a creative person. I started writing songs, and eventually poems.
In 1966 I entered a BBC Folk Song competition called 'Songs of Grief and Glory'. I didn't win, but one of the groups involved in performing the various entries was 'The Spinners' and they took a shine to one of mine, a modern Christmas carol called 'Child For The World'.
The group had a regular tour every Christmas, and began using my song.
They made an
album based on these shows called ''Sing Out, Shout With Joy' in 1972, and my song is second track
on side one. They also had a BBC television Christmas show at this time, and my carol featured
several times. This was the first time I received any cash for my artistic endeavours!
We had our own folk group in the late 60s and we performed some of my songs. I was now writing
poems, and my school had a literary competition each year which I won two years running - still got
the book prizes. Dylan Thomas, of course.
When I started teaching, I was for many years an English teacher. In the early days, creative writing
featured significantly in what we could do, and I wrote songs, poems, stories and musical dramas
either as examples in lesson time, or for production. The dramas were for young teenagers, and
several had winter/Christmas themes, because that's when the concerts were.
Dave at Dylan Thomas's Boathouse.
I have always returned to poems. They are what really fascinate me. In the 80s, I made a real effort
to submit poems to poetry magazines and eventually, one was accepted for Poetry Durham by its
editor, Howard Sergeant. I was really chuffed! But work had a knack of getting in the way, and I
became distracted.
In 2011, some three years after I had retired from full-time teaching, I was prompted to begin writing seriously again. By now it was much easier to find possible outlets for poems and I began submitting to a wide range of magazines. Two in particular, 'Orbis' and 'Dream Catcher' have taken my poems quite frequently.
I regularly go to Cullerpoets, the north-east stanza of the National
Poetry Society, which is run by Harry Gallagher and have occasionally headlined at spoken word
events in Newcastle.
The scientist in me (Botany, Zoology and Chemistry A Levels!) can't resist cataloguing everything I write, so I know I've written nearly 1500 poems in the last 15 years. Although I like to think I'm relatively IT literate, they litter various rooms of the house in printouts of various drafts.
Last year, the current Mrs Medd said, 'What the hell am I going to do with this lot when you kick the bucket?' She insisted I publish the better stuff myself, hence appearance of A 'Dragonhoard Of Pigeons'. That takes care of around 140 poems.
Watch this space.
Simma
With a career spanning nearly three decades, Simma has carved out a loyal following in the North East music scene. This Newcastle-based artist, dubbed “Newcastle's Acoustic Hero,” by The Journal is a respected acoustic singer-songwriter and also an acclaimed performance poet.
Known for his dynamic live presence, he has released a number of albums and EPs, collaborated with legendary acts like Lindisfarne, and continues to be a vibrant force in venues and festivals across the north of England and Scotland. As much as his songs, Simma's stories of gigs both good and bad are worth hearing!
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