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Known as the unofficial āPoet Laureate of Twitter,ā Brian Bilston has captured readersā hearts with his wit, wordplay and thought-provoking verses. With the release of his latest book 'A Poem for Every Question', he invites children to explore the curious, the complex and the downright quirky through poetry. We spoke with Brian about his creative process, the challenges of writing on unexpected topics, and why he believes poetry is less about giving answers and more about sparking reflection.
Your new book is called A Poem for Every Question ā do you think poetry can answer any question?
Now that is a very good question, although I wonāt attempt to answer it in the form of a poem. In truth, I donāt really think that poetry is about answering questions, itās more about asking them. A good poem tends to be one that makes us think and reflect, or feel and respond, but it doesnāt necessarily mean it has the answers.
What makes your new book unique?
The use of poetry to tackle such a wide range of different topics ā from astronomy to zoology, from ancient history to the internet ā certainly helps to set it apart, and I really like the way each poem is complemented by a short answer to the question. This means that you can read it as a poetry book, or an encyclopedia of interesting āstuffā, or both! The wonderful pictures by Joe Berger also make it distinctive; itās the first time Iāve had my poems illustrated and Iām totally delighted with the results.
Which question in the book was it hardest to write a poem about and why?
I would usually find the more scientific questions harder to write about as science has never come naturally to me and I used to struggle with it at school. The question āWhat is a primary colour?ā was a tough one as the topic is rather complex and, like a lot of questions, the real answer is āWell, it dependsā. I would elaborate further but Iāve already forgotten about why the answer is so complicated.
How long does it usually take you to write a poem?
The real answer to this is āWell, it dependsā. Some poems can come to me very quickly, almost fully-formed, particularly if theyāre short. Others, though, may take days, weeks, months, or end up not happening at all. In a book like this, when Iāve got a list of topics to write about, the hardest part is often trying to find the way in or the angle to take, and that process can take a while. For example, āAre bats the only flying mammals?ā. It took a couple of months of me batting around ideas before settling on the approach of writing about a dog who is building her own aeroplane; as soon as Iād thought of that, I knew that was the way to go.
Whoās your favourite poet to read or listen to?
I have always loved the poetry of Roger McGough, both his writing for children and grown-ups. Itās the way he is able to mix serious topics and humour which appeals to me, and his poetic voice is very distinctive. Thereās a real accessibility about the way he writes, too, and heās never afraid to experiment with form. Heās been a big influence on my own writing.
Do you ever get stuck when writing a poem? What do you do when that happens?
Frequently! Iāve found that the most helpful thing for me is to take a break: go for a walk or a bike ride; do the crossword; play with the cat; go to bed. Sometimes itās useful to get some distance from a poem and distract yourself with other activities. The human brain is remarkable; the chances are itās working away at your poem even when you think itās not. Iāll often then come back to my desk from having had such a break and almost instantly I will find myself unstuck.
Do you remember the first poem you ever wrote?
I donāt, Iām afraid. Itās probably just as well. I do remember the first poem I ever posted up on social media. It was called āYou Took the Last Bus Homeā and went like this:
you took the last bus home
donāt know how
you got it
through the door
youāre always doing amazing stuff
like the time
you caught that train
Your poetry often uses layout or wordplay to great effect, how important do you think it is to be able to have fun with words when writing?
For me, writing poetry is about creativity and self-expression. The words I use and the form my poem takes are hugely important parts of that, and often where the real fun comes in. The English language is so rich and varied, muddled and precise, ever-changing and contrary that it gives a poet all sorts of opportunities to put down words in an interesting way. Also, writing a poem can be quite a slog at times, so you may as well have some fun with it along the way.
10 years ago you won The Great British Write Off poetry competition (which was actually run by our sister company Forward Poetry!) with your Venn diagram poem. What benefits do you think there are in entering writing competitions?
I remember that with great happiness. I donāt think Iāve entered a competition since, however! I feel slightly torn about competitions. They can be useful to your writing process because generally you will invest more time and energy and thought into getting your poem to exactly where you want it to be, with every word and line polished and honed, in the knowledge that someone will be passing judgement on it. As such, it helps to foster habits you should apply to everything your write. And, of course, there can be great benefits to winning a competition (fame, glory, self-confidence, validation). At the same time, it makes me feel rather uncomfortable that poems should be made to ācompeteā in such a fashion.
What advice would you give to a young person who wants to write poems?
Firstly, read poetry! You can only really start to write poetry when you develop your knowledge of other poets and poems. There may be a lot of poetry out there, you donāt enjoy ā but youāll find some that youāll adore. Think about what it is that they do that you like. Are these things you may be able to do yourself, but in your own unique way?
Secondly, Iād say write for yourself, not for other people. When you start to think about how your poem might be received by others, you start to be not true to yourself. Write about whatās in your heart ā and let your own voice shine through.
Finally, and perhaps most crucially, enjoy it! Why else would you write poetry? Donāt get hung up on the right or wrong way to write it. Feel free to express yourself in the way you want to and enjoy the process along the way. Have fun with the language, with your thoughts, and your imagination.
Featuring 100 poems, it answers weird and wonderful questions in a unique and fun way. It's also packed with colourful illustrations from the award-winning artist Joe Berger, so it's perfect for entertaining curious kids!
You can find out more about Brian and his poetry here, and more about Joe and his drawings here.
