Interview with a Poet.

Interview with a Poet

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you will know I am a practicing Spiritualist and a medium. Having recently moved off my boat onto land, I also moved to a new Church, here I have discovered a lovely lady with an amazing gift for poetry.

Janet Starkey writes poems – but she is no ordinary poet. Her poetry is Spiritually inspired.

The first time I heard Janet's poetical gift was when she read out one of her poems, in the Spiritualist Church we both attend.

I realized then that Janet, is one of those quiet people who walk gently through life, hiding inside an extraordinary gift.

Each Sunday, she reads a different poem to our congregation, and each time the poem is beautiful, not only in the way it has been written - but also the inspirational message the poem holds.

At the moment, Janet's poems are unpublished. Let's hope one day they will be.

The Interview

Q - When did you first start writing your poems?

A – December 2004. My first poem was Memories

'Memories are precious

They lay deep within your heart

They are put there for a reason

To make us all a part

Of a great big plan, to keep us with our loved ones, up above

And in the tender loving care

Of Him, who is all Love.'

Q – Do you feel you have Spiritual Guidance as you write?

A – Yes. I don't know how else I would be able to write so easily. I remember my English teacher, before starting a lesson would always read to us, Wordsworth's 'Daffodils', and I always thought how wonderful it was. So perhaps he game me a start.

Q – How do you get your inspiration, and from where?

A – I usually get the first line, or just a title. Then I write it down, always keeping a pencil and pad on hand. Then the words just come into my head. I really don't know, who gives them to me, but I'm sure I'm helped by someone, and it's not all my own work.

All I know is that I feel blessed with every poem I write, and feel they must be fused, and not just to sit in a note book. Who knows? It may even be my English teacher, Mr W.B. Shaw. It could be a Shakespearean gentleman, who I saw one morning standing by my bedside, and who gave me the words to a poem which I wrote down, called 'The Strings of Heaven'. (Scary but wonderful).

Q – If you had a favourite subject, what would it be?

A – Feelings, Love, Compassion.... To let people know that they are never alone. How beautiful the Earth is, with its Nature, but the subject isn't my decision, unless someone asks me, for an occasion.

Q – How often do you write?

A – Whenever I get the inspiration. I can't force it. My moods sometimes work with it. If I'm sad, I tend to write more. It helps to put feelings on to paper, instead of storing them inside you. I also write for Birthdays, Weddings and Anniversaries etc. Even for Funerals, usually in cards. Really anything that is asked of me.

I have felt, and still do feel, very humble, but very thankful too, however it came to be. I've just remembered that when I first started to write, I got the words, 'Pen to paper', so that I could prepare to get the words down and not forget them. Once they come into my mind, and I don't write them down, I lose them, and that would make me sad, and annoyed with myself, and perhaps lose the precious gift I was given, which has given me so much pleasure, and comfort and love to so many people, who have lost loved ones, to know that we are never alone.

Janet Starkey.

Friendship

What would we do without Friendship?

How would we live our lives?

Who would we be able to talk to, about our worries, and our strife?

Could you deal with the solitude , of having no one to help you cope?

With no sincere person around you,

You would feel so destitute, with no hope.

For Friendship is so precious,

As it can give you the peace to know,

Whenever you're feeling down or unhappy,

a friend can stop you from feeling low.

Who can instantly put a smile upon your face that warms your heart.

And know they would always love you,

Right from ….. the very start.

And as the years pass by so quickly,

You know that their friendship is there

For you both to count upon each other

And for all of your lives, you both will care.

For the truest of friendship ever,

Is between two people, who will listen to each other, and their problems

For this can make, a sad heart glisten

So always bless this time together

To share your troubles, and your woes

And be there for one another

for then the Friendship, will forever grow..

Janet Starkey 2015

Over the years Janet has written several thousand poems. Every so often, to enrich your day, I shall include one of her up-lifting poems in my articles.

have a great weekend everyone and thanks for reading this post...

The Riotous Writer

www.josephine-sanchez-vanner.org.uk