David Urwin has never won the T S Eliot Prize for Poetry, nor the Ted Hughes Award for Poetry. In fact, he has never won any prize for poetry at all. Nevertheless, he sometimes has poems published in on-line magazines such as ‘I am not a silent poet’ and haiku published in ‘Blithe Spirit’, the journal of the ‘British Haiku Society’.
Dave Urwin confesses to having been very work-driven for most of his life and has earned his living by a wide range of employment. In this collection his work poems explore the topic from various perspectives, and many of the poems view labour by inhabiting other characters, as well as the view from his own, mainly rural, occupations.
Death is something many of us do not like to face up to or discuss, but Dave believes our lives can be enhanced by accepting our impermanence and facing our own mortality without being morbid. He approaches the subject from different angles, and in some poems with a note of humour and positivity.
After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2021 he has been able to re-appraise death, and life, with renewed clarity.
This collection of poems will give you much to reflect upon in respect of both your own life and that of others.
Plain Song from the Backstreets of Silence
More importantly, he has a loyal and respectful following in south-west Wales where he regularly reads his work live, including his ‘performance poetry’. He believes that anyone who likes poetry will find something within these pages to make him/her think, smile, cry or even laugh.
‘Plain Song from the Backstreets of Silence’ is David Urwin’s second collection of poetry, following ‘Towards Humanity’, (Pinewood Press, 2015). He recommends reading the poems out loud, and disturbing the silence… for just a little while.