Brian Moses
Brian Moses writes and edits poetry and picture books for children, and resource books for teachers. He has run writing workshops and performed his own poetry in over 700 primary, middle and secondary schools in the past seven years. He undertakes residencies in various parts of the country and has been resident writer on several occasions in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Wight.
Brian was born in Ramsgate, Kent - he won’t say how long ago. In the 1960s, when The Beatles and the Rolling Stones were all the rage, he decided to become a rock and roll star. Alas, he was never invited to appear on Top of the Pops. Instead, he became a teacher, and began writing and performing his poems to schools. At this he was very successful and is now one of Britain’s best loved children’s poets. He has had over 160 books published. His latest book is called Taking Out the Tigers. He is married to Anne and has two children, Karen and Linette.
Some of Brian’s Books
One recent book of poetry is Taking Out the Tigers (Macmillan).
For younger children there’s I Wish I Could Dine With A Porcupine and Is There Anything There at The Top of The Stair? (Both published by HodderWayland). There’s also a picture book Beetle in the Bathroom (Puffin)
There are also a number of poetry anthologies including The Secret Lives of Teachers, The Teacher’s Revenge, Aliens Stole My Underpants and The Works 2 (edited with Pie Corbett).
A Poetry CD Poems Out Loud featuring 40 poems by a number of poets with music is also available from HodderWayland.
Biscuit Crumbs is a collection for very young children, available from QED publications.
Questions and Answers with Brian Moses
When did you start writing?
I started as a teenager. I used to play the guitar and write songs but it
all sounded pretty dreadful, so one day I put the guitar away and the songs turned into poems. Also a poet from Liverpool, Roger McGough, was a great inspiration.
Why do you write poetry?
I love words and the way that a poem is a snapshot, giving you a brief
glimpse, but a glimpse that is often so powerful that it can stay with you
forever.
What sort of books do you write?
A lot of poetry, picture books, books for teachers, and some information books. I also edit anthologies of poetry, choosing poems by other poets along with some of my own.
How long does it take to write a poem?
Anything from five minutes to a year. Some poems arrive very quickly, others demand more encouragement before they reveal themselves.
How long does it take to write a book?
When I put together a poetry book I’m collecting together poems that I’ve written over the past few years, so the hard work has been done at that stage. If I’m writing a picture book, this can take from an hour or two, to three or four days. A book for teachers can take a couple of months and the story book that I’ve just completed took me about six months.
Where do ideas come from?
Ideas come from anywhere and everywhere. An idea is like a knock on the door. Ignore the knocking and whoever it is goes away. When an idea comes knocking, I can’t afford to ignore it. I grab it quickly before it can escape.
How do you write your poems?
I write on scraps of paper or record them on a Dictaphone. First drafts are written up in my poetry notebook, then transferred to the word processor where I can cut and paste and jigsaw the poem until I think it’s right.
Are you writing anything at the moment?
Yes. My latest projects include my Selected Poems to be published by Macmillan, Trouble at the Dinosaur Cafe - a picture book from Puffin to be published in June 2006, a CD of my poems from the National Poetry Archive and an anthology of pet poems.
How many schools have you visited?
I’ve made almost 2,200 school visits in the last 18 years.
Do you travel around very much?
Yes, I visit schools and libraries throughout the UK, everywhere from
Scotland to the Channel Islands. I also visit International Schools in
Europe and have recently presented my poetry and percussion show in Munich, Frankfurt, Brussels, Geneva, Zurich, Madrid, Cordoba, Paris, Belfast and Dublin.
Which is the best school that you’ve visited?
The school that I’m working in when I’m asked that question !
Have you got a family?
My wife, Anne, and my two daughters, Karen, who is 20 years old and Linette, who is 12. Family life gives me lots of ideas for poems.
Have you got any pets?
A lop-eared rabbit called Miffy and four chickens - Darcy, Twiggy, Dora and Boadicea - Warrior Chicken!
Lucky you. What soccer team do you support?
Tottenham, ever since the great days of the early Sixties when they won 3-1 in the 1961 Cup Final.
