As a published poet with 12 books to his name, Laurie Wilkinson, AKA The Psychy Poet, waxes lyrical with poems from the first of his themes of Romance, Humour, Reflection, and Tragedy.
Interviewed by Mike Page (The Front Page), Laurie reminisces about his life, beginning with his childhood in Walthamstow, East London, during the post-WW2 years. He remembers his parents affectionately as being very happy, supportive and making jokes despite being quite poor -- the "bathroom" was a tin tub hanging on a nail in the garden! With a firm belief that we are products of our environment and experiences, Laurie reflects on how his past has influenced a relatively recent embarkation of poetry writing.
From working in London's east end at only fifteen amongst the biting wit and humour to the tragic death at only thirty-four of his beloved sister Doreen when he was twenty-six, his life had already polarised. Laurie did, though, regale some of his workmates with "little rhyming ditties" that they might not have appreciated personally but greatly amused the other workers! One such little rhyme apparently rendered the recipient almost mute with incandescent rage, apart from the foulest of language! "Fortunately, I was not there at the time, as I possibly might not be writing this now!"
A successful career in mental health followed, working as a ward manager and in a secure forensic unit, then as a senior psychiatric nurse visiting Kent area prisons. The ability to talk to distressed, disturbed people was paramount. In 2001 I obtained a degree in Psychiatry, allowing me to do Private Lecturing on many related subjects. Diverse emotions met in these experiences reflect in my poems.
Laurie has travelled extensively in Africa, Australia and touring South America, the Amazon, and Asia. He was particularly moved by seeing Nelson Mandela's cell on Robben Island and visiting the impoverished township of Soweto!
Supporting and donating to the excellent armed forces charity Help for Heroes from book sales & fund raising has amplified the charity awareness and led to some healthy donations to them.