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by
Peter Kennedy (first published in Wivenhoe
News Winter edition 2006) "The title," Mike Harwood explained to a full
house in the back room of the Wivenhoe Bookshop, at his book launch on 8th
December, "the title of this book comes from a poem I wrote when
outraged about the torture going on in Abu Ghraib".
Mike then read, from his book, the six-stanza poem Words
Count, in which the words of the poet indeed do count.
Preceded by a 2003 statement by George W Bush that " The readings for this book launch had got off to a
serious start, but lighter verse was to come with The
Dome ... "I met a critic from a western land" [with
apologies to Shelley]. Then
the truly affecting A Mother's Talent which Mike had written as a tribute to his own mother's painting skills and to her perseverance.
She had been a talented artist, and the poem sets the
verisimilitude of her paintings as a young woman against the still present
accuracy of her inner eye after the stroke which had rendered her
speechless save for the one word "no". Mike Harwood confesses to being a "late starter" in poetry but, even if that is so, Words Count is a most satisfying little book, small but perfectly formed, and Mike paid tribute for its design to David Jury and his students at Colchester School of Art and Design. That there was loud applause, and shouts of "encore", at the conclusion of his reading showed just how much his new collection was appreciated by his audience. Peter Kennedy Note: The first printing of Words Count sold out but the second run will be available at the Wivenhoe Bookshop.
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Mike
Harwood's book launch