Joe Nodus
Updated 25/5/2014
Updated 25/5/2014
Joe hails from Leeds, but his travels take him far and wide. With his feet, staff, and the all-important paper and pencil, his observations and performances are not to be missed.
I live in Leeds; I’ve been doing poetry, on & off since school; including sporadic open mic performances. Over the last 18 months, I’ve increased attendance at readings, with help of writeoutloud.net; poetry, gig guide. I had the good fortune, to be at the very first, Talking Zebras event; 10th October 2012.
It was advertised at ‘write out loud’. At the time, I had just started, trying to find, consecutive poetry events; within reasonable travelling distance, to brighten up, my new hobby of, long distance walking; by adding social poetry reading to the activity.
At ‘write out loud’ gig guide, I found; the day after, the first Talking Zebras reading, was a lunchtime reading at Marsden Jazz festival, & another event the same evening, in Rochdale.
It took me 4 hours to walk from Leeds to Cleckheaton, mostly through woods & fields. After Talking Zebras, I continued West; arriving in Huddersfield at 10pm. I carried on, through the night, along Huddersfield Canal bank; sometimes using my walking stick, like a blind man’s cane, because it was pitch black; arriving at Marsden, in early hours of the morning.
I slept in a gore-tex, 'bivy bag', under bike shelters; at Marsden Station. In the morning I went to Church, to get out of the cold; where I was well treated by clergy & parishioners. The service finished, just as the reading was about to start; in the Railway pub, next to Marsden Station. After that lively reading, Dave Lindsay, of Talking Zebras, drove me to Rochdale, for a reading at The Baum.
I sometimes walk, as much as, 30 miles a day, to attend readings around the country; which I’ve found at ‘write out loud’, gig guide. At the end of May 2013, I walked to Manchester from Leeds within 48 hours; having attended readings at, Talking Zebras & the Ring o' Bells, in Middleton, Lancashire, along the way. Sadly the Manchester readings were cancelled; rain & sore feet prevented me from going to read in Wigan, next day.
Another time, I cycled to Birkenhead, for the 'Poetry Spoke', at Gallagher's, on Chester Street. It took me 46 hours, to cover the Leeds & Liverpool Canal; arriving, at the Liver building, at 7am; having had about 2 hours sleep, during the journey, of about 130 miles. At Lunchtime, I ate Samphire, from mud flats at Birkenhead; soaked in organic, lemon juice, I’d bought from the 24 hour supermarket, at Liveredge; along with organic carrots, from the same place.
The gig was great, I cycled back, via Manchester, with renewed vigour; attending the curiously named 'Manky Poets' reading, at Chorlton Library; before catching a train to Bradford, & cycling the rest of the way home; as rain began, completing an estimated 190 miles of cycling; in 4 days.
I also walked to Macclesfield, for the 'Speakeasy', fortnightly reading, at the Snow Goose, Sunderland Street. I continued down the Macclesfield Canal, a beautiful walking route, but due to heat & sore feet, after 140 miles walking; I failed to get to Birmingham, for a Saturday reading there; turning back at Stafford.
I must have done a good 500 miles, under my own steam, chasing poetry events last Summer. Last Saturday, 18/01/14; I walked from Leeds to Cleckheaton & home again for Talking Zebras, it’s about 20 miles round trip. I'm now looking for more, open performance opportunities; within a day's wallking distance, from Leeds.
Contact me at [email protected]
You can download Joe's work below...!
I live in Leeds; I’ve been doing poetry, on & off since school; including sporadic open mic performances. Over the last 18 months, I’ve increased attendance at readings, with help of writeoutloud.net; poetry, gig guide. I had the good fortune, to be at the very first, Talking Zebras event; 10th October 2012.
It was advertised at ‘write out loud’. At the time, I had just started, trying to find, consecutive poetry events; within reasonable travelling distance, to brighten up, my new hobby of, long distance walking; by adding social poetry reading to the activity.
At ‘write out loud’ gig guide, I found; the day after, the first Talking Zebras reading, was a lunchtime reading at Marsden Jazz festival, & another event the same evening, in Rochdale.
It took me 4 hours to walk from Leeds to Cleckheaton, mostly through woods & fields. After Talking Zebras, I continued West; arriving in Huddersfield at 10pm. I carried on, through the night, along Huddersfield Canal bank; sometimes using my walking stick, like a blind man’s cane, because it was pitch black; arriving at Marsden, in early hours of the morning.
I slept in a gore-tex, 'bivy bag', under bike shelters; at Marsden Station. In the morning I went to Church, to get out of the cold; where I was well treated by clergy & parishioners. The service finished, just as the reading was about to start; in the Railway pub, next to Marsden Station. After that lively reading, Dave Lindsay, of Talking Zebras, drove me to Rochdale, for a reading at The Baum.
I sometimes walk, as much as, 30 miles a day, to attend readings around the country; which I’ve found at ‘write out loud’, gig guide. At the end of May 2013, I walked to Manchester from Leeds within 48 hours; having attended readings at, Talking Zebras & the Ring o' Bells, in Middleton, Lancashire, along the way. Sadly the Manchester readings were cancelled; rain & sore feet prevented me from going to read in Wigan, next day.
Another time, I cycled to Birkenhead, for the 'Poetry Spoke', at Gallagher's, on Chester Street. It took me 46 hours, to cover the Leeds & Liverpool Canal; arriving, at the Liver building, at 7am; having had about 2 hours sleep, during the journey, of about 130 miles. At Lunchtime, I ate Samphire, from mud flats at Birkenhead; soaked in organic, lemon juice, I’d bought from the 24 hour supermarket, at Liveredge; along with organic carrots, from the same place.
The gig was great, I cycled back, via Manchester, with renewed vigour; attending the curiously named 'Manky Poets' reading, at Chorlton Library; before catching a train to Bradford, & cycling the rest of the way home; as rain began, completing an estimated 190 miles of cycling; in 4 days.
I also walked to Macclesfield, for the 'Speakeasy', fortnightly reading, at the Snow Goose, Sunderland Street. I continued down the Macclesfield Canal, a beautiful walking route, but due to heat & sore feet, after 140 miles walking; I failed to get to Birmingham, for a Saturday reading there; turning back at Stafford.
I must have done a good 500 miles, under my own steam, chasing poetry events last Summer. Last Saturday, 18/01/14; I walked from Leeds to Cleckheaton & home again for Talking Zebras, it’s about 20 miles round trip. I'm now looking for more, open performance opportunities; within a day's wallking distance, from Leeds.
Contact me at [email protected]
You can download Joe's work below...!
bulrushes_22.pdf | |
File Size: | 160 kb |
File Type: |