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Paul Henry

Paul Henry


Back | Genres | Bibliography | Prizes and awards | Author statement | Further reading on this site | Contact details | Related links | Printer-friendly version

 

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Photo: © Owen Sheers

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Biography

Paul Henry is the author of six poetry collections and his work has been widely anthologised. A popular creative writing tutor, he came to poetry through songwriting. He recently presented the 'Inspired' series of art programmes for BBC Radio Wales.

 

His books are: Time Pieces (1991); Captive Audience (1996); The Milk Thief (1998); The Slipped Leash (2002); The Breath of Sleeping Boys and other poems (2004); and Ingrid's Husband (2007).

 

Paul Henry was born in 1959 in Aberystwyth, and received an Eric Gregory Award in 1989. A Fellow of the Welsh Academy, he now lives in Gwent, Wales.

 

 

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Genres (in alphabetical order)

Poetry

 

 

Bibliography

Time Pieces   Seren, 1991

Captive Audience   Seren, 1996

The Milk Thief   Seren, 1998

The Slipped Leash   Seren, 2002

The Breath of Sleeping Boys and other poems   ('Writers of Wales' series)   Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, 2004

Ingrid's Husband   Seren, 2007

 

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Prizes and awards

1989   Eric Gregory Award

1992   Arts Council of Wales Literature Award

2002   Arts Council of Wales Literature Award

 

 

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Author statement

I grew up in a house of musicians and there’s a poem in my fourth book, The Slipped Leash, called 'Twelve' which records the murderous act of shooting a thrush in mid-song. The poem opens, ‘I was twelve when I murdered for silence’ and, in spite of coming to poetry through songwriting, it was the relative silence of poetry, its inner music, which excited me. The killing of the bird becomes a metaphor for this need for a quieter genre: ‘Silence played a deeper tune / than my father’s violin, / its bullets swifter and cleaner / than any note his dusty bow could fire.’ 

I think I am trying to hear my way back to those silences when I write poetry, although once the poem is formed, let the spoken word or the sung word give it wings, and forgive my boyhood cruelties.

 

 

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Further reading on this site

New authors on site October 2007
The latest authors to be added to the Contemporary Writers database are: CN Adichie Trevor Griffiths Paul Henry Michael Rosen Alex Wheatle more...   (08/11/2007)

 

 

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Contact information

Publisher (General enquiries)
Seren Books
57 Nolton Street
Bridgend  CF31 3AE
Wales
Tel: +44 (0)1656 663018
Fax: +44 (0)1656 649226
E-mail: general@seren-books.com
http://www.seren-books.com

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Related links

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http:/ / www.paulhenrypoet.co.uk

 

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