Mike’s Story
How did I
get here?
Mike began by reading his own poems to the hundreds of young people who attended his Library Homework Centre. They loved what they heard and encouraged him to perform them at live poetry events and Slams, which he did, instantly winning fans and prizes throughout the UK. His gritty poetry has won admiration far and wide and his collaboration with Joe Duddell and New Order in New Yorks Carnegie Hall in 2014 received five-star reviews.
Championed by Philip Glass for whom Mike has written a libretto that premiered at the 2015 Days and Nights Festival in The Big Sur
Mike has worked in thousands of schools and his three books, Men’s Morning, Mancunian Meander and God is a Manc have become schemes of work in schools throughout the UK and his poetry is regularly heard on BBC Radio and TV. He has read his poems in Prisons, Young Offenders units, Mental Health Hospitals, Children’s Homes, youth clubs and local pubs. He’s passionate about bringing live poetry to places it wouldn’t normally reach and to people who wouldn’t normally listen to it.
His performances are passionate swirling rhythms of thoughts and emotions converted to monologues of quick-fire words.
Testimonials
“I liked what he said and the way he said it”
Said John Cooper Clarke reflecting on their five-year working relationship performing in over 500 venues throughout the UK and Ireland.
