Scribble 13 by Cartwheelarts

Issue 13

Spring 2012

The

music

Issue

FREE CREATIVE WRITING MAGAZINE PUBLISHED BY TELL US ANOTHER ONE AT CARTWHEEL ARTS

Hello Welcome to our thirteenth edition of Scribble - unlucky for some but not for us! We think this issue is another corker packed with stories from across the North West and engaging with something we all love - music. No matter our age, taste or mood, nothing says it like a piece of music. So sit back and enjoy a variety of takes on the sounds that move us. As ever we have an eclectic mix of writing from communities and published writers. We open the Spring issue with a warm welcome from Rochdale’s finest - John Siddique. Emma Melling Editor

Unexpected guests Put the door on the snib, when there’s a knock say come in. The world is just a village, come in, come in. Put the world on the latch when there’s a knock say come in. I’ll cook you some lamb, or fish ‘n’ chips, or plantain, or breadfruit or okra and potatoes. Come in, come in. Leave the country ajar, please come in, have a seat. We’ll swap stories, and cry and laugh. Shake hands. Eat something sweet: Chocolate, gulab jamun, peanut butter cups And rice pudding. Do come in, come in. The world is just a village Put the door on the snib, tell me a story, come in, come in. © John Siddique

If you like John’s words as much as we do, have a go yourself and enter our writing competition (page 50) for a chance to win a signed copy of his fantastic children’s poetry collection Don’t wear it on your head… You’ll find Unexpected Guests along with a whole host of treats to make the whole family smile, young and old.

Photos: Brian Slater

Tell us Another one

chapter Thirteen

We have been having a great time on the project this quarter. We took a group of 57 people to see the Heywood Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society perform The Producers in March - they were ace! We also partnered with Commonword at their annual Black Writerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Conference, with Rochdale Council at their Adult Learning Celebration event at Rochdale Town Hall and met Lemn Sissay at his launch of Let There Be Peace in Manchester. We canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to see him at Scribble Festival so get the date in your diaries and join us - Thursday 24th May. David Bateman, Emma McGordon and John Lindley have joined with Anjum Malik and Shamshad Khan to deliver the Book Box project to Story Groups on the themes of love, food, memories and spooky! We celebrated the animation Living with Ana at the Cornerhouse in March (pictured above and covered on page 4). We began the Leftovers project in style at the local tip (page 5) and Folk Love has been enchanting groups in Oldham (details of the performance can be found on page 37). In additional to the events and projects mentioned, coming up we have a trip to Hay Festival with 2 members of each Story Group, the book launch of Bury As It Were and an exciting project with Falinge Park HIgh School - New Ghosts - turning local history with fantastical ghost stories! For information on all our activities go to

www.tellusanotherone.org

Mind Image Girls from Barnardos and Integrated Youth Services in Oldham came together over the cold, dark winter months to create a short animation on body image. Living With Ana is a wonderful, creative film which was showcased at the Cornerhouse cinema in Manchester in March. Animator Vivlen Peach of REELmcr has passed skills on to the group and we all celebrated the film together at this special premiere. All the girls dressed up specially for the awards ceremony, where they each received a framed certificate, a very real-looking Oscar award and of course - some popcorn! Thanks to First Light Movies for funding this project and to Barnardos, Oldham Integrated Youth Service and REELmcr for all their support. The film was structured round the following poem which the girls wrote on the topic of body image and self worth with the support of writer Anjum Malik.

Living With Ana Beautiful angel trying to help me, Ugly devil destroying my body. Tall and short, small and big, Sneaky eating delicious threat, Feeling guilty then not ate. My friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cheerful face wanting to help, The monster staring at me with its angry face. I feel sneaky when I hide my food, But I am always honest when I give compliments to my friends. When I see food everyone can see me calm, But inside I feel anxiety. You push your friends away, But your family is here to stay. If you lie then you might break the circle of trust. Under pressure to lose weight, Oh! Why canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t I just be perfect? To watch the film go to www.tellusanotherone.org/projects-2/mind-image/

Leftovers The Leftovers project kicked off in February with a trip to the local tip! Leftovers is all about raising awareness of

recycling, reusing & reducing waste Thanks to funding from the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority (GMWDA) the project is enabling participants to create a kinetic sculpture from reused materials and a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;how toâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; book in the style of a recipe book which will go to every household in Deeplish. You can see Project Coordinator and Editor Emma in the full protective clothing for the tip trip in her usual slot on page 2 - a very attractive outfit! We went round a Materials Recovery Facility then a landfill site (tip to you and me!) to see how our waste is processed. It was fascinating and we learnt loads, such as why only certain plastics can be recycled, how much we throw away each week and how gases from landfill like methane can be turned into a valuable resource to generate electricity. Participants creating the book are learning all about using up leftover foods safely through cooking demos with environmental charity Emerge (www.emergemanchester.co.uk) and they are writing recipes which suit those wrinkly carrots and masses of rice we all reluctantly throw away each month! The sculpture unveiling and recipe book launch will both take place in May so check out the next issue to see how we get on.

FOCUS ON..

Tony Walsh Tony Walsh aka Longfella is one of the UK’s most renowned performance poets and a respected writer, workshop leader and community organiser. Standing out from the crowd at nearly two metres tall, Longfella Tony to his friends - is humbled when described as a “colossus” and a “true giant” of the performance poetry scene whilst perfoming everywhere from The British Library to Glastonbury Festival, and from schools, universities, prisons, conferences, festivals, museums and theatres to the magnificent Palace of Science and Culture in Warsaw as a guest of The British Council. Tony’s poetry has been published on both sides of the Atlantic as well as displayed with an LS Lowry image at both Tate Modern and The British Museum as part of a Heritage Lottery Fund “Best of British” exhibition. A multiple winner and finalist in top-level poetry slam competitions, Tony is the current Manchester Literature Festival Comedy Slam Champion and was the runner-up in The Times UK Allstars Slam Final at Cheltenham Literature Festival in 2008.

- Who inspires you? I’m not a classically minded or academic poet although I do often work with poetic forms and rhyme. I was a massive music fan growing up, still am, and the main influences on my writing were lyricists and poets who were working with music - people like John Cooper Clarke, Linton Kwesi Johnson, John Hegley, Ivor Cutler and so on - all heard on the John Peel radio show. Lyricists that I love include people like Morrissey, Elvis Costello, Paul Weller, Billy Bragg, Mark E Smith, the guys from Squeeze, Terry Hall, Ian Dury, Guy Garvey, Gil Scott-Heron …so many. I also love the simple effectiveness of many an Irish, folk or pop lyric. I suppose if I was to draw musical parallels for my poetry I’d put it in that overlapping territory of punk, pop and folk. Mostly serious but sometimes just for laughs. 6

- This issue of Scribble is all about music. Have you ever performed over music, if so when / where and what was this like? I’ve never performed my poetry over music but I’d love to and if I can get it together with a very talented musician that I’ve met - we keep saying we will - then I’d hope to progress that this year. I also have 10 or 12 fully written songs in my head, melodies as well as lyrics, that I’m determined to do something with. - Your work at Glastonbury sounded ace! Will you be doing it again? What was the best thing about it? Thanks! Yeah, I was privileged to be website Poet in Residence for Glastonbury Festival last summer. I had to write 2 or 3 poems each day for the website, which was getting about 200,000 hits per day. I was invited to perform on BBC 6 Music with Cerys Matthews and twice on BBC2 with Jo Whiley. I also had a poem in the rock magazine, Q. I’ve always said that my ambition is to buy my poetry in my local Asda and that came true with the Q thing. On the radio I did a poetic tribute to the late, great John Peel which Jo Whiley played on his birthday and segued straight into Teenage Kicks by The Undertones. That was my favourite thing about Glastonbury! You can still hear the poem online at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00ht7c0. At one time it was in the top 5 on the BBC Glastonbury website - Coldplay, Beyonce, U2, Elbow and me! Hilarious! - What have you been working on recently? I went full-time with my poetry a year ago so, ironically, I’m doing everything but writing for myself! I’ve been running workshops in schools, academies, colleges, universities and prisons. I’ve been performing all round the UK from rock festivals to prestigious poetry festivals like Ledbury and StAnza. I was also really chuffed to be commissioned by BBC Sport to write a poem for Football Focus on BBC1 before the last Manchester derby game. That can be viewed on YouTube at http://bit.ly/yIFCO4 - What tips would you give to budding poets? I’d encourage budding poets to read as much as they can of all styles, and to attend as many live poetry events as they can - and not just open mic. Pay to see touring professionals at places like Manchester’s Contact Theatre; young people might even get in for free. Spend time googling around on the web. Find poets whose words and style inspires you and watch, learn, write and practice loads and, if you’re loving it, then write from the heart and never give up. Good luck! Further information on Tony, listings of future gigs and the chance to buy his CD can all be found at :www.longfella.co.uk . Turn over for his take on music.

Keeping it Peel: Teenage Kicker Conspiracy

FOCUS ON..

Tony Walsh

Back in the era when vinyl was vital Each platter that mattered a vital recital When the Festive Fifty and every Peel session Was essential listening, a real obsession When Peel Acres and Maida Vale Were secretly famous, a complete Holy Grail An avuncular uncle with a grizzly grey beard A funky punk uncle still keeping it weird You were dry and ironic on Top of the Pops You were wry and sardonic as they bopped till they dropped You would stand there bemused, just extracting the urine Then, completely amused as you slipped something pure in And you played the essentials, a playlist of passion Not the inconsequential with the vagueness of fashion And we, the outsiders, with music inside us And Peel the provider, just there to provide us With weirdness and beardness, the craziest combos Yes, sometimes you’d fail but you’d fail with aplomb though And who cared that you played them at all the wrong speeds Cos you were daring to play them and that’s all it needs And there was Hegley and Joolz there was Linton KJ Johnny Clarke and Attila were blazing the way Ivor Cutler and Swells, and all different wordsmiths But you’d time for them all and you really deserve this... You see, music is grateful and they’ve had chance to show it But I’d like to say thanks on behalf of the poets And you told us of Walters, The Kop and your wife While every night this dj was saving my life And you’re missed on the wireless and Glastonbury telly And it’s just not the same without Peel in his wellies So I just wanna tell you, wanna tell you tonight And say thanks for the kicks, John, mate, right through the night Well alright! © Tony Walsh

Song My Daddy used to sing to me, Something about a land longing to be free. He sang his songs with such feeling, With his hand on his heart and his eyes to the ceiling. He said these songs made his comrades stronger, Until they could fight no longer. Strength for the soul and their convictions, Saying it as it is without restrictions. Irish rebel songs they were called For comrades still here and those that did fall. © Maggie Shriane, Darnhill Story Group

Over to you...

Music Music in my Life I remember: Singing nursery rhymes as a child, We were all so meek and mild. The Salvation Army playing in the street, Children singing carols oh so sweet. Meeting my husband at a Christmas Eve Dance, Me being there only by chance. I remember: The Wedding March as I walked down the aisle, Beautiful love songs to beguile. My children singing “We”re a couple of swells”, Oh what a story music tells. © Clare Schofield, Seedfield Story Group

I love piano I can’t play it If anyone is playing the piano I like listening I feel like playing my country’s national song on the piano To my daughter © Amina Begum, Coldhurst Story Group Translated from Bangla by Amina Begum and Rima Ali

The Man I like to listen to blues rock John Mayer being the man The way he makes his guitar sing Makes me his biggest fan His musical styles are blues and rock He also combines the two Song lyrics written mainly by him Especially for me and you Hailed as one of the guitar greats Like Clapton, Hendrix and Hooker Dark curly hair and big brown eyes Make him quite a looker His music does inspire me I wish I could play like him When I’ve tried to sing and play My efforts seem rather grim His fingers move along the neck The notes they seem to scream And when he plays acoustic I lapse into a dream He has a way with musical notes As a poet does with words I remember the day I listened first To the maestro I’m glad I heard

Dont Let me Go Don’t let me go, you’re so good for my soul; You help me survive, you set me a goal Don’t let me go, you’re a mentor to me; Showing the way growing older can be Don’t let me go for I won’t vegetate You prove to me there need be no such state Don’t let me go you’re a pensioner too You represent what we oldies can do Don’t let me go for I feel your power You help me live take me down from my tower Don’t let me go for you must know your sound Helps me survive with my feet on the ground We are the oldies who made all this so Invented the genre so don’t let me go Let me go, let me go, Lemmy, go Lemmy! go Lemmy! go! © Robin Parker, Langley Story Group

Over to you...

Music 1111

Song Music shares its table with romance the dance of seductive chocolate flavours. The delicacy of aromatic roses and other poses. Candle lit dinners for two Just a-me and you. The ice-skate-able sweet wedding cake synchronised glasses clinking. The thirst quench drinking to wet baby’s head. Two old pairs of slippered tapping feet sipping tea And still singing from the same music sheet. © Kathleen Lomas, Dumer’s Lane Story Group

Over to you...

Music

Oh Music! Oh music! Oh music! Leave me alone With my lover Dancing for ever

Flying souls Wherever it goes Leaves prints of love, of hope Of rest, of peace Wherever it goes

Oh music! Oh music! Leave me alone With my lover Dancing for ever 12

Loving hearts Fly high in the sky With that colourful happy butterfly Dreaming, singing, dancing Enjoying the happy moments Before they pass quickly and Away they fly

Oh music! Oh music! Leave me alone With my lover Dancing for ever. © Souhad Hijazi, Falinge Story Group

Dangling on a Thread A smiling face though my heart’s broke in two Tearful eyes when my thoughts turn to you The long lonely days since you’ve been away Missing you so much each day I’m dangling on a thread some days Dangling on a thread Sometimes I’m so full of uncertainty Of what lies ahead The cold rainy days when you’re feeling right down You can’t raise a smile You’re wearing a frown Can’t face another day Tears of a clown I’m dangling on a thread some days Dangling on a thread Sometimes I’m so full of uncertainty Of what lies ahead It’s people that make up a world But people frustrate you so much They drive you so close to the edge Then watch you jump I’m dangling on a thread some days Dangling on a thread Sometimes I’m so full of uncertainty Of what lies ahead © John Morris, Fitton Hill Story Group

John will be performing at Scribble Festival on 24th May so come and hear him play! - see page 38 for details.

Kesha Rock Rap She says “take it off” With a steady strong beat There’s “glitter on the floor” It’s a place for “the freaks” She “brushes her teeth” “With a bottle of Jack” When she “leaves for the night” She “ain’t coming back” She sings “Tik Tok” Fills the dance floor Gets your hips swaying Gets you singing along The cleaning’s not so bad When you’re listening to her tunes As she sings out the chorus “Baby its you” It really made me giggle When I saw a remix She was greener than Shrek And proper being sick She’ll “kick you to the kerb” If you’re not a “Mick Jagger” She knows how to party She’s queen of swagger So if you’re getting glam For a night on the tiles Listen to Kesha To brighten up your smile 14

Over to you...

Music

My Musical Day This morning I felt crotchet My legs were all of a quaver I’m getting too old for these nocturnes The treble life does me no favour Andante is how it must be Don’t get so allegro Treat me to some amoroso But keep it quite comodo Time to take a semi-breve Away from agitato Forzato to ritenuto Try to decrescendo Otherwise I’ll diminuendo And possibly moreno So obbligato and maestoso Here is today’s concerto © Ann Robinson, Langley Story Group

For Angus It’s a Youtube rap And it might seem scrap If you’ve got no soul For metal rock and roll With your headbang in time To the walk and the rhyme Of this man looking cool Like he’s just out of school But he eats into your mind So your worry’s left behind And you suck into the noise Of the rhythm from the boys While the man stalks the stage Who doesn’t look his age But the slow and rhythmic beat Is still turning up the heat And you move within the sound As your head bangs up and down For this god of rock and roll’s Bleeding right into your soul There is nothing you can do For he’s taken over you With the thunder and the smell Of the Highway to Hell! © Robin Parker, Langley Story Group

Musicals Musicals to me are fantastic, Everything in them seems dramatic. Wonderful stories unfold to follow with heed, With life‘s lessons that we may need. Songs that are happy, sad or upbeat, All getting you to dance and move your feet, Lyrics come flowing without bounds, Words that are meaningful and some quite profound. The audience engrossed sit without a sound, The sounds of the dancing never fail to astound. The different sounds can be food for the soul, Music can make you feel complete and whole. Watching the performers with such awe, And applauding for more. Rekindling memories you thought you forgot And your heart‘s smile because you have not. Music will mark a special time or event, Make you think of someone and feel content. © Maggie Shriane, Darnhill Story Gro up

Musical Mania West Side Story is a musical that makes me happy. There are lots of dimensions in the music - loud and soft. The story is very intense - happy, sad. It expresses love, friendships, hate. The people are colourful. Their feelings are expressed in the music - people leaping across the stage in bright costumes. The music makes me feel alive. I feel part of the story. During a fight scene the music becomes very dramatic. Two gangs fighting to be the best. I want to join in. © Doris Smith, Fitton Hill Story Group

Over to you...

Music Music can change one’s life one’s thoughts way of life Music is very manipulative it’s very effective it can grow affection inside you it can make you dream Music can make you calm Music can make you upset Music can make you anxious can mellow you down depends what you listen to which words you listen to through the music which message you get you can get good messages from music and bad messages from music music could even take your life away you don’t get up and do things music should be a now and then thing © Arshad Mahmood, Coldhurst Story Group

A Chinese girl played violin on TV on shows and gigs to support her family because she was from a poor background. Her parents were farmers and worked on the fields with her young siblings. She wanted to do something different and not work on fields. She was very successful and fame took her all over the world, even to England. ÂŠ Zanib Bi, Spotland Story Group

Over to you...

Music

Beautiful feeling when you see it Romantic when you listen to its music Violin music makes us calm When I look at the violin my eyes tell me a story So many different songs come into my mind La la la la 3 flowers lie in a row on their sides with the violin It is as though we are in a studio and the pictures will start with a romantic song And we will all enjoy the scene My feelings about the violin are sweet and good. I think it has been here for years and years I imagine I will wear a white long dress and play music with the violin. Or a red dress with red roses. ÂŠ Shaista Nawaz, Spotland Story Group

I was imagining if I played the violin in a big theatre in Manchester lots of people would come to see me. I would wear a long, heavily embroidered dress with jewellery. I would concentrate on my fingers as my fingers would play the violin. Nice rings, nail polish. If my presumption is good, people enjoy it and are impressed. When I start playing they are clapping. © Attiya Malik, Spotland Story Group

The Viennese waltzes, the Argentine tangos Of my life Enshroud Through mist of prelude and concertos: Faint memory of a memory From years long-forgotten. And I wonder: Where is she nowWho I used to be? Where did she go to That person called Me? © Eveline Harris, Seedfield Story Group

Naomi My friend Naomi sang in the Rising Sun pub in Mossley. She asks me should she sing live? Yes, go on, I reply. Everyone’s hair will stand up on their necks. Naomi sang and people were shocked. Old rocker sat there, eyes shut, listening. When she’d done, everyone clapped. My friend the singer. Bless the Child, Wichita Lineman and True Colours. Take your pick. Do some gigs Naomi, I’ll be there. © Nick Goth, Fitton Hill Story Group

You Are My Temple You are my temple, you are my prayer, you are my God If anyone could see through my eyes, they will see what you are to me You are my temple, you are my prayer, you are my God Wherever I look, you are everywhere But I can’t tell what thoughts you are lost in Look at me and smile a little Or I will think you are upset with me You are my temple, you are my prayer, you are my God You are the bling in my bindi on my forehead You are the clasp of my flower garlands on my wrists I am a small doll made of clay You are my moon, you are my sky You are my temple, you are my prayer, you are my God It’s getting late into the night, come you must get to sleep A cool breeze blows; I will sing you a lullaby Looking at you I think, it’s as if an angel is sleeping You are my temple, you are my prayer, you are my God Translation of a golden oldie Bollywood song - a favourite of Deeplish Story Group.

Over to you... Drums

Music

There is a woman who plays the dhol drums at weddings I don’t know how she gets there Because she is poor and there is no other source to make money Wherever the wedding is she goes and everyone asks for songs of their choice for her to drum This makes the atmosphere alive It entertains people and on the other side she can make money with which she can feed her family Sometimes if she forgets to bring her drums She asks for a metal plate and plays a rhythm on that plate Which is not easy to do © Farzana Arif, Spotland Story Group translated herself from Urdu

The King of Pop You burst onto the scene at a very young age with four of your brothers in tow. The music was great and the moves were cool, but you were always the star of the show. The King of Pop became your persona as you were worshipped by all. We put you up there on a pedestal and then waited for you to fall. Your skin changed colour and your face its shape, but still you carried on trailblazing. Some said you were weird and unusual but most thought you still quite amazing. Being at the top has its price and you knew that more than some. But while we were all enjoying your heyday we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what was to come. They hounded and pushed you until you were weak, and then they put you on trial. And the doubters never did believe your adamant, constant denial. Your comeback was to be quite astounding with an unprecedented fifty date tour. But with the untimely demise of the King of Pop this star was to shine no more. ÂŠ Carol Keys, Darnhill Story Group on Michael Jackson

Music and Movement We warm up first, Shoulders up and down, Head side to side, Stretch your legs, Stand up, sit down! Stand up, sit down! Then we; skip and we hop and we run around. Be tall as a giraffe, slide like a snake. With the satin ribbons we shake, shake, shake, Wave in the air, Twirl pattern on the floor, Circular movements with our arms, It’s fun galore! Sometimes like little piggy’s house; we’re standing still! The song stops, start we will, Get on with what we want to do! Till again no noise we hear comes through, Unless we’re pretending to be a mouse too, Quiet on our tip toes, fingers going shh, Like the big bad wolf, we make a lot of din! We aren’t grumpy, we like to grin! The echo in the hall, is ever so loud! We have fun and our Parents/Grand Parents are proud! To The Grand Old Duke Of York, we stamp our feet! Join in a circle; follow the beat. Near the end of the session; we take a seat! Sing songs like; Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star; and we do the actions right on par! Head, Shoulders, Knees And Toes, Starts to get really fast! I get muddled up! Don’t want to be last! We wave goodbye. Sing the song. Then we find our coats and toddle along. 22

Swept away I remember being sang to once - dancing with a beautiful woman on the dance floor. She was superb! Whispering sweet nothings into my ear (She was not my wife) © Wilf Ellis, Fitton Hill Story Group

Over to you...

Music

Music and Dance I like listening to and watching line dancing. I also like marching bands. When Riverdance came on TV in the 90’s with Michael Flatley I was amazed. They were on tour in China recently and I was watching thinking ‘how do you come to be the star? The lead dancers are good but they’re all good!’ They take their own floors so it must cost to take them in the wagon and lay them. I used to dance ballroom - foxtrot and waltzes. Stood there bopping about’s not dancing to me. © Wilf Ellis, Fitton Hill Story Group

Sweetmeats I give out sweetmeats to all, everyone Because I have my lover my prisoner I make handcuffs of flowers And shackles of my hair for your feet From under my eyelashes I watch your face I’ll never undo the knots, now you are my prisoner I am the judge and you are in my dock What will I make the charge? My heart wants it to be a full life sentence I want to shout it out to all in my village Today I have captured my prisoner I will raise my walls all the way around A famous folk song from Pakistan, shared by Deeplish Story Group

Sing to Me My dad used to sing to me. He was a Bing Crosby fan. He had a warm voice that made me happy. When I was a playgroup leader my playgroup children used to sing to me too. They sang rhymes and little songs and always looked happy. It was a joy to see their little faces smiling trying to remember the words. Little heads would nod with the actions. Their favourite was ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’. © Doris Smith, Fitton Hill Story Group

Music Teaches We have the three R’s back to basics reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic but what about the fourth Rhythm, a gift A birthright nurtured in the womb takes us all the way through to the tomb. We feel music in our soul our spirits soar we fly through a lifetime of emotions live through many a score. Throw in a bit of rhythm Children will learn many things with music. They dance and sing Rocketing to the stars. There’s a rock in a lullaby A nursery rhyme skips and claps fun in times tables and traffic rules to tunes

Over to you...

Music

No need of expensive tools Pans and wooden spoons Recycled bits in pots Tissue-paper-combs Top of the pops. Shake, rattle, rock and roll. Music is everywhere easy to see free as the air when birds sing and the wind whistles to you and me. Seed pods rattle and thunder claps. rain tinkles children giggle feet tap and hailstone drums a quickening beat. Ritual sounds inspire improvisation played with finesse. Youngsters singing campfire choir marshmallow sweet Music is spiritual A rite of passage more than just a treat. © Kathleen Lomas, Dumer’s Lane Story Group

Rain Drop Melody Rain drops drip On dustpan lids Drip drop, drip drop Creating a rhythm With every splash Trickling down flower petals On window pane Moving smoothly Following their own beat Making people feel Hear And look at their beauty Even if they moan They cannot stop The drip drop, drip drop Raindrop beat © Katie Haigh, Darnhill Story Group

Kitchen Singer I love music, music is mental expression When my mind is happy, I like listening to happy songs And when I’m sad, it is music which makes me happy again. There are many songs that make me cry Like wedding songs bring happiness but also sadness I like wedding songs a lot And I also love singing © By Shahina Begum, Coldhurst Story Group, translated by Rima Ali

Eight Little Notes Nursery rhymes and church bell chimes, Are music to my ears, The lilting strains of a waltz by Strauss Will have me dancing round the house, A Flamenco guitar and an Indian sitar Remind me of countries from afar, Brass bands playing in the park, The early morning song of a lark, Black spirituals which did inspire, The clapping hands of a Gospel choir, The skirl of the pipes sets Scots’ hearts alight, Their kilted players make a stirring sight, Rhythm and blues, rock and roll, Jazz and jive, Country and Western and soul, All this music from a scale of eight, Throw in major and minor to give it some weight, My music list is not complete. The best is yet to come It’s the music of happy laughter, And children having fun. © Audrey Sadler, Seedfield Story Group

Over to you...

Music All the time I like listening to music I like any music Music with song words is good Music the heart of a song It is the raining sound on the roof Music changes the mind, relaxes the mind Any time your mood is off Put music on and the mind is fresh © Amina Begum, Coldhurst Story Group, translated herself from Bangla

Music Every year in the season of heavy rain and hot sun, on a beautiful day, a traditional village band travel from village to village and sing their songs in order to make people happy. The news of their arrival in each village spreads like lightning. They travel by a big boat holding all of their instruments, violin, drums, flute and cymbals. The lead singer wears a special costume. He wears bright coloured headwear and fancy clothes. He sings a ballad while dancing around the stage. Everyone enjoys the sight, it is beautiful to see. Everyone has a smile on their face, to see such delight and wonder. The whole village swarms just to see them perform. The band do this for love and not money, but some choose to give gifts and wealth. But that was back in the day... Nothing like this happens any more. We all miss it, the fun and the unity of the villagers on that special day. I yearn for those days to come back, it fills me up inside. Their music speaks to me and has a great impact on my life. ÂŠ Shahina Begum, Coldhurst Story Group

Music gives you strength When my fingers play on the violin I feel like a star When people enjoy it and they are clapping I feel happy My face goes red because people appreciate the music When I play music or listen to music my old days come in front of my eyes like a film is on. When we play music we forget everything. We are lost in the music. 28

ÂŠ Attiya Malik, Spotland Story Group

Surprise serenade I like singers who perform in front of audiences. I can remember one singer getting down on their knees and singing to me. I was most surprised and elated. The words and music were wonderful and I can’t believe I was chosen! © Ophelia Moorcroft, Fitton Hill Story Group

Over to you...

Music At Fitton Hill Story Group we chose our favourite memorable lyrics. When you first read them try and guess the songs (answers on page 40). Then try reading them without inputting the melody - they read quite poetically off the page. We have printed them as a cluster and then credited them on page 40 with a personal tribute to them saying how they’ve touched our lives. Enjoy!

What does music mean to you? Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong Under the shade of a coolibah tree Oh my love My darling I hunger for your touch A long, lonely time Time goes by So slowly And time can do so much Are you still mine? There will never be another you Live to fly, fly to live People who need people Are the happiest people in the world © Fitton Hill Story Group

Rock and roll is the music I first remember hearing. I was 9 years old. We were really excited about the music we were hearing and wondered what the singer Elvis looked like. Of course, when we saw Elvis Presley - his looks, personality, style - we were instantly hooked. We couldn’t hear enough of him. When the song Are you lonesome tonight? came out there was a queue about a mile long to buy it near us. Rock and roll was just starting out then. Elvis set the pace but there were plenty more - Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ricky Nelson, Roy Orbison - all fab. When going to the cinema they actually danced in the aisles to this, jiving. I was with my mother and brothers - we were just excited. We’d never seen such a reaction to a film before. People were jiving in the isles. I don’t know what the response of the usherette was but we laughed. It was great fun. No other singer had done this as far as I know. This was in our local cinema The Osborne in Collyhurst, Manchester. © John Morris, Fitton Hill Story Group

Finest Hour Glasgow guitar band His Latest Flame singing about love and conflict. Feel joy and pain, sing poignantly on The Troubles. Trish writes and Moira sings, great live gigs. Sadly cancelled their Manchester Boardwalk gig in 1989. Maybe Trish and Moira will reunite in 2012, with the other gals. Jangling guitars and vocal harmonies, relevant now as in ‘89. You could find their singles on sale second hand in 1987. Early years. Rare music. © Nick Goth, Fitton Hill Story Group

If I could play the daf I would join a nasheed group I would love to play ‘Tala Ulbudruallahena’ Which was sung for the prophet (P.B.U.H) When the prophet migrated from Mecca to Medina The people of Medina sang that It was a welcome song We would be one of the fortunate ones There would be a feeling of joy I would be singing as well They are all standing around welcoming the prophet that moment and that special personality has come to our place We are blessed The best of creation Children, women, everyone The whole city came and sang and cheered © Arshad Mahmood, Coldhurst Story Group

Over to you...

Music Hide Away Stars Hide away stars, make it dark I don’t want to see the morning of this night Listen stars if you should meet my lover Tell him what you saw, the state of me Then why should I wait here any longer I don’t want to see the morning of this night I know no one will think of me when I am gone At the most they will say, everybody has to die On judgement day I will meet my lover again I don’t want to see the morning of this night My father, my last salaam to your turban Don’t cry when you see me in my bride’s veil Tomorrow I will be a pile of earth I don’t want to see the morning of this night Another famous song from a Pakistani film, shared by Deeplish Story Group

scribble spotlight ON..

Debjani Chatterjee

Debjani Chatterjee was a guest writer last year at Coldhurst Story Group in Oldham. A multi-award-winning writer, her latest book Let’s Celebrate! Festival Poems from Around the World was chosen as Book of the Month by the e-magazine Paper Tigers. A Boxercise enthusiast and race-walker, Debjani is an Olympic Torchbearer and will run with the Torch when it comes to Sheffield in June.

-Give us a quick overview of your work. I write for both adults and children, and I have had about 60 books published so far. I enjoy variety in my work. This means that, as a freelancer, I write poetry, short stories, articles, reviews and non-fiction. My stories are often traditional tales retold, but I write original stories too. I also edit books and enjoy storytelling. Occasionally I do literary translations and, if the mood takes me, cartoony illustrations. I frequently work with schools, universities, museums, community centres and writers’ groups. I have had some very interesting residencies, including ones at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, Ilkley Literature Festival, Millennium Galleries and York St John University. I love getting letters from readers, especially children, and I always respond. I am a patron and mentor with Survivors’ Poetry, a national mental health charity. As a founder of the Healing Word, I run monthly workshops for cancer survivors and their carers. I am a member of several writers’ groups, e.g. Mini Mushaira and the National Association of Writers in Education. 32

-What have you been working on recently? My most recent book Let’s Celebrate! Festival Poems from Around the World was published last year by Frances Lincoln Children’s Books. I co-edited it with my husband Brian D’Arcy and we both contributed some of the poems. Right now we’re finishing another poetry anthology for the same publisher. I’m also working on an exciting project for Museums Sheffield, who have commissioned me to write a poem featuring one of their exhibits. I will perform it at the exhibition launch. -What tips would you give to someone just starting out with writing? Don’t give up, love what you are doing and always do your best. And when you have written something, it is important to keep redrafting it until you feel satisfied. If time allows it, put away your work in a safe place until you can re-read it with fresh eyes. -You have won many prizes - which ones are memorable for you and do you recommend entering literary competitions? If the competition is a reputable one, winning or even receiving an honourable mention, can be helpful. The ones I like are also those that offer publication as a prize or offer feedback on the material submitted. Winning a major competition can be a route to publication. My first full poetry collection I Was That Woman had already been accepted for publication, but when two of my poems won the Peterloo Poetry Prize, my publisher brought forward the publication date. Prizes are a nice recognition of one’s work. A major prize can mean more book sales; both Barbed Lines and The Redbeck Anthology of British South Asian Poetry soon went out of print after winning The Raymond Williams Community Publishing Prize. Honours that have been very important for me include an honorary doctorate from Sheffield Hallam University, a fellowship from the Royal Literary Society and an MBE from the Queen. -This issue of Scribble is all about music. Have you ever performed over music - if so when / where and what was this like? I wrote the words of a multilingual song called Bombay Mix for a Bollywood Festival event at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield. It was performed by a local community group, of which I am a member. My play for children, The Honoured Guest, also contains music, dance and my lyrics. It was toured several times and was published by Faber & Faber. These experiences have been both great fun and rewarding.

33 33

-Which lyrics / musicians have influenced you? One of my literary heroes, Rabindranath Tagore, was a prolific songwriter and composer. Every Bengali loves his songs. One special song, Ekla Cholo (‘Walk Alone’), says that even if the whole world won’t join you, you should go ahead alone. Nazrul Islam, another contemporary Bengali writer, probably wrote more songs than anyone else. His patriotic and devotional songs are deeply moving; a favourite is Eki brinte dui kusum (‘Two Blossoms on the Same Branch’) - a great song about Hindu-Muslim solidarity. My translations of Nazrul’s songs and poems won me the Muse India Poetry Translation Prize. In terms of Western music, I love songs by the Beatles and Leonard Cohen. During our courtship, my husband introduced me to Cohen’s wonderful poems and songs. -What else influences your work? Travel is a formative influence. Thanks to my father’s job as a diplomat, I attended seven schools in Japan, Bangladesh, India and Hong Kong. I went to universities in Egypt and England. All these places and others have influenced my work. This is directly evident in poems like Hong Kong Arrival and The Geisha, and my retellings of tales from many lands.

Photo: Emily Alexander

Here is an example of Debjani’s beautiful work:

Seven Stones (For Usha & Chitra Menon, childhood friends)

Seven flat stones by the roadside tugged at me, so I stopped and piled them pagoda-fashion one above another. A passer-by asked: which deity do you honour with this roadside shrine? I said Seven Tiles was once my favourite game, but children have other pastimes now. I build this mausoleum in remembrance of lost childhood. © Debjani Chatterjee

This lovely poem is from Debjani’s collection Words Spit & Splinter, Redbeck Press, available for £7.95. ISBN 978 1 904338 44 4. Be in with a chance of winning a copy by entering our reading competition on page 50. Details of all of Debjani’s books can be found at: www.debjanichatterjee.moonfruit.com

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online poll Would you like the chance to win a £25 book token?

If so simply enter our prize draw by telling us ...

your most memorable dream Go to Scribble poll at www.tellusanotherone.org tweet @CartwheelArts or text to 07407 693271

Issue 12

Winter 2011

The

PLAY

issue

FREE CREATIVE WRITING MAGAZINE PUBLISHED BY TELL US ANOTHER ONE

Many thanks to everyone who fed back on the Scribble size question. An overwhelming majority called for the bite-sized issue to stay - and so it will! Congratulations to Sylvia Currie whose name was drawn out of the online hat. A £25 voucher is heading your way.

Song and spoken word performance on the theme of “love” inspired by folk traditions from England and India. With Key To The Door young women’s group, the Indian Association of Oldham, Claire Mooney, Shamshad Khan, Keertan Rehal, and the voices of the people of Oldham. At Oldham Library and Lifelong Learning Centre, Greaves St Thurs 17th May 11am to 1pm FREE Part of Cartwheel Arts’ Tell Us Another One project. See www.tellusanotherone.org

RAW 12 - exciting upcoming events This year we have partnered with Oldham Coliseum and Oldham Libraries to bring you Scribble Festival as part of a wider literature festival called RAW 12 - Rhythm and Words 2012. For a full brochure go to: http://www.tellusanotherone.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/RAW-Brochure.pdf

design: www.dragonfly-design.co.uk

Music Jokes..!

Check out these fantastic jokes thought up by Julia McClay of Langley Story Group:

What did the wee bagpipe, say to the big bagpipe? You’re full of hot air!

HHH What did the big bell, say to the wee bell? You’re too young to have a ring!

HHH What did the big drum, say to the wee drum? Beat it! Superb! Thanks Julia. If you want to send us your jokes on dreams for the next issue e-mail emma@cartwheelarts.org.uk

Guess the Lyrics

...from â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;What does music mean to you?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; on page 29...

The lines Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong, under the shade of a Coolibah tree come from the famous ballad Waltzing Matilda. It was written in 1895 by poet Banjo Paterson but I knew it because my dad used to sing it over and over when we were little. Wilf Ellis

HHH The song lyrics I really liked when I was younger, and even today, are Unchained Melody (music by Alex North and lyrics by Hy Zaret) John Morris

HHH

Nearly all songs have romantic appeal or motive. I love There will never be another you. The music is by Harry Warren and the lyrics are by Mack Gordon. They were first written in 1942 for the musical Iceland starring Sonja Henie. The song was published in 1942, and is one of the most widely known and performed jazz standards. Ophelia Moorcroft

HHH I just love the song People performed by Barbara Streisand in the film Funny Girl. I think it appeals because it reminds me that all my work has involved working with people and how rewarding that can be. (People was written by Jule Styne (composer) and Bob Merrill (lyricist) in 1964). Doris Smith

HHH I love Aces High by Iron Maiden and Bruce Dickinson because it stands for freedom for myself and for the people in my country. I wonder how close we came to losing, beaten by Nazis? Hurricanes and Spitfires, one fine line between tyranny and chaos.This song also makes me feel alive when I head bang to it in a goth or metal club - as good as flying and dying in the sky? Nick Armbrister

Have you entered the

BIGGEST free-to-enter

ANNUAL POETRY COMPETITION there has ever been?

The National Poetry Anthology has been discovering new poetry talent for the past 14 years. They pick 250 regional “poet laureates” - then put their winning poem in the book. The poet laureates get a free copy and then get to vote for the best poem in the book. The overall winner gets £1,000 and a magnificent trophy to keep for life! You can see all of the previous winners and their winning poems at: www.unitedpress.co.uk/free-poetry-competitions/previous-npa-winners.html

To enter just send up to three poems (160 words and 25 lines maximum each, including blank lines) on any subject. You can submit your poems online at: www.unitedpress.co.uk/submit-poetry-online/ or post them to United Press Ltd, Admail 3735, London, EC1B 1JB. Deadline 30th June 2012.

What’s going on? Check out this fantastic poem by stalwart participant Katie Haigh which encompasses lots of local opportunities:

What’s a Local Writer to Do ? A creative mind That wants to write Needs to know Where to go I like Cartwheel Arts Writing in poetry or prose We say “Tell us Another One!” At our Story Groups Whether a newbie you be, or an old pro like me You’ll make a friend or two Discovering the novel inside you There’s Touchstones writers With Norman Warwick He may be Just a Poet But he asks “Where our writing travels to?” He’ll get your brain working With words that he’s sharing At this writing group His poetic other half Robin Parker, Is the chair At Langley Writers group We have many a guest author And our writing may alter As our words jump through hoops So our imagination grows As the creative juices flow We munch a biccie or two We enjoy our time together We never have déjà vu 44 44

Every second Monday You can Weave a Word brand new With Seamus Kelly Creating verses so many At Rochdale Library A workshop’s waiting for you If you want to further explore The poetic world You can go to an open mic night There’s one at Middleton’s Ring O’Bells Hosted by my good friend A Mrs, Gemma, Lees She’ll give you a homemade cake Which her fair hands did bake The night’s a bargain At a couple of quid You can listen and enjoy Or join in and have a go You’ll be happy that you did Then there’s The Baum With Rob and Norm A tune by Dom on guitar Music accompanies the poets Making performances flourish While audiences enjoy a pint from the bar But either way Come what may You can’t say there’s nowt For a writer to do © Katie Haigh, Darnhill Story Group

You can find details of all these great groups on page 51.

To convince you you’re not the only one who gets writer’s block, take a look at this ethereal poem on ideas before trying our next competitions.

Struggle Oh, why can’t I write? Ideas tantalizingly ebb and flow intangible Some peak and trough Whole islands of words Would-be gems come and go picked over then dismissed. They sink evaporate merge into a skyscape A land of ever-changing swirling shades where heavenly promising possibilities grow in a paradise of Glowing rosy maybes Feather light white suggestions Sun kissed yellow probabilities.

They drift timelessly effortlessly in and out of consciousness Gently searching probing for silent treasures held in baby soft hints of hues pearly pinks smokey blues Puffs of almost colours Memories to be used. © Kathleen Lomas, Dumer’s Lane Story Group

Competition Corner Readers’ Competition Congratulations to our very own Langley Story Group member Julia McClay for her thoughts on books which inspired her through music. Markus Zusak’s ‘The Book Thief’ and a £15 voucher are in the post and heading your way! Here is an extract from her ‘Mind Of Musical Memories’:

Wham’s Make It Big cassette made me love music big time! A friend of mine was at their concert and bought me a souvenir programme. It was a book with information and photos about George and Andrew’s high school life and how they came to know each other and how they got into making their career big. I memorised the information e.g. I know George is a Cancerian like me! The book also contained all the lyrics to Make It Big. I spent all my birthday money on this at 9 years old, danced excitedly with the adrenaline of childhood energy - it electrified the room. When I wasn’t repeatedly playing the songs I was studying the written lyrics. It certainly woke me up to music! I memorised every line, every word, every careless whisper! I realise now how much I love song lyric books. A birthday present I got was a children’s album that taught the fruits of the spirit: faith, patience, self control etc. It gives me joy in my heart to think about it! I had an illustrated book with lyrics and the Music Machine made lovely sounds and was in an enthusiastic American tone. We used to sing along to a book of song sheets in school alongside the radio programme. Learning My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean and the actions. When I was eleven I got a blue Bontempi organ with half a dozen songs in a pamphlet. Learning new songs - Oh Susannah! Oh Dear What Can The Matter Be? Silent Night; I played that religiously at Christmas time every year. My Uncle gave me other books of music to play which taught me songs of The Beatles and Elvis. A little souvenir can go a long way! © Julia McClay, Langley Story Group

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1st

Writers’ Competition Editor Emma was joined by Project Worker Vik and professional writers and Story Group facilitators Anjum Malik and Shamshad Khan for this quarter’s judging. We had some great discussions and hope to give feedback to those who just missed out in future issues.

Congratulations to Phil Barling of Whitefield, Bury on this vivid recollection. The panel of competition judges said it was “fantastic beautiful, 10/10, had very rich descriptions” and one even said “I can hear the music!”

On seeing Jimi (slight return) - Isle of Wight 1970 In the buckskin fringe of dawn I saw Jimi his eyes shining like the sun no flashing strobes or idiot dancers just the eerie, after party, empty bottle morning and the tired, unnecessary smoke sweet aroma of earlier joy girls with undertaker eyes stared up through a canopy of blonde His smile. at once, shy and arrogant chewing lazy, lyrical gum conjuring the crazy apocalypse from his battered Stratocaster the tenement block of amplifiers buzzing & crackling like a storm of November fires, beyond his scarf hung from the neck like a flag of ragged glory the sound, now, limpid as pools Wistful, a cry of harrowing beauty a premonition of pain to come his fingers marching like psychedelic crabs across the frets cajoling the rock n roll rabbit from its battered broken hat playing a musical sunrise

we drift away in the battleground grey of day an army, older than before wiser, in tune with our blue melody, this concerto of wasted rebellion Jimi, your eyes shine Like the sun No wonder You kissed the sky © Phil Barling

Writers’ Competition Metaller Than Thou

2nd

Metal club snobs look down their nose At guys like me dressed in the wrong clothes My shirt’s not black neither’s my jeans My lip’s not pierced and my hair’s not green I’ve been doing this since you were three You still say you’re more metal than me You’re into Emo I’m into Thrash You like Paramore and I like Slash You’re acting cool propping up the bar I’m on the floor playing air guitar But you don’t dance to Slayer, Pantera or Tool Metallica or Anthrax - nothing old school Yet you take one look and your mates all agree They say you’re way more metal than me You ask - What’s this song? I take a breath You’ve never heard of Megadeth You can stick Limp Bizkit where the sun don’t shine You’ve got the look but the music’s mine Your metal credentials have been deferred And I’m still singing all the words Next time give me some latitude Metal ain’t your clothes it’s your attitude © Kieran King

There was much discussion over Kieran’s piece. The panel liked the rhythm and playful confrontation in the piece. Even if you know nothing of metal it still is familiar banter to many! Harmonica by Geoff Hattersley and a £20 voucher and are on their way to Phil Barling, with a £20 voucher heading to Kieran King and £10 to Steve Mellor. Enjoy! If you want to be in with a chance of winning enter our Dreams competitions on page 50.

Now & Then Songs

3rd

Those dreaded words … “I’ll just pop Vera Lynn on.” My Dad used to bang on about Frank Sinatra & The Andrews Sisters and other blokes like that. We had to listen to his records, on the gramophone in the front room, after tea on Sunday. Crooners and mooners and juners that you could waltz to. (Whatever that was) But would I listen? Would I heck-as-like! They were RUBBISH!!!! That wasn’t music! And you couldn’t dance to it!!!! But my music was MUSIC!!!! The Who & Small Faces; Aretha & Northern Soul. And God could I dance!!!! I could have gone on Ready Steady Go, If they’d asked. I could Twist and Locomotion; Boogaloo; Do the Watusi and Walk the Dog. But try and tell today’s kids about my music; about the records I listened to. Will they listen? Will they heck-as-like! When I play them my music, and explain, in finite detail, why it’s MUSIC, all they say is: That’s RUBBISH!!!! Then - What’s a record? Then - Can we listen to our stuff now? Kids!!!! © Steve Mellor

The panel liked Steve’s friendly, colloquial style and the generational cycles in his poem. It was too good not to include!

Competition

For the Readers Our next issue of Scribble is on the theme of

DREAMS.

To win a £15 book token and a copy of John Siddique’s Don’t Wear It On Your Head simply answer the following question: Which book took you into the best dream world? It might have been a children’s fiction or a futuristic Sci-Fi world. Write any book which really grabbed your imagination and made you never want it to end.

Competition

For the WRITERS As our next issue of Scribble is on the theme of

DREAMS What would be your ultimate dream? It could be a fantasy or a real-life goal. Maybe you’ve had a burning desire to run a marathon, travel the world, take up an unusual hobby or simply find the perfect home. The winning entry will receive a £20 book token and Debjani Chatterjee’s Words Spit and Splinter (featured on page 32) The runner up will receive a £20 book token and both will be published in the next issue of Scribble. Deadline for both: Thursday 31st May 2012 The best answers will be printed in the next issue of Scribble so let your imagination run wild. Only pieces on the theme of dreams will be in with a chance of winning. What are you waiting for?

Please send all entries to: Scribble c/o Tell Us Another One Cartwheel Arts, 110 Manchester Street, Heywood OL10 1DW t: 01706 361300 e: emma@cartwheelarts.org.uk

What’s Going On If you live in Rochdale, Oldham or Bury, why not join us for the next monthly Story Groups? Full details at www.tellusanotherone.org

Folk Love See page 37 for some exciting upcoming events at Oldham Libraries.

Carol Ann Duffy and friends, Royal Exchange, Manchester Monday 19 March @ 7.00pm and Monday 30 April @ 7.00pm Go to www.royalexchangetheatre.org.uk, and follow the link on the left to Carol Ann Duffy & Friends

Open Mics • Write Out Loud continue with the fantastic open mic night at Ring O’Bells, St Leonard’s Sq, Middleton, 8pm every fourth Sunday. • Weaving Words is the second Monday of each month, 5.30pm at the Wheatsheaf Library, central Rochdale. • Manky Poets, Chorlton Library, Manchester is the third Friday of each month at 7.30pm

Scribble Festival and Folk Love See page 37-38 for upcoming events at Oldham Libraries

Find us on Facebook: Cartwheel Arts (look for the blue hand!) Follow us @cartwheelarts Youtube: Cartwheelartsonline Scribble c/o Tell Us Another One Cartwheel Arts, 110 Manchester Street, Heywood OL10 1DW t: 01706 361300 f: 01706 361400 e: emma@cartwheelarts.org.uk w: www.cartwheelarts.org.uk www.tellusanotherone.org

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