I Love My Life

I am 33 years old and was born with Down’s Syndrome.

I have two sisters called Jane and Liz, my stepdad John and my Mum who is very special to us. We have two cats, Millie and Ellie, who are 15 years old.

At weekends, I often stay at my Grandma’s where we have lots of fun. She has all the time in the world for me. When I was younger we used to go to our caravan at Settle. We had lovely times. I rode my red bike but Grandma used to follow me to check I didn’t fall off.

I found poetry in an adolescent whirlwind of emotion. Words blotted my page and cleaned my minds friction. I continued to release tangled thoughts as I went up and down life’s many paths. I want my words to embrace, to help, to show understanding and empathy. Be a soothing blanket of recognition. I write because I have to, it’s like a therapeutic medicine for me. A release from the darkness of life’s journey. I am a published poet, including small publications such as Scribble magazine and my own book Prejudice and Pride published by Chipmunka publishing. I am a regular performance poet whose always trying to improve my skills. Poetry for me is like breathing I need to express myself, free my mind.

I was born one morning

At the beginning of time

Picked up a pen

And started to rhyme

Norman is a slam-winning performance poet who facilitates the monthly workshops for Touchstones Creative Writing Group, as well as co-hosting monthly Folk ‘n Poetry nights at The Baum on Toad Lane. He also offers a professional critique service, and sets monthly ‘homework’ which he marks and returns. 

I, Scribble
Catapulted from the planet Silica, faster than the speed of light, I emerge.

I am Scribble, a belly wriggling invertebrate, spherical shaped, a single grain of sand encased in jelloid, with a minute proboscis. Circling the stratosphere, spiraling silently, bouncing and mingling around heavenly galaxies. Wild and free.

My mission was to connect with humanoid civilisation on planet earth. Trying to establish if they, like myself and other inhabitants of Silica, have become masters of the written word. Wandering and wondering which subjects would be included in earthling scribblers.

Ray Stearn first opened a can of worms as a children’s storyteller over 35 years ago when he qualified as a librarian His stories have been heard in libraries, schools, playgroups, nurseries and Children’s Centres ever since.