Tings & Need to Know Basis
Tings
I have mouthwash instead of a dad
I have a high definition 60 inch TV instead of a dad
I have West Indian hot pepper sauce instead of a dad
I have Heinz baked beans instead of a dad
I have a Manchester United jacket instead of a dad
I have a black tie instead of a dad
I have binoculars instead of a dad
I have a bottle of Vodka instead of a dad
I have 4 x 500g tubs of Vaseline instead of a dad
I have I have I have have have instead of a dad
Tings tings tings instead of a dad
Tings tings, instead of
Tings instead
Tings
Need to Know Basis
Daddy don’t want ma poetry
He wants my life to be
Streaked with conformity
Bills paid on time, you see
Swilled clean of sweet pipe dreams
Don’t tell me don’t tell me don’t tell me
Daddy don’t want my poetry
Light beam on privacy
Reel to reel movie scene
Pride not alacrity
Don’t tell me don’t tell me don’t tell me
He na WANT DEM. He na WAN see. HE na GWAN fi see
ma poetry
Emma Conally-Barklem (she/her) is an author, poet, yoga teacher and grief worker based in Yorkshire. Emma was a lecturer in English Literature for thirteen years and has an MA in Victorian Literature. She was named one of Ilkley Poetry Festival’s New Northern Poets 2023. Her first poetry collection, ‘The Ridings’ Written Off Publishing was curated into her first photography and poetry exhibition, ‘The Ridings: Bradford Working-Class Family Life, Loss and Landscape 1970s-1990s’ at South Square Gallery, Bradford. Her second collection on the Brontë sisters, ‘Hymns from the Sisters’ is out now at Querencia Press. Emma won the Black in White Poetry competition 2024. She has been chosen as a core poet for the BBC’s Contains Strong Language flagship poetry and spoken word festival which will be part of the Bradford City of Culture 2025 TV, radio and events programme. Most recently, Emma's first novel 'Yoga Homicide' was shortlisted for the Book Edit Writers' Prize 2024.
Website: www.emmaliveyoga.com
Instagram: @emmaliveyoga