Five Things Friday has returned! I interview poet John D no period Robinson about herbs and hoarding memories and housing and hope (in the time of crisis)–and we wrap up with the “Cs”–namely, classical music and cats!
Willow Croft: With a nod to a certain kind of herb that has cameos in your poetry, what would be your favourite culinary herb(s) you’d have in your kitchen, and why?
John D Robinson: Cooking is something that I enjoy: I refer here to British garden herbs: Rosemary: Sage: Coriander: Mint: are the herbs that are always around and are used daily from adding a surprise in sandwiches and in almost every dish I cook there will be at least one or two of the above herbs within from sprinkling over the cooked food to adding them to home-made sauces – particularly mint: herbs and spices were a global trade and I guess still may be, but these days, given the technology, we can grow just about anything we choose:
Willow Croft: In your interview on Horror Sleaze Trash (https://horrorsleazetrash.com/2018/10/01/an-interview-with-john-d-robinson/), your muse can have many forms, including a “distant memory”. Do you hold onto physical mementos that personify memories, or do you travel light in terms of personal possessions?
John D Robinson: I am a hoarder of such physical memento’s and each item will have it’s own time and place and when looking or handling them, I can recall those moments/times when the item first came into my possession: some of them bring a sadness to surface: from everyday ornaments/to books/pictures/paintings/letters/jewelry/collectible models/ – I can see/feel the muse all around – she is ever present – and I thank her – I love her and now again, she gifts me with a flow of words or paint that smoothly move with an energy of their own:
Willow Croft: Do you believe that cats have the ability to exist in multiple dimensions at once? Alternatively/in addition, what sort of magical powers do you want to believe cats have?
John D Robinson: Cats have been a part of my life for the past 54 years: one time I had 4 cats and the house could be quite frenzied and chaotic: I am obsessed with Cats – domestic and wild – there is a majesty about them – a mystery surrounding them, an energy and attitude that is unique and individual to that cat: I will very often stop and greet cats as I walk the streets: I don’t think, we, humans, ‘own’ the cat, it will do it’s own shit when it wants to but they are faithful and affectionate (mostly) –
As to whether Cats exist in multiple dimensions – I don’t know – but I’m guessing that if they do then every form of life on this planet would do so also – ‘Mitakuye Oyasin’ ‘we are all related –
Willow Croft: In light of this climate change emergency, how would you envision our definition of housing/a home? What sort of adaptations does humanity need to make, especially when more and more people are priced out of having a livespace?
John D Robinson: This dismal horrific situation has been building pace for some years, here in the UK, back in the 1980’s when large swathes of ‘council properties’ were sold and were never replaced – the periods of economic boom and bust that followed – the hardship that young people are faced with today should never have been allowed to be, particularly in matters of housing, whether renting or buying – the latter almost damn near impossible now and when turned away from local High street banks and mortgage lenders there is the temptation to turn to small independent ‘firms’ whose interest rates on repayment can be astronomical – there is also the issue of where to build without destroying the surrounding area’s – the climate change is beginning to show itself and we’ve earnt it, polluting the skies and seas and oceans for a hundreds year’s and more – I don’t know what can be done now – fuel usage could stop today – again, the technology is there, available, but best keep the rich getting richer, sucking the life from the world’s blood, waters and forests: – I think water will become the next ‘gold’ – for my children’s children I can only hope that some very effective actions happen – it is important to keep hope alive at the very least – the rising costs of basic foods is shameful and criminal – heat or eat – decisions that families may make come winter – for the UK, one of the ‘richest’ countries in the world, that doesn’t sound to good – but in comparison to some countries the UK is a jewel, a beacon of hope and freedom and opportunities. We all know that there is enough food in the world to feed everyone:
Willow Croft: This may be akin to trying to pick a favourite flavour of ice cream (unless you don’t have a sweet tooth), but what’s your favourite piece of classical music?
John D Robinson: This is a very tough one for me: Frederic Chopin: 1810 – 1849: Prelude, OP. 28. No 15: (also referred to as ‘Snowdrop’) –
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: 1756 – 1791: Clarinet Concerto:
Arvo Part: 1935 – Spiegel im Spiegel
I could have carried on for a few more pages:
Thank you:
~~~
That’s a wrap for this week’s Five Things Friday interview! I don’t have links available, but you can check out some of their poetry on Horror Sleaze Trash (search John D Robinson) as well as many other great poets!
(I haven’t been reading much poetry as of late, except for what appears on others’ blogs, but some of the poems here really reminded me why I read poetry–so I don’t feel so alone, so I don’t feel so lost, so the sounds of the “madding crowd” quiet themselves–almost like a meditation.)
Willow Croft 