Poet, Photographer, Author, Andrew Fusek Peters
Andrew Fusek Peters is a prolific poet and author with over 100 published books. His poetry is recorded for the Poetry Archive. His poems have also appeared on Poetry Please, Radio 3 Words and Music and the BBC1 Poetry Series Wham Bam Strawberry Jam. His collections include Leaves Are Like Traffic Lights {Salt} and Mad, Bad & Dangerously Haddock {Lion}. His wild swimming memoir Dip {Random House}, was highly praised. ‘A poetic book, the writing is so lyrical and full of metaphor… and there are moments when words and water fuse together’ Independent. ‘A candid, personal and poetic read’ Scotsman. Andrew’s photos have appeared in the Guardian, Amateur Photographer and Black & White Photography. He has been shortlisted for British Wildlife Photographer Of The Year twice, and Amateur Photographer of the Year. In Wilderness Is Paradise Now, Wildlife and Wonder from the Shropshire Borders, featuring his photography, nature writing and poetry {Fairacre Press} launches at the Wenlock Poetry Festival in 2016. His Shropshire wildlife photos are published as greetings cards by Chris George Cards.
Andrew Fusek Peters says:
This is such a wonderful idea – as a writer and photographer, we all have our target species, our big five, the ones we are after. But sometimes it’s important not to neglect what is in front of our very eyes. In my research into the history of nettles, I had no idea they have been and continue to be so efficacious, for physical healing, as food and tonic and to make clothes, nets and sailcloths. So, the project could be our little nudge-factor, to give both science and poetry a helping hand to correct misperception and give another side to Maligned Species. As a writer, I always love interesting briefs – I was once a resident poet on a gas platform in the North Sea and found out more in a week about the gas that warms our kettles than I ever knew in my lifetime. It inspired a whole set of new poetry and fired my imagination – this project has already had that effect on me. As writers, we need stimulus and to step away from what we are comfortable with and what we know to write about already. If we are not stretched, we cannot grow. In terms of expectations, I am excited not only about what I might come up with, but also what our other poets might deliver into the mix – there is some great potential here. As I am doing less writing and more photography these days, it is good to return to my first art form and find new meanings, images and words on the chosen theme. I have always been interested in the science behind what we take for granted
Maligned Species: Poetry. Science. And you.
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