BUNCH OF FIVES: Dean Jolly

Image: Dean Jolly by Jessica Knights

North East writer Dean Jolly’s work expands the boundaries between poetry and prose; his February 2024 novelette, Nirvana, was well received, and further poetry collections Flotsam, Jetsam, Lagan & Derelict explore local and coastal themes. Dean also hosts a monthly open mic poetry night, Lofty Words, at Baba Yaga’s in North Shields, with the next event taking place on Thursday 21st January (7pm). Here, he picks his top 5 poets…

Poets are such fascinating people. Their poetry can often reveal just as much about the nature of the poet as they do about the nature of the world. From a young age, I aspired to write poetry and prose that might one day be read worldwide, however I felt it sensible to first read those who had come before me. Those who had contributed to the rich fabric of literature already and left their unique mark. I wanted to study the greats so that I might learn something from them, but I also wanted to plot the paths they had already walked, so that rather than following in their footsteps, I could pave my own. So I read extensively before ever daring to pick up a pen, and in doing so found my favourites which I have listed below;

1. Philip Larkin

With me it all started with Philip Larkin. I studied Larkin in college and certain poems stood out to me as being particularly haunting such as Ambulances whilst others like Bridge For The Living showed a mastery of language I admired. It was Larkin who taught me that poetry contains aspects of the poet. He also made me think critically about poetry rather than seeing poems as something you only ever notice on the inside of Birthday cards.

2. Charles Bukowski

Charles Bukowski is something of a conundrum. A man more at home at a horse racing track or at a pub than the glitzy world of book launches and formal dinners and yet the rawness of his words also reflect the authenticity of his life. In-between the late night booze binges, classical music and multiple jobs he still managed to leave his mark. He used his typewriter like a machine gun and aimed it towards whatever happened to come to mind. Whether you love him or hate him you can’t deny that he had his own unique literary style. Bukowski taught me that sometimes you have to suffer for your art. Resilience is key in this game. He also taught me that sometimes beauty and moments of magic can be found in the everyday mundanity of living and in the significance of small moments.

3. Edgar Allan Poe

What can I say about Poe that hasn’t already been said? Poe was a master of his craft. There is a richness in his words and a timeless aspect to his poems. He was also a pioneer having essentially invented the modern detective fiction genre with his literary invention of Auguste Dupan. Modern day works still carry his fingerprints (no pun intended).

4. Pablo Neruda

I first discovered Neruda having sat down to watch an adaption of Che Guavara’s Motorcycle Diaries and in hearing the characters quote his works I was intrigued and so sought out his poetry. A look into Neruda’s world showed me a man deeply in tune with his emotions and who through poetry expressed them exquisitely. There is a particular poem that spoke to me called If You Forget Me which I highly recommend. Neruda taught me to write from the heart and to do so passionately and without restraint.

5. Dante

Dante wrote the ultimate story of a journey through the nine circles of hell framed as an epic narrative poem. The Divine Comedy is his magnum opus. This narrative poem is as ambitious as it is impressive. Dante taught me that poetry can tell a universal story. He also taught me to be ambitious regarding my work and to think big! This led me to want to write poems and stories that deal with existential and universal themes that resonate with anyone who has ever asked the big questions in life and tried to make sense of it all.