John Wheeler

John Wheeler is a multiple poetry slam champion and a Farrago national finalist for three years running. He has been performing at London venues for many years as well as running workshops on poetry performance and publishing articles and poetry in various anthologies and magazines. 
He has worked as a teacher and in education for most of his working life.

Amongst other successes, he won “Highly Commended” in the 2016 Bridport International Poetry Prize, and was shortlisted for the Teignmouth Poetry Prize and the Wells Festival Poetry Prize in 2017.

"What Did I Just Say?" is a volume of some of the poetry - much of it comic - that has emerged from John Wheeler's performances. Full of characters and voices, it is sharp, entertaining and thought-provoking. ​

This is my gun 
(From "What Did I Just Say?)                                                        

This is my gun.
Not many like it.
This one is mine.
 
Strange.
A thing both hard and soft.
Blued and silky and cool.
Rub your hand along the barrel, and it satisfies.
 
Almost magic.
Pull here...
things happen ...
there.
 
Any movie tells the story.
Lose your gun and you’re a nobody.
But I’m somebody.
Don’t try to tell me I’m not.
Gun has one purpose.
Perfect and single.
Knife you can use to
cut a steak
whittle a stick
trim a rope...
Not a gun.
It’s always waiting.
Aching to speak.
Be itself.
 
This is my gun.
Not many like it.
This one is mine.

© John Wheeler

What did I Just Say?
​by John Wheeler
ISBN: 978-1-907435-60-7
​Published June 2018
39 poems with Foreword and notes.
Perfect-bound paperback
75 pages ​15cm wide x 21cm tall

Price: £8.00 + p&p