Bazil Figura-Poet
Bazil Figura
Poet / Performer / Communicator
Bio
Hi, and welcome to my website.
I’ve been writing poetry for many years and thought it time I shared my work with the wider world.
Let me tell you a little about myself, I was born in the late 50’s to an English mother and Ukrainian father… hence the funny name.
I was born and brought up in the county of Norfolk, so that make me a ‘gud ol’ Narfook boi’
I grew up in the beautiful village of Castle Acre in North West Norfolk, a truly picturesque and scenic place which I encourage you to visit if you’re ever in Gods own county.
It boasts a 12th century Norman Castle ruin and an 11th century Cluniac Priory ruin, these were my playground as I was growing up although I have to clarify both the Castle and the Priory were already ruins before I got there.
I now live in the historic market town and port of King's Lynn on the mouth of the Wash. Back in the 14th century King’s Lynn was the most important port in England mainly due to the trading within the in Hanseatic League effectively the forerunner to the EU, that had an influence on the town’s early architecture a clever mix of English and Flemish. It has a past including the public burning of witches, besieged by the Parliamentarians during the English civil war, legend also has it King John left the Town of King’s Lynn to make his way to Lincolnshire when his Royal baggage carts became stuck in the Wash and the royal treasure was lost to the incoming sea and is still lost to this very day.
I started writing poetry about 30 years ago; if I’m truthful when I first started to write I kept it quite and never told anyone what my hobby was for fear of ridicule, I was worried people taking the p*** and back then anyone seen writing poetry would definitely be a target for a good old p*** take.
However as I have grown older and my tolerance for stupidity has lowered considerably, I now really don’t give a shite what people think of my work, I write for my pleasure and to please me, however if anyone who reads it and enjoys it too, that brings me even more pleasure that writing it in the first place and that can only be a good thing.
If someone ends up laughing out loud at the funny pieces or thinks differently after reading the serious pieces then I’m very proud of that too.
For me poetry is all about telling a story in as few words as possible, I choose my words with care because each one is precious. You will see from reading my work I vary my styles, and the subjects differ greatly. If I get an idea I just go with it.
So, thank you for visiting, enjoy what you read and don’t be a stranger.
You can even leave a comment or message if you like.
Influences
There are many and varied people who I enjoy watching and listening to, these people inspire me to do my thing in the hope I’ll become better and a successful poet and performer.
Curiously people like Wordsworth, Shelly, Tennyson, Hardy etc. are not the people who influenced me, being a child of the late 60’ and early 70’s and attending a rural secondary school (that what they were called back then) I was nourished by the box in the corner of the living room.
I grew up and developed what could be described as an ironic since of humour, supported by the odd layer of sarcasm, I can see the funny side of most things, nothing much shocks me, nothing much surprises me.
I try to see the good in everyone and I treat everyone the same and how I expect to be treated. I’m happy to say most of the times that happen but on occasions you inevitably meet someone who is too stupid for their own good, and so their re-education begins.
The people who inspire me over the years through their words and actions, you have to be of an age to appreciate who they were and what they did... in no particular order;
Chris Tarrant (TISWAS) / Johnny Morris / John Noakes / Monty Python (the whole team) / Fyfe Robinson / David Bellamy / Dr Magus Pike / Alan Wicker
...but there are a few people who in my opinion that extra special when it comes to communication, the way they engage and hold an audience, these people I really admire;
Stephen Fry - the legend, is there anything that man can’t do; writes, acts, presents, campaigns, the list is endless; he is top of my bucket list to meet and chat with one day.
Ricky Gervais - his material is brilliant and I love his performances, he connects with his audience. He’s fearless and never worries about offending people.
Billy Connelly - a brilliant storyteller and engaging performer, someone you could listen to for hours and hours.
Professor Brian Cox - has an amazing way of explaining very complicated things in a way which mere mortals can understand, he also is on my bucket list.
Likes and Dislikes
Likes
Norwich City – I am a loyal supporter; I support the boys through good times and bad which seem to be in equal amounts over recent years – good times, getting promotion – bad times getting relegated the following year. Oh the frustration we supporters must bear!
The Norfolk coast – love visiting the coast whenever I can, Norfolk is blessed with some of the best beached and coastline in the country. Big skies, wide beaches and that distinctive breeze that come from the North Sea.
Walking – whenever I get the chance I love to put my walking boots on and go for a tab, lovely quiet country lanes, woods and copses and the best of all… the beach.
Cycling – I am a keen cyclist…yes Lycia and the full works, my claim to fame is I cycled the famous Mont Ventoux in the south of France three times in three days the third day was to celebrate my 60th birthday, if it was a choice of giving up my bike or my children, well it would be to close to call…..only joking, the bike wins every time.
Radio 4 – love it, love it, love it, I can remember as a 7 or 8 year old listening to shows like Round the Horn and the Navy Lark on a huge radio which had valves that had to warm up before any sound came out. I’ve been a loyal listener ever since.
Dislikes
Snobs – sorry but I hate them and they annoy me. I’ve always been a great fan of Charles Darwin’s natural selection theory but I think they came from a contaminated gene pool.
Religion – as a practicing atheist I can never get my head around anyone believing in an invisible man in the sky telling you what to do and how to live your life. They are supposed to have created everyone and everything….have you seen the crap which is happening in the world today?
If religion gets you through the day then fill your boots, but it’s not for me.
Bad manners / Disrespect – being old school I was brought up on ‘Please and Thank you’ and respecting your elders (even if they were miserable sods) there is a whole generation who do not have these life skills.
Wokery – my pet hate at the moment and a constant source of amusement, the whole world seems to be turning upside-down as we watch every word we say for fear of upsetting someone’s feelings.
‘Never have so many been accused of so much by so few’
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Ambitions
My ambition is quite simple, I would love to become a professional poet and performer, asked to attend and perform at literary festivals up and down the country and even abroad, to be invited into schools to promote and encourage this written medium, to be invited on BBC Question Time as that strange guest that nobody really know who they are and why they’re there, and the ultimate recognition of making it to the big time being invited on my beloved Radio Four on shows like I’m Sorry I haven’t a Clue, The Unbelievable Truth and the holy of holy’s - Just a Minute
Realistically I’m just hoping people who visit my site and read my work will enjoy it and maybe return, but being a glass half full type of guy and I am sure someone out there who visits my site maybe a person who could change my life and allow me to fulfil my ambitions, hell I haven’t even got an agent so any help is gratefully received.
Hope is eternal….so if you are a TV or radio producer, talent agent, philanthropist, patron of the arts or person of influence please get in touch....and don’t hang about none of us is getting any younger!