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Welcome sign of spring as poetry trekker Joe hits the road again

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A footslogging open mic poet who makes long treks to poetry events turned up to check out a new Write Out Loud night. Joe Nodus, who sometimes styles himself Joe Yuno, arrived wearing waterproof trousers at Risk a Verse at the Red and Green Club at Milnsbridge, Huddersfield, having hiked for eight hours from Bramley, Leeds.  

On his Write Out Loud profile Joe lists some of the poetry treks he has completed, including walking from Leeds to Manchester, and cycling along the Leeds-Liverpool canal to The Poetry Spoke at Birkenhead.

As you might expect, Joe takes a keen interest in the accuracy of Write Out Loud’s Gig Guide, and is not slow to point out the occasional failings of gig owners who have neglected to notify that events he has walked a long way to are no longer running.

Joe - pictured at Write Out Loud's poetry jam in Marsden - adds on his profile:  “I must have done a good 500 miles, under my own steam, in the summer of 2013 chasing poetry events.” It must be a sign of spring that he is prepared to brave the weather to start poetry trekking again.

The Red and Green Club’s organiser, Paul Salveson, paid tribute to the success of last week’s Write Out Loud night, saying:  “It worked very well, thanks to the organisational brilliance of Julian Jordon of Write Out Loud.  We had excellent contributions from Julian himself (especially liked ‘I Need My Car’); Felix, Steve Mellor, John, Jo Murphy and a keen lad who walked all the way from Leeds! We’re hoping to repeat the success of the evening on Thursday 27 March.”

Risk a Verse is a new venture for Write Out Loud's founder Julian Jordon, who already runs a regular poetry night in nearby Marsden. 

 

PHOTOGRAPH: DAVID ANDREW / WRITE OUT LOUD   

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Joe Nodus

Sun 9th Mar 2014 16:35

Thanks Greg & Chris for your compliments, which are most humbling to me. I wish I was as good as you imply. Without you guys doing what you do, I would not be able to do what I do. Or, at least, not in the way I'm doing it. It would be very hard to find a place to be accepted, at the end of a days walking; without people running poetry/reader groups, & without the WOL gig guide I'd be truly wandering "lonely as a cloud". P.S. Don't forget to get out & pick some Ramsons; they're energy dynamite. I'm 48 & have just started running with better energy than I have for over a decade; that's after eating 40 Ramson leaves in a Biriani, with Olive oil.

Anne Rhodes of the Castelford monthly friday night 'Poetry & Pals' group, asked me a few questions, which I answered, as follows: I do as much walking as I can, but that's only 150 miles since February. The rest of the time I'm lying down or writing/editing poetry; foraging for food, overeating & lying down again.

I live in a high rise flat in Bramley, West Leeds. I have a computer at home, but not internet. I use the Library internet, wherever I happen to be. I use scrap paper, then write up at home.

It is the instinct to survive that started me off long distance walking, when I was ill. Once I spent 2 years in bed, because my previous job had made me ill. The blazing Summer of 2006 got me out swimming in an offshoot of the River Aire. After that I began to explore canal bank walking & gradually I built my stamina. Now the survival instinct, of exercise & gathering wild foods is interlinked with creativity, as I try to link one poetry event to the next, within daily walking distance; which is about 25 miles, possibly a bit more, under favorable conditions.

Another reason to begin, was the curiosity to find out if, as of old, one could walk from one place of major importance to another, without been poisoned & driven insane by the fumes & noise of traffic. I have found that nice enough routes can get one practically the length & breadth of England & Scotland. Not that I've been that far, but hope to do as much as possible, in the coming years.

Thanks for the encouragement to writing about my walking experiences. But there are a lot more experienced walking writers out there than me. The unique aspect of my travels is the link to the WOL gig guide, from which I can plan routes; e.g. Leeds to Cleckheaton, to Middleton, to Manchester, to Maccelesfield or Wigan, to Congleton or Liverpool, to Stoke or Birkenhead, to Wolverhampton or Chester, to Birmingham, London, Brighton, or via the Welsh coastal path to Bristol, Salsbury, Bournemouth; which from the map, all look achievable, mostly via canal banks & country footpaths. I've been down as far as Stourbridge, West of Birmingham. I hope to go further this Summer.

I’ve just gone self employed, as a self-publicist & salesperson of my poetry. I am also very keen to get hold of other people's self-published writing to sell; door to door. I'd like as wide a range of work as possible, so that whoever opens the door; I may have something to interest them. There's the potential for including a charitable aspect to this idea. So anyone interested in these ideas, please get in touch.

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Chris Co

Sun 9th Mar 2014 07:46

Nodus is a true poet, free spirit and a walking/cycling advertisement for his environmental/world outlook.

So many play at this...this guy lives and breathes it. We were privileged to be in his company and honoured by words. Thx mate from me and the rest of us at ThePoetry Spoke, truly humbled by your excursion to be with us that night.

Take care...especially on the road.

Our Best

Chris

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Greg Freeman

Wed 5th Mar 2014 15:42

All power to your walking boots, Joe! Sounds like you have the makings of a book there, interspersed with your poems, if you can make the time to write it.

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Joe Nodus

Mon 3rd Mar 2014 18:34

Thanks for this write up. Nodus is my current handle. After Thursdays gig, I walked to Castleford from Leeds on Friday night for a poetry group led by Anne Rhodes; now advertised at WOL gig guide; http://www.writeoutloud.net/public/eventview.php?day=28&month=03&year=2014&eventID=11079 Next day I walked to Cleckheaton & back after Talking Zebras poetry group at the Commercial; completing 50 miles over 3 days. That's 120 miles so far this year. If you want to know how I do it; try eating fresh ramsons, they're out in the woods right now.

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