Poetry in the Mens Room

Graffiti that caught my attention in the toilets of a bar in Liverpool.

THE BE-GOOD-NEWS CARNIVAL DREAM

Here come officiators

on all-terrain bikes

semaphore animal companion hands.

The herd ogle ambient shadows

under an automated teller machine.

Dancing juveniles in hoop-skirts

stagger as flutes choke.

The Attitude Queen gawps

at the tar-black tongue

of a hanged bail bandit.

by Chris Barnes.

In 1998 I won a Northern Arts writers award. In July 200 I read at Waterstones bookshop to promote the anthology 'Titles Are Bitches'. Christmas 2001 I debuted at Newcastle's famous Morden Tower doing a reading of my poems. Each year I read for Proudwords lesbian and gay writing festival and I partake in workshops. 2005 saw the publication of my collection LOVEBITES published by Chanticleer Press, 6/1 Jamaica Mews, Edinburgh.

On Saturday 16Th August 2003 I read at the Edinburgh Festival as a Per Verse poet at LGBT Centre, Broughton St.

I also have a BBC web-page: http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/videonation/stories/gay_history.shtml