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Robert Edge
Discovering dyslexia in adulthood, Robert began an English degree as a “Fuck You” to childhood education. An MRes followed to create: The Fairly Good Samaritan. (a work in progress novel). Poetry informs his prose to develop a linguistical-style allowing shorter snapshots of the world, while evoking emotional responses, whether grief, laughter or ideally both. @robertedge.bsky.social
The Interview
1 How did you decide on what poems to send?
I’ve never written prescriptively so what I sent was exactly what I wrote for the brief.
2 What poetic form did it take, and why?
Free verse, I think I just decide what I want to say and say it. That’s not to say I don’t conform just that conformity needs to be found by accident.
3 How did you use the whiteness of the page in your poem?
I hadn’t considered it, I have in the past whilst studying form but I’m very nature before nurture if that doesn’t make me sound like a pretentious prick.
4 How did you decide on the title of your poem?
The title imagines that the loss of humanity would be the best gift we could give to nature.
Nature is something I feel humans see far too often as something to battle against.
5 Imagery, or narrative. Which was more important to you in writing the poem?
Depends.
6 What do you think of where your poem is placed in the collection?
I’m just happy to have it published.
7 Once they have read your poem, what do you hope the reader will leave with?
An understanding that we are the worst thing that could have happened to nature, that we consume like locusts and very rarely give anything back unless it benefits us as a species. If the reader can see that in themselves, maybe they would be more mindful of their footprints.
The Wombwell Rainbow 