The Manchester born and bred poet Michael Eliot, also known as the Mancunian Pirate visited the Reporter to tell us about his new poetry journey at the age of 56.

He is inspired by the occurrences of everyday life. Throughout his work, he explores themes of love, mental health, nature, relationships, age and conjures up his own fairytale inspired stories. 

Michael told us “I started writing when I was 21 and I’d write about anything I'd see, then I got married and started a family which takes up a lot of time so I stopped writing and then during lockdown, started again.” 

He has started to perform at open mic nights at venues such as Guide Bridge Theatre and Bask in Stockport and even if he looks confident on stage in his eccentric vintage attire, this is a facade. He explains “ I might look fairly confident on stage but it’s all paddling underneath but people are so nice in the poetry world - it doesn’t matter what you do or how good you are, poetry is poetry.” 

Even though the “Mancunian Pirate” has written over 100 poems, he hasn’t professionally published any of them but he is hoping to change this over the next year, “I want to do more open mic events and I want to publish a book full of my own poetry and be a star later on in life!”. Michael will also continue to perform his poetry and is set to be performing at Guide Bridge Theatre on the 21st April. 

Read his poem "The Man I Am" below :

"I am the man that writes about the pain,

About the dullness of the axe and insane within the brain,

And I am the man that writes about the lonely,

When your sat with head in hands and the room you rent ain't homely,

I am the man that writes about the lost,

The needy and the greedy save a child at any cost,

And I am the man that writes about the love,

And the man that writes about the hate aswell,

And ive had a few relationships in life where the difference was very hard to tell.

I am the man the man that writes about a life lived on the streets,

Giving coffee, brass and cigarettes kind words to the folks I meet,

And i am the man that writes for the disabled, 

The physically challenged and the mentally unstabled,

I am the man that writes about your plight,

When the pharaohs said no we took flight in the night,

And I am the man that writes about young Tommy,

If your deft dumb or blind with no father or no mommy,

I am the man that writes all your perversions,

While your standing in the dock telling very different versions,

And I am the man that writes for all your colours,

Your genders religions my sisters my brothers,

I am the man that writes for life and death,

From a babies first cry till you draw your last breath.

I am the man,

I am the man that writes for you"