Church bell ringer releases poems about his 'cherished' Shrewsbury
A church bell ringer is ready to cause a ding dong in poetry circles when he releases his verses about his love for the county town.
Michael Carding, who is tower captain at Holy Trinity Church in Meole Brace, Shrewsbury, has published Loopy Lines: Poems from the heart of Shrewsbury. His work is a collection of poems about Shrewsbury and the surrounding area. The town's mayor, Councillor Elisabeth Roberts, will be among invited guests at a launch event on the Sabrina boat on Wednesday, September 28.
Michael is a former youth worker and maths teacher who was headteacher at Bishop Heber High School in Malpas, Cheshire for eighteen years. He moved to live in Shrewsbury nine years ago and the poems are a cherished tribute to his home town.
He lovingly describes the streets and statues, the churches and shuts. He introduces us to characters, and weaves tangled tales to bring the place to life. Within the loop or further afield, the buildings and people resonate with their river.
Some of the sixteen poems are a serious reflection on tradition and culture. Some are light-hearted and amusing. Many were written to be performed at local events and they are published with an invitation for others to recite at home and in public.
Michael’s previous collection, Shapely Lines, was published by Authorhouse in 2018.
He said: “The Severn loop is a line which constantly fascinates. Most of the historic churches and civic buildings, Elizabethan and Georgian, lie within the loop. Over the Welsh Bridge, the road stretches west through the wetlands towards the castles and mountains of Wales. Over the English Bridge, the county reveals the cradle of the industrial revolution, those blue remembered hills and so much more. The urge to capture this in poetry is irresistible.”
All the profits from Loopy Lines will go to three local charities which are close to Michael’s heart - Shrewsbury Food Hub, where he volunteers, the town's Street Pastors, where his wife Gill volunteers, and Shrewsbury Samaritans, who gave him his big break performing to a full house at Theatre Severn.
Michael has performed in many other venues within Shropshire and beyond including The Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton, The Sovereign Suite at Shrewsbury Town FC and The Hive in Shrewsbury. He is the host of the popular poetry evening staged at Barnabas Church as part of the Belle Vue Arts Festival.
Loopy Lines is on sale at £5 from the libraries in Shrewsbury and Church Stretton, Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery, Shrewsbury Arts & Crafts, The Bear Steps Gallery, Pengwern Books and the Sabrina booking office.
