I is for Children’s Poets Will P Ideal, Häppahl Idrïg, Inky (Peter Bicot), and Kent Ibsen #AtoZChallenge #ZtoA

Liz Brownlee ♦ April 21, 2018 ♦ Leave a comment

Kent N. T. Ibsen

Kent N. T. Ibsen (better known as Kent Ibsen) is a relative newcomer to children’s poetry (he used to be a teacher and before that a double bass player in an orchestra!) but is becoming known for his high energy, hilarious performances, which involve juggling, hamsters, jelly beans and even a tight-rope walk while reciting a poem. Kent’s website is here.

Here is one of his funny poems:

My Mirror Likes to Argue

My mirror likes to argue.
He likes to fight and feud.
He often disagrees with me.
He’s regularly rude.

He’s fond of making faces.
He loves to sneer and scowl.
And, if I scream and shout at him,
he’ll holler, hoot, and howl.

I wish I’d never met him.
I wish he’d go away.
I wish I didn’t chance upon him
several times a day.

I think perhaps the next time
he starts to disagree,
I’ll smile at him to see if maybe
he’ll be nice to me.

Inky and Spider (Peter Bicot)

Photo Credit: Spider-Dog

Inky and Spider (Peter Bicot)

Peter Bicot, known as Inky, spent his childhood in the south of France and moved to London when he was eight. He has had poems published in small press magazines and has been working with schools in south London. He has become famous for his poetry performances which involve his dog Spider who barks in time to the chorus of Peter’s poems! Peter’s website is here.

If you want to book Inky, his email is peterbicot1 @mail.com

Here is one of Peter’s poems (without a chorus!):

Fly

The fly’s mosaic eye

is a red lens;

a loud speaker,

with nothing to say.

An anonymous stare

glares back.

Its body armour

gleams oily green.

Hairs bristle

as the domestic alien

waits – spindle legs

planted from a sci-fi film

and brittle wings flick,

glossed as glass,

flexed for take off.

Fly off the wall,

out of the ointment,

fly-by-night

under the radar,

what wouldn’t you harm?

A futuristic chin

thistles needles.

The air stills

as it tickles

your hand.

Greedy fossicker,

carrier of parasitic disease

flies with ease,

teases with a fickle tickle,

tastes with soft feet,

greets food with vomit,

then drinks liquid filth;

debris-dealer,

garbage-czar,

exoskeletal-superstar.

Häppahl Idrïg

Photo Credit: *Saipal

Häppahl Idrïg

Häppahl Idrïg is a Norwegian poet, well-known for using landscape and weather to describe the human condition. He is famous for his performances in schools across Scandinavia. I haven’t included his website as it is entirely in Norwegian, it was quite difficult finding a translated example of his work!

Here is one of his succinct poems:

WEATHERED

Ice, solid with possibilities,

Weathered by the biting tongue

Of scolding parents;
Shaping their future,

Reducing the block

To shards.

Translated by A.S. Rudin

Will P. Ideal (PhD)

Will P. Ideal (PhD)

Even though it was an honorary award Will is proud to use his doctorate to help promote that wonderful thing that is poetry. He is currently enjoying a residence in the UK, and particularly loves writing humorous, to the point poems that he hopes will entertain children and adults alike.

Will is a very private person and usually has no internet presence at all, so I am thrilled he has allowed me to post this. He works by word of mouth alone.

Here is one of his poems:

A Poem of few Words

Some poems are chatty

Some poems are quiet

Some banquet on words

This one’s on a diet.