Michael Walker

Michael Walker Biography

I was born in New Plymouth, New Zealand.I went through the education system, high school, and graduated from the University of Auckland with a BA and an MA degree. I taught English and French in a few New Zealand high schools on and off from 1969 till 2006. I travelled to England and France in the early 1970s. I lived and taught English in Grenoble for a couple of years. Here, I spoke French most of the time, but also had time to buy and read many French novels in paperback. The novelist, Stendhal, was from Grenoble and lived there most of his life. I first read Stendhqal's novel, 'Le Rouge et le Noir' ('The Scarlet and the Black') in Grenoble. I rate this novel highly.
On return to New Zealand I had two poems accepted by Literary Arts Press, Los Angeles. After that, I did not write any more for years. poems. I went teaching in the South Island, and a few North Island towns.
I lived for twenty-four years in West Auckland, 1992-2016. There I had experience of teaching English to adult students in language schools. I lived alone, still do.
In 2011, I did a computer course at New Lynn library, and started typing my own poems.
In 2016 I moved back to Wanganui where, surprisingly, my writing seemed to improve.
My main leisure interest is reading, library books and others that I buy. I prefer nonfiction and poetry anthologies. Without reading, I don't think I could have progressed as a writer. I watch DVDs, and sometimes I can base a poem on them. I like pop music DVDs also.
I have had a lifelong interest in physical fitness. In New Lynn I joined a gym, where I got a lot from the treadmill, the exercycle, with some weight training on machines. I wrote a poem about this. Going for a long walk can clarify my thoughts and give me ideas for writing.

Michael Walker Poems

The Best Poem Of Michael Walker

Life And Death.

I know, or I think I know, where I was born.
New Plymouth, a city with two sprawling cemeteries,
where I found my grandparents' gravestones at last,
but they were covered in gray lichen and moss.

The kindly sexton said she would spray the gravestones
and I will go back to see them cleaned and clarified.
My grandparents were always there for me.
My grandfather taught me table manners, sternly.

He and I used to watch the cricket at Pukekura Park
then we would wander around the lake,
seeing the sleek canoes gliding on the surface.
I loved to hear the fountain playing on and off.

I thought that death may not be the end,
when I found their graves last weekend.

-15 June,2016.

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