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> About Us >Writers' Biographies:
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The Medway Delta Press Writers’ Biographies:
Born in a small village in Kent to rural working class parents and without a formal education he has gone on to publish ten books of poetry and two collections of short stories. His poems range from witty observations on English working class language to shamanic and mystical evocations, often they walk a thin line between the spoken word and song, sometimes accompanied with a drum. Along with Billy Childish, Sexton Ming, Charles Thomson, Rob Earl and Miriam Carney he was a member of the, now legendary group: The Medway Poets. Performing and lecturing all over the world at live readings, often at non literary venues such as hospitals, prisons, schools, festivals and demonstrations. His work has also been broadcast on radio and television in the USA, Latin America, Australia and our own BBC and ITV. Bill has performed with leading artists such as iconic 1960’s folk singer Julie Felix, and Sydney Carter, author or ‘Lord of the Dance’. He has also read with important Latin American poets such as: Claribel Alegria , Martín Espada and Luis Rodriquez. Lewis’ poems have been translated into Spanish by the acclaimed Puerto Rican poet Naomi Ayala and some of his short stories were translated into German by Conny Lösch for the journal ‘Jungewelt’. In 1989 he carried out a program of poetry readings in revolutionary Nicaragua and throughout the 90’s made many reading tours of the United States. In 1999 he was asked by Billy Childish and Charles Thomson to join The Stuckist Group of painters, which has now become an international movement with over 100 groups on every continent. His paintings have been exhibited in London Paris, Hamburg, Berlin, New York and Los Angles. In 2004 15 of his canvasses were hung in the Walker Gallery, Liverpool as part of The Punk Victorian Exhibition. Lewis has made 25 year study of myth and spirituality
that included meeting traditional Native American storytellers and
theologians such as Matthew Fox (Original Blessing) and Diarmuid
O’Murchu (Quantum Theology) which has lead to him being invited
to speak on those subjects at the University of Rhode Island and
the University of Eastern Connecticut. At this time his work was
greatly influenced by Joseph Campbell’s ‘Hero’s
Journey’. “Bill Lewis is an innovator of the language … “ - Claribel Alegria (El Salvador) “One of the great storytellers of our time” - The Rev. Canon Adrian B Slade “A spiritual ambassador … he keeps open
the ways of integrity and beauty” “Bill is a Shaman with words, creating magic in his poetry, fiction, art and storytelling performances. Combining myth, folklore and autobiography, his work is both contemporary and timeless. I highly recommend it.” - Terri Windling “Most impressive” – Alan Sillitoe “Dynamic, witty, passionate and compassionate” – Sydney Carter “Vitality, wit and playfulness and a willingness to experiment” – D M Thomas “The living stuff of the land itself, from the roots of which he draws sustenance and fuel for his work” – John Matthews (Author of The Celtic Shaman) “Bill Lewis is a total poet” – Richard Burns, Co-Founder of the Cambridge International Poetry Festival “I love his vivid storytelling” – Rupert Sheldrake “Bill Lewis is the poet of the Paradigm Shift” - Martín Espada |
With Julie Felix at Gig in Walderslade, Kent
With Syndney Carter in Walderslade, Kent
Bill Lewis reading – Photograph by Carlos Reyes Manzo
With Terri Windling |
