Posted Monday December 14th 2009
by Nikesh Shukla

Poet Luke Wright is one of BBC Radio 4's poets-in-residence as well as being one of the key spearheads of performance poetry in the UK. He has performed for years around the UK, presented programmes on Channel 4, is a spokesperson for the poem and writes brilliantly whimsical stand-up poetry shows for Edinburgh Fringe festival. On top of all this he's recently become a dad. We thought it would be nice to talk the man The Observer describes as '[T]he best young performance poet around' about his reading journey with his son, Aidan, and how exactly he will be sharing his love of words and poetry with him.

>Congratulations on your new baby. Have you been reading to him?
We read to Aidan most nights. He likes picture and pop-up books and reaches out for them. He has a couple of fabric books which he likes to bash around the place. He's very young and doesn't understand the words yet but we want him to feel comfortable with books, we want him to see books as a major part of his life.

>Do you remember your parents reading to you as a child? What was your favourite story?
 
I do. I loved The Tale of Mr Tod by Beatrix Potter. In fact my friend Simon just bought Aidan the entire Beatrix Potter collection and re-reading Mr Tod the other night I was struck at the quality of the prose, it's very poetic. The story is still as scary and chilling now, a true masterpiece. I also loved Roald Dahl (as all good kids should).

>When did you get interested in writing your own pieces?
Aged 4, I dictated stories about myself as a superhero to my mum. Little has changed, but I have my own laptop now.

>Where does your love of poetry come from?
I wasn't really read poetry as a child. Nothing I can recall anyway. I wasn't that interested in school either. I loved lyrics though. Damon Albarn is a genius. The Life trilogy by Blur gave me an interest in writing lyrics and when the frustration of being in a teenage band set in I went to see Martin Newell and John Cooper Clarke, and that was that.

>How do you plan on getting your son interested in words like you?
We will always encourage books and reading. If he takes an interest in words beyond that then great, but I don't want to force him.

>Why is reading important?
It's a whole extra world beyond the one we live in today. Why people feel the need to do something like Second Life when there are a million plus wonderful 'second lives' out there in the form of books is beyond me.

>Being a poet, will you be using lots of rhymes?
I make up rhymes all the time when I speak to Aidan. His name rhymes with misbehaving, which is nice.

>Have you written anything specially to recite to your son? How does he react?
Not yet, but I'm sure I will. I have been reading a lot of Harry Graham and other old music hall stuff so I'm well up for a few kiddy ballads.

>What’s your favourite book of all time?
I love The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Cley by Michael Chabon, Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl (the only book I've read more than once), Sword of Honour by Evelyn Waugh - in fact, most of Evelyn Waugh's canon.

Click here to find out more about Luke and his latest shows