making an offer

I have another life. A few times a month, I stand up and do performance poetry in various pubs & cafes around Sydney. Sometimes the punters love it. Sometimes you could hear a pin drop in the pained silence. Thems the breaks. I've been doing this for a year and I'd like to broaden my horizons.

Would you like a poem written for you?

Yes. You.

Questions & Answers

What can the poem be about?
Whatever you want it to be. A loved one, a special event, a topic that gets you passionate. Up to you.

How much input do you need from me?
The more the better. A conversation over a coffee or the phone is a minimum.

Can I tell you what style I want the poem written in?
Sure. Suggest poets and poems you like. I cannot guarantee the output will be anything like them but it will give me a clue.

What if I don't like the poem?
If it's minor, we can do a rewrite. If it's major, then we just part company. I keep the poem and you owe me nothing.

What do I actually get at the end of this?
A written copy of the poem and an mp3 of me reading it.

What do I have to give in return?
Well, here's where it gets interesting. I had thought of charging for this service but I'm not skint at the moment and I'm more interested in fostering creativity in others than tangling with the taxman. So you have to think of something to give me that you perceive as being of equal value to the poem. But what that is exactly is up to you. This is an exchange of gifts. A potlatch.

[UPDATE: For various reasons I would prefer it not to be a poem (some other kind of cultural product is fine) but that's down to you.]

Does your stuff rhyme?
Sometimes. But not always and rarely consistently. There does tend to be a lot of alliteration.

Who are you like?
It varies. It really does.

Who owns the poem?
You can use it in any way you see fit (provided it's not to make money). I keep the copyright and can get it published - but only with your permission (e.g. if it's about your dead cat, you may not want it broadcast to the world).

How do I know you're any good?
Try me and find out.

Here is a little sample:

i look around the train carriage and wonder
when the level 3 smile restrictions will be lifted
when ominous clouds of joy will still the chatter of the sun
and douse this cheesecake city in delight

the drought had lasted so long
that i mistook the sound of rain
for the white noise of my television