Jim Bennett

Jim Bennett was born in Liverpool in 1951 and adopted into the Bennett family at 2 years of age. He began writing poetry and short stories in the 1960's and was performing his poetry in O'Connor's Tavern in Liverpool long before he was of age to go in legally.

He had several jobs after leaving University but in 1976 gave up working in the conventional sense to pursue a life of writing, lecturing and performing his poetry. Jim has written freelance journalism, short stories and poetry for the years since.

His lecturing has included creating courses in Transport and Safety Studies, Creative Writing, Media, Journalism, Speculative Writing, Travel Writing and various Poetry Courses, for Universities and other educational organisations. He has written 57 books ranging from Transport Studies, Children's and Poetry, and in addition has written many songs and had a CD of his poetry and songs released, and many booklets and brochures of his poetry have been produced to tie in with various performances.

Jim's career as a performance poet has earned him many awards amongst which are three DADAFest awards, and a Silver Stake from the Manchester Slam. He has also won awards for his poetry including the 2006 Frost Award, and the Fante Award in 2002.

In 2005 his book THE MAN WHO TRIED TO HUG CLOUDS was voted Best Poetry Book in English at the Berlin Book Festival. He has been nominated five times for a Pushcart Award and has twice won the performance award the San Francisco Beat Festival and was Poetry Superhighway Favourite Poet of the Year 2000.

His poetry has been published widely and Jim has grasped the Internet as a tool for poets and helped create the most visited independent website in the world for poets and writers, POETRY KIT. Poetry Kit was created in 1998 by Ted Slade and Jim worked with him on developing and editing on-line Poetry magazines until Ted's death in 2004 when Jim took over as the sole owner and principle editor of the site and its spin off magazines.

Jim tours regularly and has performed his poetry around the UK, Europe and USA. He has worked as a poet in residence for schools and Civic Authorities and in 2005 was Poet in residence at Birkenhead to produce the POEM FOR BIRKENHEAD. He has performed his poetry for official events including a visit to Liverpool by HRH Prince Edward and other Conferences and special events. He has performed at events for both Liverpool and Everton Football teams.

From 2006 - 2008 Jim is Poet in Residence at Liverpool's Dockland and Visiting Poet to New York's Historic Waterfront.

the last poet

at the last open floor 
event ever 
stood up to the mic
he began a poem
about the last poet
at the last open floor
event ever

he was going to read
a poem about 
asteroids and climate change
population and weapons
and other Earth shattering
events

instead he just said
what his poem was to be about
other than that he felt
there was very little point

the last poet
at the last open floor 
event ever
stands and waits
like everybody else
for whatever end 
will come

bows 

and leaves the stage