Hi Gerard. Welcome to Mandy’s Pages. I know it has been a while since we had decided on this interview, but now that we are down to this, please tell us about yourself. Why are you a writer?
Hi there. My name is Gerard Quian and I am an Irish poet from County Limerick. I started writing seriously after I had a life changing experience. I had a heart attack in the year 2000. Before that I was just a passionate dabbler, but when you realize that you can be taken at anytime, and that you’re a very mortal being, your ideas change like a lot of people.
Despite the heart attack, you must have had a love for poetry, or you will not have turned to poetry on a more serious level. Why did you take up poetry? You could have done just about anything else. Why poetry?
I told myself I was not a good enough writer of poetry to be published. But after the heart attack I realised that if you have a passion you should follow it. There are no action replay's in life. You rarely get second chances … so I decided to write and to Publish myself in eBook form. Lulu.com made it possible for me as I found it the easiest site to use ,to get self published, which is wonderful in so many ways, from a control point of view and as an excellent channel to use, well at least I think so.
Living alone has many drawbacks but it does have one compensation; it gives me time to contemplate, to think, and for a writer, especially a writer of poetry , this is a gift. I love where I live. It has become my muse in a way, and my haven. Like most Irish people in the eighties, I had to emigrate, but this too is a gift. It changes your perspective allows you to see beyond yourself, allied to this is the fact I read everything that I come across., I am one of the most indiscriminate readers of all time, but now I find myself more interested in writing, to give back to the world.
With all this time on hand and your love for writing poetry, what is the outcome of this? How has it worked to your advantage?
Currently I have two eBooks available for download, the first is called ‘Snatches of Mind’ and the second is called ‘View from an Island’. Both are available at Lulu.com.
Congratulations Gerard. Although it has been awhile, it is a commendable thing to be able to channel your writing to bear fruit into two books. Tell us something about your books. What are they about?
‘Snatches of the Mind’ is as the title suggests; poems from the mind about the world I live in and my observations of the world at large. The second ebook ‘View from an Island’ is more about living on an island in the middle of the Atlantic and how it has an impact on your upbringing, which in turn colours your view of life.
I had the pleasure of reading your book ‘Snatches of the Mind’. Here is a poem I really loved, for its depth and poetic flair. I’m taking the liberty of showcasing it here.
Better Left Unsaid
By Gerard Quain
How can I tell her
That she makes me feel like a man
When I see her my heart skips a beat
When I watch her dance
I see her curves and how she moves
How do I explain the yearning within
How can I tell her
That I imagine her white body
On black satin sheets
Her skin shimmering
How do I explain the yearning within
How can I tell her
My life without her would be nothing
That her vibe is my inspiration
That she is all, in my mind
How do I explain the yearning within
How can I tell her
She is my best friend
Why would I risk it
And lose the pain
How do I explain the yearning within
With such brilliant talent for poetry, surely you must have the next project in the making. Before we conclude this post, please share your dreams with us. What are you currently working on? What would you like to share?
My next collection is something completely different; it is a collection of songs without music. Yes, I know it sounds strange, but I have always believed that a poem is just a song without the melody. This eBook will contain what most songs contain … love, love unrequited, the grand successes and failures of life … well that is my hope at least.
Without much ado, I would like to thank Amanda for giving me this chance to introduce myself to her avid readers and I wish Amanda and Mandy's Pages every success. Thank you for your time at this page.
Thank YOU, Gerard, for your patience with this interview and for allowing me to showcase your wonderful poetic talent. I wish you the very best in your writing endeavours and look forward to the release of your next book.
‘Snatches of the Mind’ and ‘View from an Island’ are available at Lulu.com.
You may purchase your copy of Gerard Quain’s books here.
Read more about Gerard Quain at his site Bardicnotions.
