Northampton's new bard on why the role has a place in modern times
- Published
Chris Matthewman is the 12th bard of Northampton
The tradition of the bard is something that dates back hundreds of years, but what place does it have in the 21st Century? A church minister who has been appointed the 12th bard of his town shares what he hopes to achieve from the role.
Look back to Shakespearean times and the role of the bard was to share information and provide social commentary.
Fast forward to 2022, and poetry, the spoken word and storytelling still have a role to play, says Chris Matthewman.
The 46-year-old, who has just been elected as the 12th bard of Northampton, says: "If it's your thing, it can be a source of pleasure and it can be cathartic. There's something healing about getting something that's in your head out of your head.
"It can also be entertainment and fun; you can produce a piece of work that people connect with or resonate with and that feels good.
"And for some it's a form of protest and plea.
"It depends on how you want to use the craft - whatever your values are, wherever you are in life, whatever your views are about the world, poetry is a way of getting them out there."
During William Shakespeare's era, poetry and the spoken word were used to share information and provide social commentary
Mr Matthewman was elected the bard of Northampton during the town's Bardic Picnic, external.
As part of the event, contestants had to go through three knock-out rounds.
This year, the eight contestants first entertained the audience with an original piece written by themselves based on the theme self-love.
People in the audience at Northampton's Bardic Picnic voted for their favourite to become the town's new bard
They then had to share why they wanted to be the bard.
The final round saw them share a piece they had written about any topic.
Members of the audience voted, along with a panel of three judges, including the previous year's bard.
Mr Matthewman, who is a minister of Kislingbury and Upton Community Church in Northampton, says he was "pleased to come out on top".
"It's odd really as I don't like titles or responsibility yet I'm a church minister and the 12th bard of Northampton," he says.
"I am enjoying being the bard, and I'm finding it fun and productive."
Mr Matthewman, who is also a church minister, says he wants to promote the "decent" poetry scene in Northampton
He says during his year in the role, he wants to raise the profile of poetry, storytelling and spoken word events in the town, which he says already has a "decent scene".
Mr Matthewman also wants to host workshops in schools and to raise funds for adult literacy charity Read Easy Northampton, external.
'More power to the bard'
Award-winning poet Luke Wright, from Essex, says Northampton's annual appointment of a bard is a "lovely tradition".
"I'd encourage anyone to not only read poetry but try it too," he says.
"There are so many inauthentic, untrustworthy voices clambering for our attention every day, be they brands, trolls or politicians.
"Poetry and other forms of creative writing can be the antithesis to those voiced - a way for people to communicate their thoughts and feelings honestly.
"Poetry makes the world a better place. More power to the bard."
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