 The Symphony Hall now has its own poet - Julie Boden. Her challenge during the two-year residency is to stimulate and simply entertain the thousands of people who are involved at the internationally-renowned venue. The task would leave many creative people lost for words. For Julie it has been a source of inspiration. It was little more than 48 hours since Julie Boden had held an audience captive at Symphony Hall while some of her latest words and thoughts had tumbled out in perfect timing. The occasion had been the latest in a Playing with Words event - this time bringing together a diverse range of women writers to produce works focussing on the myth of Bartok's Duke Bluebeard's Castle. Understandably, Julie was still on a high. "It was such a fantastic evening and people really enjoyed it," said Julie, who lives in Leamington with husband John. The former Birmingham Poet Laureate is no longer a stranger to the spotlight but still gets a kick out of seeing other people enjoying her work and other peoples' words. "I really like the thought that people can get the chance to get their poems heard and seen by a wider public," said Julie. The latest exercise with the work of Duke Bluebeard, that draws on chilling themes of obsession, marital secrets and murder, has inspired Julie to write '18 Sonnets of Bluebeard's Wife'. The book is due to be launched this month at another passion of Julie's - she is a founder member of the Oasis Cafe at the Orange Studio in Birmingham. Yet again a chance for poets to have their work reach a wider audience. Workshops, reading events and a host of other demands on her time mean that Julie struggles to find a chance to create her own work. Julie said: "My brain is like a spider and I do write things down all the time." She added: "There is so much going on at the moment it is a case of finding time for me." When she does find space to let her mind wander to words and phrases the poems have a habit of pouring out on to the paper. The fine tuning is an all important part of the process. "I encourage people to walk through the poems. To read the words out loud and see how they sound. I carry a notebook with me all the time and put simple things down. "When saying it out loud the words have a hum and a flow. When you are not confident about a word then there is a hesitation and it doesn't want to come out and you will hear this and understand where it needs to be changed." Many of Julie's poems are written after observing other people's habits and experiences or, closer to home, through personal tragedies. In the nineties the death of her father and a stillborn baby were the catalysts that some how gave Julie the motivation or maybe inspiration to share her poems. "I have always written poems but kept them in boxes and drawers. I don't know what but something changed," said Julie. Now her motivation is proving inspirational to a fresh audience including Selectliving readers. Julie has chosen one of her favourite poems and is asking readers to select another that has had an effect on their lives or means something special. Julie said: "I feel very strongly that usually to write good poetry you have to appreciate other people's work, what makes it hum. It would be good to hear from people why they have a favourite poem."
YOUR FAVOURITE POEM
We've teamed up with the Symphony Hall's poet in residence Julie Boden to find our readers' favourite poems. Send us your favourite poem and explain how it had an effect on your life or why it means something special.
Your words may be used in our magazines or on our website. We reserve the right to edit your emails.
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Submit your nominations using the form on this page, or email us. For more poems, including new works about Symphony Hall, visit the Playing with Words board by the venue's Door 2. Or go to
Julie Boden's website Julie Boden explains why she has selected Tennyson's work as one of her favourite poems:"I love Tennyson's 'Mariana' because it works on the eye and on the ear. It sings to the heart to take you on its journey. It does not say, "Look at me, see how clever I am," but the haunting assonance of lines such as, ' "I am aweary, aweary, I would that I were dead!"' echo within us. "Each small detail heightens the sense of desolation both within the landscape and within Mariana herself. Time almost stands still. "It's inspired... it's inspirational."
* picture by Edward Moss | 
