By Jasmine Milburn & Freya Preston
‘I felt the urge to write down my emotions, somehow they came out as poems’.
I recently got the chance to speak with Christopher Cook, regarding the release of his latest collection of poetry, ‘The Forgotten Box Full of Smiles’, to learn about his writing processes, inspirations and more about himself as a poet.
This deeply reflective collection is a poignant exploration of Cook’s personal experiences, and fictional observations- helping him to utilise his poetry as a personal outlet and express emotions he may have struggled to show during difficult times.
The Forgotten Box Full of Smiles is available to purchase on Amazon now for £7 as a paperback, listed as a poetry book that will “Take you on an ever-winding journey of emotion, some happy and some sad. Featuring numerous individual stories each will have an inner message that hopes to leave the reader smiling”.
The Title of this book really struck some curiosity with me, when I asked Cook about its meaning, he explained that it is a reference to his previous anthology series “A Random Recall”. This anthology enlisted six books that were “framed as if they were stories from letters found in forgotten boxes”. With each book focussing on “different emotions- love, fear, sadness, hope”.
Cook explained to me that he “wanted it to feel like another lost box that had been rediscovered, but this time, filled with moments that will hopefully bring a smile to the reader”. Some pieces
The Approach
I discovered that Christopher’s approach to poetry is incredibly organic, in comparison to other authors. Cook weaves reflections of societal issues into poetic storytelling, “I write based on things I see when I’m out for a walk, snippets of conversations I overhear, or even events in the news”.
The Journey
Cook expressed that his poetic journey has not been the easiest, as it actually began at a difficult time in his life. “Five years ago, I was admitted as an inpatient due to an eating disorder, just as COVID-19 lockdown started,’ he revealed.
“For nearly six months, I had no visitors, and I felt this urge to write down my emotions, somehow they came out as poems.”
He went on to explain that the way his words could resonate with others is what helps him to keep going, showing an ignited passion for writing.
Influences and Evolution
Music is one of Cook’s main inspirations for his poetry.
Cook said: “I often listen closely to the lyrics in many songs and get senses and feelings from them which could later be tonally incorporated into a poem.”
We asked him about the evolution of his poetry and if the way he writes has changed over time. He explained its more the length and layers to the poems that have evolved.
He said: “I really find it as a way to get my point on issues across to the wider audience and get real joy and humblings from their feedback telling me how it has touched them. That has spurred me on to develop more varied and hard-hitting narratives.”
Cook really appreciates the rewarding responses he gets from fans of his work especially when it touched them to the point of laughing or crying.
Cook said: “It is great to hear readers telling me that they could not put the book down or read parts each night before going to sleep.”
Advice for Aspiring Poets
The most important part of poetry in Cook’s eyes is that the story has a heart. As much as the rhythmic rhyming of the lines is key, that’s not what matters most to him.
He explained: “If it allows the writer to express their bottled-up emotions and act as kind of therapy, it could be a deliverance of some inner peace yet hold importance to another going through a similar struggle.
What Does the Future Hold
Cook shared that he has plenty of projects and new plans coming up. He wants to continue his love of writing what one feels, sees and hears and keeping that personal feeling throughout his work.
He said: “I want to keep expressing and telling stories which could hold different importance to each reader.”
He has no plans of veering away from the style of writing that leaves it open to interpretation as that’s one of the things he enjoys most about his work and hearing reader’s different responses.