Bard of Bath

The Current Bard 2003/4:
Helen Moore

      See my Winning Poem
      Also see The Nature of my Heart

      Email me: Helen Moore

Biography

Born in 1971 in the South-east of England, I had early inklings of wanting to be a writer, in 1982 winning 1st prize in a national short-story competition for children - though I've lived with the guilt that I plagiarised the plot ever since!

I studied French and German at Oxford University and hold a Masters in Comparative Literature from Edinburgh. Then, having travelled widely, living in France and Spain where I taught English, I made Scotland my home for nearly a decade. Whilst working part-time - teaching, lexicography, book-selling - I continued writing and had various feature articles printed in 'The Scotsman' newspaper. In 2001 my first novel was published by Bastard Books, who unfortunately lived up to their name: within 3 months of its first print-run, my novel went out of print when the publisher went bust!

Edinburgh's revival of the four annual Celtic festivals - Samhuinn, Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnasadh - also greatly absorbed my creative energies and had a deep influence on me. Over a period of eight years I performed in and directed numerous ritual theatre events with the Beltane Fire Society - many as street performances in the city's historic centre.

Then in 2003, having moved to the Bath area to settle with my partner, John, I was delighted to win the annual competition to elect the new Bard of Bath with my poem: 'This Fairly Multi-coloured, Ever-changing Skin' which draws on my experience of performing at the renowned Beltane Fire Festival.

This year, I'm fortunate to be able to concentrate full-time on my writing and am already feeling greatly inspired by the honour of standing in a long and hallowed lineage of Bards. As well as performing my work at different venues in and around Bath, I'm currently writing and illustrating my poetry, building a collection of short stories, redrafting a second novel and hoping to find a new publisher for my re-drafted first novel - 'The Doubling of the Elephant Daughter'..

The Bardic Chair is held for a year, awarded by competition to the winning poet/singer/storyteller. The robe is blue and the Bard has a special chair (made by local craftsman Rob Miller and embroidered by Miranda Young).