My new publication 'Words of a Derbyshire Poet' was officially launched on November 11th 2009 and is now available in all good book stores in Derbyshire and The Peak National Park. ISBN 9781906722128. This book is fully illustrated by Pat Holland and is published under Five-Bar-Gate Publishing (the imprint of F Philip Holland).

The book includes a foreword by Sir Christopher Ball (formerly a Fellow of English at Lincoln College, Oxford, Warden of Keble College, Oxford and Ex-Chancellor of the University of Derby) who writes-

Philip Holland is obviously a poet of place - and also of people...
The authors range is remarkable. These poems demonstrate an outstanding variety or topics, genres and forms....
Here is a poet not afraid to use rare words and skilled in the construction of telling phrase.

My previous publication 'Words of The White Peak - the Disappearing Dialect of a Derbyshire Village' has received local and national media coverage. This book includes a Foreword by the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire, who writes-

This book has been written just in time. The richness of a fast disappearing vocabulary in what was once a remote area of the High Peak is very fascinating....
It is wonderful that the results of F.Philip Holland’s research and memories have been collected in this book to remind us of what has gone before.

I’ve always had a special interest in poetry and have self-published four anthologies of my own poems, with illustrations done by my wife, Patty, (which is short for Pat).

My poetry encompasses many moods through descriptive, reflective, dramatic, romantic, and comic.  Their forms range through sonnets, ballads, rhyming, parodies, haiku and free verse. A few are written in the local dialects of the Peak District that has been such a companion and inspiration to me.

For me, performance of the written word is the most vital and meaningful vehicle to bring fresh appreciation of poetry in all forms and styles. To communicate and touch other people’s lives, of all ages, through the printed and spoken word is one of my greatest pleasures.

Everyone, I hope, has a favourite poem.  If you are the kind of person who cannot always easily express themselves, then poetry, or indeed that ‘special poem’, can be many things; a message of love, a solace, an excitement, a code for living, a brief amusement, a deep philosophy, a remembrance, an enlightenment, but most of all, a loving friend that never judges you.

“Words from the heart that know not fear,

   To soothe, delight and charm the ear.”          F. Philip Holland.

As an accomplished performance poet I am available for bookings. For information on bookings and forthcoming recitals please give your details on the Contact Page, or click here philipholland@uwclub.net.