Hospital Radio: Poetry from the ward

Over the years on Torbay Hospital Radio, I have had the opportunity to meet and interview many interesting people.

They have ranged from Alex Watson, the former Torquay United captain, to Jim Parker, the editor of this very newspaper. They all give a fascinating insight into their lives and jobs, and I consider it a real privilege that they should be prepared to share this with me. Last week I was lucky to meet another interesting local individual, who had a story centred around his time at Torbay Hospital.

I met with Paul Dennison, who is now a poet who lives locally. Although he did not grow up thinking that he would like to be a poet, it was only when illness struck and other family issues affected him that this came to the fore. Paul Dennison suffers from Parkinson's and a few other health issues, including having to use a stoma bag. You might think that this would make him a dark, downbeat individual, but nothing could be farther from the truth.

Over the last 5 years Paul has spent a lot of time at Torbay Hospital and has had 3 operations; he has spent 10 weeks in a hospital bed and has now written a book of rhyming poems based on his various conditions. With 50 per cent of profits being donated to Parkinson's UK, when he asked if he could come in and talk on air about the book, I was only too happy to help.

Paul’s journey has been extraordinary. After being diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2018 and later enduring a series of health challenges, including the stoma, and with the devastating effects of dementia within his family, Paul turned to poetry as a lifeline.

It’s strange how circumstances dictate what comes next in life, and the book, which took over a year to write, is deeply personal, blending humour, hope, and heartbreak into a varied collection of often blunt observational poetry. Life as we know it is complicated, and these verses will ring true with anyone going through these complexities or who has come out the other side.

He was encouraged to try poetry, as he was thought to be a good communicator with a dark sense of humour brought on by his situation. Paul is not a high-flying academic; he claims he can’t spell, yet he can write insightful poetry that rolls off the tongue and is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.

One of his poems, “The Board,” tells how he was asked to tell the hospital board about his book and his experiences and how he was encouraged by his Parkinson’s nurse, Louise, and his daughter, Hollie. It was clearly a nerve-wracking experience. 

Paul was nervous when he came into our studio, but we managed to put him at ease as he told us of his time in hospital and how dementia in the family had been devastating. But through it all he has found humour and positivity and one that can give anyone struggling real hope.

The book is called Humour, Heart, and Hope: Life in Rhyme; it's for sale on Amazon. There’s a paperback version, or you can read it on Kindle. If you visit his website, pauldennison.co.uk, you will get a feel for what you are in for; it will not be everyone’s cup of tea.

Paul still has more operations to come but remains upbeat about the future and is a vocal advocate for the brilliance of the NHS here in Torbay. To sum up in Paul’s own words. “In my collection, you’ll find poems that are candid, reflective, and infused with both dark humour and moments of lightheartedness.

It’s my hope that readers facing similar challenges will find solace and connection within these pages.” He hopes to have a second book of verse out later in the year; I look forward to meeting him again sometime soon.