Spotlight On Writers
Nick Adigu Burke
- Where do you originate from?
From the Manchester suburb of Moss Side, an area which has received an unfair reputation over the years. For me it’s a vibrant place, rich in diversity and culture. True, it’s one of the most deprived areas of the UK, and has had its problems with gangs, drug use and gun crime. Unfortunately more often than not, it’s the negative portrayals that stick with people – any positive aspects are then ignored. On a brighter note, the suburb was home to the writers Anthony Burgess (A Clockwork Orange) and Elizabeth Gaskell (North and South, and Cranford), and I guess, me. Though, from the age of five, my parents raised me, and my brother and sister in North Wales, living in Bangor, Mold, Flint, and a town with the second longest place name in the world – 18 syllables, but simplified to LlanfairPG. Okay, “Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch” I said it.
At present I live in the city of Salford.
- What do you cherish most about the place you call home?
I have to say, I have moved about so many times over the years that I have never felt truly connected to any one place. In more romantic terms, you might say I’ve got a Nomadic mind-set. I guess that’s why I rarely set my stories in places that I live or have lived. One day I might find a place to settle, but in the words of The Littlest Hobo, “Until tomorrow, I’ll just keep moving on.”
Perhaps a little corny, but if pushed, you could say I’ve made a home of my mind, amongst my words and artistic visions. Being able to do so, is something I’m grateful for, it’s something I cherish.
- What ignites your creativity?
Ah, I’m going to sound corny again, but my muse is Beauty. I find beauty in art and literature, as well as nature, music, dance and even the smiles of my children. Connecting to those things, relaxes me. It stimulates my senses, and when I’m in that composed state, I’m able to produce my most creative material.
- Do you have a favorite word and could you incorporate it into a poetic phrase?
I don’t really have a favourite word per say, there are just too many. I do have a favourite collective noun, however, if that counts? That being a kaleidoscope of butterflies. It’s poetically fitting – beautiful in fact.
In philanthropic harmony, the butterflies steal the grey, a kaleidoscopic fancy that keeps the world in sway.
A more than honourable shout-out to the bees, too, for keeping the world in sway.
- What is your pet peeve?
How long have we got?
There are just so many. Newspaper Headlines. There, I said it! I know they need to illicit a reaction in readers, to grab their attention, but does that clamour for attention, need to be at the expense of the truth. Headlines often mislead people, which causes a lot of shit in the world. That leads me to my second peeve (but entirely connected). Folk who base their world views on the Headlines they see (but don’t bother to read the actual articles).
Steam is billowing from my nostrils just writing this. 🤣
- How would you describe the essence of Nick Adigu Burke?
We are products of both nature and nurture. In nurture, the ups and downs of our experiences, become the brushstrokes that paint our life’s portrait. In nature, its our ancestry that creates our essence. Both of these things constantly work together to define who we are. And is the reason we change so much over time.
With that said, my essence is my impulsiveness, which comes from (with the danger of sounding pretentious) my deep connection to my emotions. It’s a state that feeds my caprices. Being connected in such a way, is power; but like anything with power, it can be highly destructive if not carefully managed. My impulsiveness has gotten me into a few scrapes over the years. Probably not as gangster as it sounds, but still, situations I would rather not have found myself in.😅🤣
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