Travelling in the wake, poems by Irene Kyffin
Of Irish-Jewish descent, Irene moved to London when she was 20. In her 40’s, she took a degree for the teaching of Drama and followed this with a Masters in Social Anthropology. Irene has taught in Secondary and Primary school, interspersed with University, ending her full-time teaching career in Further Education. There, she trained in Dyslexia, worked in this area for fourteen years and ran tutor workshops.
As well as writing poetry, Irene created a programme of jazz/poetry fusion with the great jazz pianist Stan Tracey on the work of Gerard Manley Hopkins, which she presented at many Literary Festivals around the UK. Irene has written papers and given talks on Hopkins over a number of years in the US and Ireland, doing readings as well. In Denver, Colorado, where Irene was delivering academic papers, she ran Shakespeare workshops and taught English and American Literature.
Irene worked with the Latin-American jazz saxophonist, Carlos Chavez. Currently, Irene is exploring another jazz/poetry venture with the violinist and pianist, Alan Parmenter.
Irene is still working in dyslexia and gives public lectures on the subject.
© Irene Kyffin