Born in Newport, south Wales, Mark Christmas has been writing poetry for over 20 years. After an early career in the British Army (living in Cyprus, Germany and the UK) and as Aftersales Manager in the motorcycle industry in the north of England, he has now turned his attention to writing and the study of Psychology as he pursues his interest in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He published his first collection Rollercoaster Emotion in 2006 and has since had work published by the Forces Literary Organisation Worldwide (FLOW) and Forward Press. Mark’s second collection: The Abandoned Soldier, Reflections of War, was greeted with critical acclaim and reviewed by Chris Kinsey.
Review
In this collection of poems Mark Christmas fulfils his ambition to raise awareness of ex-service people who suffer from combat-related trauma. Many bear, “an injury not on show”, some are, “psychologically busted” and have difficulties in building a, “mental baulk” against “some terrifyingly intrusive past”.
” His poems are powerful because he is sparing in his use of horror and because he exercises a measured restraint. He universalizes the experiences of war by inhabiting a variety of personae from Diogenes: “Let him tramp the streets / embalmed in the thoughts, / of who he is, / was, / or might be” to the telegram boy who delivers bad news but who is still determined to enlist. He refers to the First and Second World Wars and Northern Ireland as well as contemporary wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.” –Chris Kinsey: BBC Wildlife Poet of the Year 2008 Author of ‘Kung Fu Lullabies’ and ‘Swarf’
