On poetics, astrology and chiromancy with Irish poet and art therapist Gene Barry

Abstract

Gene Barry refuses to be pigeon-holed, labelled or restricted. A person with impressive academic and literary attainments, the restive Irishman from Cork continues to leave footprints across nations – by his public readings and promotion of poetry through festivals and publication of books and visits to schools and colleges. Barry’s book Stones in their Shoes was published in 2008 and in 2013 his collection Unfinished Business was published. He is presently editing his third collection. In 2010 he was editor of the anthology Silent Voices, a collection of poems written by asylum seekers living in Ireland. Sunil Sharma catches up with the poet activist in an email interview in which the latter talks of things poetic, real and metaphysical.