Vince Laws

Norfolk based poet and artist Vince Laws has released a new poem written for WAD (World Aids Day) on December 1, entitled Human. He will be performing at a WAD charity event at the Catherine Wheel, 61 St Augustines St, Norwich, on Saturday November 28 from 8pm.
 
The following day, he will perform poetry at a Brighton WAD event, and display the poem Human written out letter-by-letter on his empty medication bottles.
 
Vince said:
“I’m making the point that yes there is treatment for HIV, but don’t think that’s an easy option. There are 300 medicine bottles and boxes here, and that represents roughly a year of treatment. On the other hand being HIV+ is no longer the death sentence it once was, and it made me decide to use my time doing exactly what I want to do, so in that sense I see it as a blessing.”
 
Mr Laws will read the poem and display the work at the WAD Church Service, at St John the Baptist, Timberhill, Norwich on Tuesday December 1 at 7.30pm.
 
A week later, on Tuesday  December 8, Mr Laws will host a poetry dinner at the Woolpit Swan (just off the A14 near Bury St Edmunds) from 7.30pm which will feature a night of thought-provoking poetry, followed by homemade fish pie and lemon tart all for £10 per head. To book, contact the Woolpit Swan on 01359 240482 or email: tws@woolpitswan.co.uk. Rooms will also be available.
 
Mr Laws with be a guest of Karen & Graham on BBC Radio Norfolk on Tuesday December 1 from 12 noon.

Human by Vince Laws

Human Immunodeficiency Virus, H.I.V.
Human first and foremost,
A maker of mistakes,
The mistake I made was to fall in love.
Make sure it doesn't happen to you.

I is for immunodeficient,
I catch more germs than most.
Of course, I prefer to think germs think me
such a fuck-off fabulous host!

V is for virus,
It contains both I and us.
We're all human first and foremost,
And in the end, all dust