Witty, whimsical, thought-provoking and challenging, here’s the first major collection of green poetry - 56 poems for greenies, non-greenies and in-betweenies about how we can help planet Earth.
Brilliantly illustrated by four time Oscar winner Nick Park and written to be performed aloud, GREEN POEMS FOR A BLUE PLANET has been a hit with both children and adults in the UK and abroad. Poetry performances with projected illustrations and green poetry workshops for schools and special events are also available.
Martin says, 'I hope these poems provoke a thought, raise a smile, start a conversation, spark an idea, spur us into action, or simply turn on a few ‘green lights'.
MARTIN KISZKO is a poet, composer and screenwriter. He has composed over 200 scores for film and television and released eight albums with major European orchestras. His screenplays include the children’s fantasy Junkworld.
NICK PARK is a four-times Academy Award winning director, animator and writer. He is best known as the creator of Wallace and Gromit.
Martin’s second book with animator and director Nick Park
is VERSE FOR THE EARTH: More Green Poems for a Blue Planet.
From planets made of poo to green teenagers and from disappearing hedgehogs to environmentally friendly pirates, here are poems to amuse, entertain and challenge the greenies, non-greenies and inbetweenies of all ages!
Martin's poems and one-man show have been described as 'funny, great entertainment, and sheer environmental magic.'
King Frank is the world's first epic eco poem! When three knights embark on an ecoquest to find the lost Fountain of Frank, they are challenged by a river of poo, a plastic monster, and the effects of climate change.
An amusing collection of zoology-inspired verse that will challenge anyone to develop their bardic backbone!
Illustrated by Richard Parker-Crook, the collection is about many of the creatures that inhabit our beautiful world. The book also shows the reader how to write using the poetry forms of the poems in the collection.
Filled with adventure, humour, and foreboding, The Great Riverbank Robbery is a tale for all ages about the importance of our connection with nature - and each other.
This novel is a further step in the Green Poems for a Blue Planet campaign, which aims to collaborate with forward-thinking individuals and responsible businesses to educate and inspire a new generation towards creating a sustainable future.
Martin's new novel THE GREAT RIVERBANK ROBBERY is due for September 2024 publication.
The Great Riverbank Robbery is a story for all ages and is filled with adventure, foreboding, and humour, but more so, it is a metaphorical reminder of how important our rivers are. The book’s narrative is also an elbow nudge to remind us of the value of our connection to nature - and to each other.
The novel is another milestone in my Green Poems for a Blue Planet campaign which seeks to work alongside visionary individuals, charities, ethical companies, organisations and brands with CSR policies. The ongoing campaign will help a new generation to understand and grasp the challenges ahead and will plant the seeds to encourage a search for solutions that can create a sustainable environment for all.
Tickets for the October 24th launch in Bristol are flying fast. Email greenpoemsforablueplanet@gmail.com with your email if you would like free tickets.
The world premiere of King Frank and the Knights of the Ecoquest as a live staged radio play (with a cast of sixteen and a monster!) was performed at the Emirates Literature Festival in February 2023. Martin also performed his one-man show and judged a poetry competition.
Martin's epic eco-poem for children King Frank and the Knights of the Ecoquest has won the Bronze Award for Best Children/Young Adult Programme at the New York Radio Festival 2022. It was first broadcast in 2021 as a fifteen-part children's drama on digital broadcaster Fun Kids. It's now available as a podcast at https://www.funkidslive.com/podcasts/king-frank-and-the-knights-of-the-eco-quest/ as well as avaiable for listening on many other platforms. The poem is twenty-five thousand words in rhyming couplets with nineteen characters. It's the world's first epic eco-poem for children and was produced by Soundscape Productions. The series stars legendary singer and actress Toyah Willcox.
The book, with illustrations by Sarah Vonthron-Laver, is also available to buy right here. The King Frank project has also been available to schools as a workshop which introduces children to different poetry forms as well as environmental issues.
Martin was pleased to give performances, workshops, and present awards at the Emiirates Airline Festival of Literature 2020 in Dubai. https://www.emirateslitfest.com/authors/martin-kiszko/ and also perform and give a workshop at the National Poetry Library, Southbank Centre, London. Martin's new poem The Arabian Horse https://vofg.vofgarabia.org/blogs/post/the-arabian-horse-the-thousand-and-second-tale-from-the-arabian-nights was written for Voices of Future Generations (Arabia) a unique writing initiative under the patronage of UNESCO, created to promote sustainability and the UN convention on the rights of the child.
New books! Martin's autobiography Major & Minor Adventures in Lah Lah Land was published in 2020 and will be republished by Pegasus Publishers in 2021. The book describes Martin's journey from a council estate in Leeds to becoming a film composer and an eco-poet. Available at http://www.martinkiszko.com/discography.htm
A new collection of poetry Inversebrates is also complete and is illustrated by Richard Parker-Crook. The collection is about many of the creatures that inhabit our beautiful world. The book also shows the reader how to write using the poetry forms of the poems in the collection.
Martin was awarded an honorary doctorate (D.Litt) for his work received the award from the University of Bristol. Thanks to all my supporters and encouragers who have contributed to this success whether in the environmental, music, screenwriting or academic fields!
Martin's recent performances include: poetry as part of a jazz night at St. Mary's Stoke Bishop, Bristol, a talk and performance for Bristol Naturalists' Society, a talk based on his autobiography for Resonate, and a performance for the Sunday Assembly at Conway Hall, London. Prior to that, he performed a set for Future Leap's Festival of Sustainable Business Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony in Bristol, a performance at the Lancashire Fringe Festival, and two performances of his Green Poems for a Blue Planet one-man show at the Royal Albert Hall. The performances were followed by an interview at the Imperial College about his poetry and environmental work.
Previous work includes a performance for Triodos Bank, and at the National Honey Show in Esher.Green Poems for a Blue Planet also went to China as part of The Bookworm Literary Festival in Beijing and to India where he performed and gave workshops at the Neev Literature Festival in Bangalore. Congratulations to all the young people who wrote such amazing eco-poems! He also performed at the Ways to Peace Festival at Tintern Abbey in Wales and at the Ecobrand CSR and International Sustaninabilty Awards at RADA in London. He even found time to perform for The Future Economy Network in Bristol.
The UK's green poet also ran a successful workshop with charity Frank Water, performed again for the Cotswold Dogs and Cats Home as they launched a new building for our four-legged friends, and performed for the Lord Mayor of Bristol's Charity Gala Dinner to help raise funds for the city's most disadvantaged children.
As part of Bristol 2015 European Green Capital year, as Poet in Residence, he gave many workshops and performances including: performances at the Gilded Balloon at the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, performed to 400 children as part of St. George's Sounds Inspiring Festival, rhymed the hours away at Penny Brohn Cancer Care National gardens Open Day, gave two shows at St. Mary Magdalene Bristol,was featured for a week on the TV programme THE SOURCE on the Made in Bristol TV Channel and made three films of his poems for the Bristol 2015 schools website.
Martin premiered his specially-written poem entitled Keen to be Green for the official launch of the Bristol Green Capital Schools Programme on ‘Keen to be Green Day’ The Mayor of Bristol officially launched the new programme. Especially fun were the six performances of POET IN THE SQUARE that he gave in Bristol's Millennium Square.
Other baa-breaking news was that the bardic and b'ewe'tiful Green Poems for a Blue Planet SHAUN THE SHEEP was displayed on the streets of London and Bristol and is now in Basingstoke!
Martin performed at the Opening Ceremony of Bristol 2015 European Green Capital and the Civic Dinner in his role as POET IN RESIDENCE BRISTOL 2015 EUROPEAN GREEN CAPITAL. After sevral performances around Bristol and the region's schools, the green poet 
travelled to Conwy where he performed for winning schools of the WaterAid 2014 and 2015 poetry competitions. He then powered up his poetry at Bristol's Big Green Week, the Seed Festival Stroud and at Bristol's Cycle Sunday where he performed 'poetry in motion' whilst riding his Pashley green bicycle! On his travels again, Martin gave sixteen performances and workshops at schools on the Isle of Man and performances and workshops n at the Plough Arts Centre in Devon. The Green Poems for a Blue Planet Print exhibition was also on show for two weeks and children who took part in the workshops also created and exhibited their own green poems on junk and litter at the Plough gallery.
Martin recently received a letter from the Vatican. Pope Francis has received Martin's books of poems and is supporting the Green Poet's mission with prayer!! See my blog.
In addition to winning a 2014 Cilmate Week Award for Best Artistic Response to Climate Change, Martin won an award at the International Green Apple Awards for Education and Training. The Ministry of Education in Cyprus also chose his poem Water Walk to be a part of the English language learners' curriculum.
Martin Kiszko and WaterAid's national water-themed poetry competition, attracted over two thousand entries from all over the world and reached over 1.3 million people! Martin is performing at the schools of the winning entrants. Martin gave a speech and performed at WaterAid's Annual Supporters Meeting in London where two of the young winners performed alongside.
Can you spot the Green Poet Postie - Martin Kiszko the ‘UK’s Green Poet’ - riding his green Pashley bicycle around the cycle paths, streets and hills (!) of Bristol. If so, you may see him handing out invitations to enter the 3rd Green Poems for a Blue Planet poetry competition! He'll be telling you about the power of poetry to highlight environmental issues and will even be spreading the Power of ‘Pooetry’ as he performs his well known and well loved Poo Power poem for passers-by! Let’s hope someone clears up any rhyming couplets he leaves behind!
Green Poems for a Blue Planet Poetry Competition winners can win books or a live performance of Martin’s one man show for their school. The 'UK's Green Poet's one man show has been performed from Los Angeles to India, from China to Dubai and from Malta to the Isle of Man. It is based on his two funny and challenging environmental poetry books Green Poems for a Blue Planet and Verse for the Earth both illustrated by Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park.
The poems explore what it means to be green! (Or not!) UK reviews have described Martin ‘funny, enlightening and thoughtful’ and ‘sheer environmental magic.’ There is also a touring exhibition of the poems and illustrations available to organisations and galleries and curated by Adam Glen. Martin says, ‘I’m pleased to be poetry powered and powered by Pashley as I ‘pedal’ my poetry. Children and families alike have been captivated by the green bicycle, the green poet and what it means to be seen to be green!’
Throughout 2020 Martin wrote and posted 365 GreenQuips: 365 daily oft amusing but challenging environmental posts on Facebook, Linked In and Twitter.
Take a minute out to look at the new films including Water Walk made with WaterAid and shot in Madagascar.
Green Poems went to Bollywood! Martin performed at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, India. 'You were a great hit!' Anil Dharker, Mumbai Literature Festival.
Martin's poem ENERGY LAUGH was published in THE BEANO - one of the world's longest running children's comics!
Martin was featured on the Steve Yabsley show on Radio Bristol. He has also been interviewed on BBC South's news programme about his work with WaterAid and schools across the UK. Other broadcast performances include BBC’s BLUE PETER, BBC Radio 4's series SAVING SPECIES, BBC Radio Bristol and was featured for a week on the programme THE SOURCE on Made in Bristol TV channel.
Martin’s extremely theatrical and physical performances have been featured on BBC's flagship children's programme BLUE PETER, at the Eden Project Cornwall, Bristol's Festival of Nature, the International Green Awards Ceremony at London’s Natural History Museum, Green Apple Awards Ceremony London, 10:10 Environmental Awards Ceremony, Latitude Festival,the Hoo-Ha Festival, Ilkley Literature Festival, Bath Literature Festival, Birmingham Libraries Young Readers’ Week, Greenscreen Film Awards Festival Sheffield, and Colston Hall 2 Bristol where Martin's poems were accompanied by the Bristol Ensemble Orchestra.
One of the world's longest running comics THE BEANO published one of Martin's poems. He also joined Bill Oddie and Simon Barnes on the panel of judges for the The World Land Trust's limerick competition as well as touring schools and colleges throughout the UK with performances and workshops. In his work with WaterAid, he gave performances and workshops at Yorkshire Water, Southern Water, Welsh Water, Thames Water and at London's Canary Wharf to launch World Water Day! He also performed at Lincolnshire County Council's launch of the CaNeBuZo Carbon Neutral Business Zone for which he wrote the poem Canebuzo Canebuzo! Catching his breath, he gave a speech and performance at WaterAid's Anuual Supporters Meeting in London. Martin was Poet in Residence for Bristol 2015 European Green Capital.
Interviews, poetry and articles have appeared in BBC Wildlife Magazine, Venue magazine,Bristol Evening Post, Bristol Review of Books magazine, Bristol magazine, Spongebob Squarepants comic and The Beano.
Witty, whimsical, thought-provoking and challenging, here’s the first major collection of green poetry - 56 poems for greenies, non-greenies and in-betweenies about how we can help planet Earth.
From planets made of poo to green teenagers and from disappearing hedgehogs to environmentally friendly pirates, here are poems to amuse, entertain and challenge the greenies, non-greenies and inbetweenies of all ages!
The Great Riverbank Robbery is a story for all ages and is filled with adventure, foreboding, and humour, but more so, it is a metaphorical reminder of how important our rivers are. The book’s narrative is also an elbow nudge to remind us of the value of our connection to nature - and to each other.
An amusing collection of zoology-inspired verse that will challenge anyone to develop their bardic backbone!
King Frank is the world's first epic eco poem! When three knights embark on an ecoquest to find the lost Fountain of Frank, they are challenged by a river of poo, a plastic monster, and the effects of climate change.
THE PERFORMANCES
You can book Martin for a performance at your house, school, TV studio, theatre, festival, conference or massive green global event! Performance Contact:
email greenpoemsforablueplanet@gmail.com
Green Poems for a Blue Planet Registered at US Copyright Dept and Writers Guild of America.
THE BOOK
MARTIN KISZKO and NICK PARK
greenpoemsforablueplanet@gmail.com
M (+44) (0)7966 697458
Publisher Martin Kiszko
Wild Idea Ltd.
Intellectual Property. All intellectual property rights in and relating to the Greenpoemsforablueplanet.com website is owned by Martin Kiszko and Nick Park. It is easy to copy material which appears on web-sites, but it is not legal. Therefore, no-one may copy, distribute, show in public or create any derivative work from the website content. Any copying or performance must seek prior permission from the authors and publisher.
