Domesticity in Liam Wilkinson's Poetry

Liam Wilkinson is a contemporary British poet who was born in 1981. The majority of his poetry is written in free verse, but he has a craving for Japanese short forms particularly tanka, haiku, and haiga. Wilkinson's poetry has appeared in many internet and print publications such as Modern English Tanka and Ribbons. He himself has been the editor of many internet journals such as Prune Juice Journal of Senryu & Kyoka and 3LIGHTS Gallery & Journal. He even has his own web page where one can browse through his poetry archives, as well as have access to his publications, biography, and other links.
 
The present paper aims to trace domesticity in Wilkinson's poetry, focusing mostly on his poems written in free verse with quick reference to a few of his tanka. It has come to one's attention that household chores, activities, and furniture have become a poetic obsession for Wilkinson that dictates his topics and is part and parcel of his imagery and setting. Even when he treats topics other than domesticity such as music and poetry, his poems are completely soaked in a household milieu. Thus, the first part of the paper discusses Wilkinson's domesticity on the level of topic, that is, in poems that deal with domestic subject matter. For example, in "A Sunday Triptych," "Wednesday," "Domain Domine," and "The Execution," Wilkinson addresses domestic habits and duties such as reading newspapers while sipping coffee in the morning, taking the garbage out, waking up early, and cleaning up the house. The second and third parts of the paper delve into Wilkinson's domestic imagery and setting in poems that deal with the subjects of poetry and music. For instance, the action of both "Back Bedroom Baroque" and "The Arrival of the Queen Sheba" takes place in his bedroom and maybe living room, while "Welcome Here" likens poems to late-night intruders who feast on the poet's appreciation and then pee on a sheet of paper provided by him. This domestic trend raises many questions with regard to the future of contemporary poetry, e.g., is poetry withdrawing from the world and taking shelter at home in contrast to, say, Romantic poetry that goes out to nature?!