{"id":33857,"date":"2018-03-13T13:19:50","date_gmt":"2018-03-13T13:19:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/?p=33857"},"modified":"2018-03-14T00:21:01","modified_gmt":"2018-03-14T00:21:01","slug":"six-quick-questions-with-jp-cooper-ahead-of-world-poetry-day-march-21","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2018\/03\/six-quick-questions-with-jp-cooper-ahead-of-world-poetry-day-march-21\/","title":{"rendered":"Six Quick Questions With JP Cooper Ahead Of World Poetry Day March 21"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Critically acclaimed musician JP Cooper has joined forces with famed Viennese coffee roaster Julius Meinl to invite coffee and tea lovers to unleash their inner poet on World Poetry Day, March 21. We asked JP six quick questions about the campaign, as well as about his music.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

EP: You\u2019ve teamed up with the world famous Viennese coffee company, Julius Meinl this year, for World Poetry Day, where you\u2019re asking people to \u2018Pay With A Poem\u2019 – what\u2019s this all about and how can people get involved?<\/strong><\/p>\n

JPC: I think it\u2019s really important that people embrace creativity and that\u2019s why working with Julius Meinl on the \u2018Pay With A Poem\u2019 campaign is so exciting. People can get involved by visiting one of the 17 locations in London on World Poetry Day<\/a> and writing a poem on the music sheet paper provided. It\u2019s as simple as writing a poem in one of the cafes to claim a free coffee or tea. Ultimately, I want to inspire people to try out \u2013 or rediscover \u2013 this once neglected art form. With coffee and tea serving as the creative fuel, I hope people will be inspired to put pen to paper, just like me.<\/p>\n

EP: How important is poetry to you, and how can we make poetry more accessible to everyone? Do you feel more songwriters should get involved in poetry – after all songs are essentially poems set to music?<\/strong><\/p>\n

JPC: Over the years I\u2019ve seen the lines between music and poetry becoming intertwined for me as an artist. Having a true understanding of how poetry can inspire my music is fundamental. Some of the most influential artists today are making poetry accessible and contemporary for the masses, and it\u2019s something I hope we can achieve with the \u2018Pay With A Poem\u2019 campaign. The link between music and poetry is really interesting, everyone can remember the lyrics to their favourite songs, but how many people can recite a poem? Rhyme and verse is an integral part of my song-writing process, and I hope that the initiative will inspire more people to try their hand at writing. Ultimately, I want to show that poetry lives everywhere, and that music can be a gateway to enjoying poetry.<\/p>\n

EP: What is your favourite poem?<\/strong><\/p>\n

JPC: I\u2019m not sure I could choose a favourite poem, but I do take inspiration from a lot of poetry\/spoken word. I always try to create an element of hope in my songs, and that\u2019s something I think is present in a lot of the poetry I like, too. Finding the beauty in tragedy or difficult times has really shaped my musical path, I always try to find the positive and focus that energy into my music.<\/p>\n