A HISTORIAN has mastered 13 centuries of English poetry in a way that has not been done before.

Michael Gibson has performed all over the world and will be talking about his passion at two shows in Knutsford.

The literature enthusiast presents a celebration of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight on Saturday, January 7 at The Methodist Church on Princess Street at 2pm and 7pm.

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The gifted musician will also be playing tunes on a pipe and harp.

“I look for what I call the songness and dancingness in poetry,” said Michael, who has been riding his bike and whistling round Mobberley since 1980.

Apart from his music and poetry, he is a designer, maker and keeper of gardens and a smallholder of five acres.

For 15 years, he lived without electricity in farm out-buildings and then in a wooden caravan in Tatton Park.

“I consider that I have defined the original rhythmic nature of our older poetry,” said Michael who now lives in Knutsford.

“In my musicalistic metrics, I follow that thread up through the centuries to the poetry of the present day, where it may still sometimes be found.”

Michael calls himself a ‘poetician’.

By this, he means that he has acquainted himself with the verse craft of English poetry as it has been practiced over 13 centuries, since the so-called Dark Ages.

He claims to be able to show better than anyone else how the craft of poetry is like music, one of rhythmic and measured sound.

Michael has been performing English poetry with music across the UK and abroad for the last 25 years.

“I have lectured and performed in schools for literary and philosophical societies, at arts and literary festivals,” said Michael.

The historic poet has presented papers over the years, and, in July, he performed at The International Medieval Congress at Leeds University.

Michael will be making ‘sensational revelations’ about the story he delivered at the congress in his evening performance.

Michael was a candidate in the election for professor of poetry at Oxford in 2010.

In the 80s and 90s, he stood in General Elections in the Tatton constituency as The Feudal Party and The True English Poetry Party.

More recently, he appeared at the Medieval Music in the Dales Festival.

“I am now playing and composing on a reproduction of the Sutton Hoo Harp,” said Michael.

Admission is £10 for either part or £15 for both.

Guests can pay on the door.