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The iambic Assassin (Mark Jefferis) is a poet, but as he likes to call himself a promoter of silly verse
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The iambic Assassin (Mark Jefferis) is a poet, who prefers to refer to himself as a promoter of silly verse. He was first drawn to poetry reading limericks in The Topper children's comic book at about the age of eight and can still remember a few of them.
In his teens he became a big fan of The Goons, especially Spike Milligan, who he managed to see when Spike was at the ripe old age of 80 playing a gig at The Civic Hall, Wolverhampton. It was 1998, the year 'On The Ning Nang Nong' was voted Britain's favourite comic poem. He has always been a big fan of Pam Ayres and in later years The iambic Assassin came across Dr John Cooper Clarke, Martin Newell, Luke Wright, Clare Ferguson Walker and others. For many years Mark has penned poems for friends and special family occasions. He enjoys the odd debate with people about politics, people's idiosyncrasies and life in general. However, he feels he can't always get his point over during these discussions and so likes to reflect and write his punchy words when he gets home to his pub-shed, 'The No Dog and Bastard' 
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He loves using alliteration in his poems and likes to term the phrase that, 'if you don't like it', "listen less"!
He recalls hearing Billy Bragg on the radio relating an anecdote about a British Rail official recognising him having seen him spouting out diatribes about Margaret Thatcher, the Tories and modern technology. The man was having difficulty with a newly installed ticket machine, glared at him and said "get over it and write a bloody song about it!"
The iambic Assassin has made this his motto and uses it to get over things by writing therapeutic, humorous, hard-hitting observational poems (sometimes songs too) that he hopes people won't be offended by, but makes them think and either laugh while, perhaps, still disagreeing with The Assassin's 'tell it like it is' flamboyant witty style. |
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His dear friend 'Beautiful Dave' Morris, a musician like Mark, but more broadly read than Mark used to encourage and approve of Mark's thought provoking work and came up with the name The iambic Assassin. Beautiful Dave sadly passed away on the 26th March 2021 aged just 47.
The iambic Assassin hopes one day to support some professional poets, but until then strives to make people think, laugh and, occasionally, squirm. Mark is somebody who always seems to be rushing and turning up late. Like one of his great inspirations, Spike Milligan; he has an epitaph ready for his gravestone that will read ' Late in life, late forever'! Mark hopes to write many lines before that inscription is etched. The iambic Assassin loves spit and sawdust real ale pubs so if you meet him in one, you could buy him a pint. In return he may regale you with a poem, limerick or haiku. However, BEWARE... don't be rude to him or you may find yourself in his next poetic musing. 
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Mark with Martin Newell (Left) and Dr John Cooper Clarke (who thinks 'The iambic Assassin' is a great name, Right)
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