Quinta da Horta, a clothing optional art school in Ferragudo, recently held a poetry workshop for guests at the school, led by Don Barnard. Don has given poetry readings across the UK at celebrated shows such as the Edinburgh Festival and has collected various poetry prizes during his poetry career. Don hasn’t always been a poet, he used to own a management consultancy company in the UK, but after retiring seven years ago has dedicated his time to writing and performing.
The Quinta da Horta has been running as an art school for about 15 years and became clothing optional four years ago. David Fry from the school explains he is not really a naturist in the strictest sense. “Naturism is not about streaking or showing off your body, it is also not about sex. It’s simply about being liberal and making a personal choice.” The following poem, penned by Don, ‘the naked poet’, was featured in the June edition of Health and Efficiency Naturists, Europe’s top selling naturist magazine.
The Emperor’s New Clothes
Mind the Gap trap.
Beware the Calvin Klein delusion.
Those Benetton colours are all an illusion.
You don’t walk tall just because you’ve Gucci shoes on.
Ignore Dior and that Hilfiger slogan (and whoever else there’s a vogue on).
What’s in a name?
Underneath, we’re all the same and no designer label can transform a
normal and nice Norm or Norma into a catwalk king or queen: the notion
(not to mention the price) is obscene.
We are part of the scenery, not part of The Scene. Though people smile
at naturists’ total lack of style,
displaying our bum or willy
isn’t nearly as silly
as paying well over the odds
to let firms sew the adverts on our bods. Brands are
butterflies – they live for a day then die away – remember Man at C&A?
Naked is cool. Nude will always be in
and there are no logos on skin
the odd tattoo is as far as it goes.
As the fairy tale shows
(and every naturist knows}
it’s the fashion victims who have no clothes.
• For any more information about Quinta da Horta or Don Barnard, call David Fry on 282 461 395.
