top of page
The Unsighted Reciter is standing against a plain dark grey background. He is smiling, and he is holding and adjusting his tie with one hand near his chest, while the other hand rests lower on the tie. He has a close-shaven head of hair, light skin, and a short grey-white beard and moustache. He is wearing small, oval, amber-tinted glasses, a formal white shirt, a patterned tie in shades of blue and purple, and a bright wool-rich purple blazer. The tie has an all-over pattern of densely arranged and overlapping feather shapes. The blazer has a smooth slightly fuzzy texture and round beige buttons on the front with smaller matching buttons at the cuffs. The overall impression is neat, colourful, and dressed up for a formal or special occasion.
The Unsighted Reciter is standing against a plain dark grey background. He is smiling with a friendly, open-mouthed smile. He has light skin and a short grey beard. He is wearing a flat cap in a green and grey check pattern, small oval, amber-tinted glasses, and a purple blazer. Under the blazer, there is a formal white shirt and a patterned tie in shades of blue with a feathery swirl design. Both hands are clasped together at chest height around the handle of a long white mobility cane with a red grip and which extends downward.

TWO VOICES
ONE POET

The Unsighted Reciter is standing against a plain dark grey background and smiling. He has a close-shaven head and a short, neat grey beard along his jawline and chin. He wears small, oval-shaped glasses with amber tinted lenses and thin silver frames. His outfit is a bright purple blazer with a single breast pocket on the left side and beige-coloured buttons. Under the blazer is a formal white shirt and a patterned tie in deep blue tones with a repeating feather design in lighter blue and white. His left hand holds the handle of a long white mobility cane. The handle is bright red with a textured grip, and a black wrist strap hangs from it.

Poems written by John Darker the Unsighted Reciter and by Don Jarker the Relating Rhymer.

John is standing in front of a split-colour wall. The wall behind is divided vertically, with a purple panel on the left and an orange panel on the right. John is centred in the image, and he is a middle-aged man with a light skin tone, a close-shaven head, and short grey facial hair in a neat stubble beard and moustache. He is smiling and has a relaxed, friendly expression, with slight smile lines around his eyes. He is wearing a casual short sleeved, dark navy button up shirt with the top button undone and there is a chest pocket on the left side. He is wearing a black smartwatch on his left wrist. His arms are folded comfortably across his chest, and his body is facing forward.
The Relating Rhymer is standing against a plain dark grey background. He is smiling and giving two thumbs up. He has light skin and a short grey beard. He is wearing a mustard-yellow flat cap and a textured, burnt-orange overshirt. The shirt is open and worn over a dark T-shirt. Both hands are raised to chest height with thumbs pointing upward.
The Relating Rhymer is standing against a plain dark grey background. He has a thoughtful expression with his mouth closed and his eyes directed forward. He is wearing his orange overshirt and yellow cap. He has light skin, short grey hair at the sides, and a grey stubble beard. One hand rests under his chin in a thinking pose, and the other hand is on his hip, giving him a confident, reflective stance. The orange shirt is long-sleeved with buttons down the front and on the cuffs, and a dark T-shirt is visible underneath.
The Relating Rhymer is standing against a plain dark grey background. He has his right hand raised with one finger resting lightly against his cheek. His expression is friendly and relaxed. He has light skin, a short grey beard, and is wearing a mustard-yellow flat cap. His shirt is a textured, warm rust-orange colour with buttons down the front and two chest pockets, worn open over a dark T-shirt.

WELCOME

"I'm a poet who writes in 2 voices.

​

Creating poems around the darker and lighter sides of blindness gain under my own name, John Darker and accessible humorous verse under a pen name, Don Jarker.

​

Here you can explore both voices. Browse the purple sections for blindness-related work by John Darker and the orange sections for accessible humour by Don Jarker".

​

- John Darker

John Darker

Don Jarker

The Unsighted Reciter is standing and smiling with his mouth slightly open. His head is closely shaven on top and sides. He is wearing small oval-shaped glasses with amber-tinted lenses and thin metal frames. He is dressed in a purple blazer that has a slightly textured fabric and beige-coloured buttons down the front. Under the blazer is a white shirt. He is wearing a patterned tie in shades of blue and purple with a feather-like design. His hands are clasped together in front of him at waist height. In contrast, the background is solid orange.
The Relating Rhymer is standing and smiling with his mouth slightly open. His left arm is bent upward with his hand touching the brim of his cap, giving a relaxed, friendly pose. He has light skin, some grey facial hair in a short beard. He is wearing a mustard yellow cap and an orange-brown textured overshirt with large chest pockets and dark buttons. Under the overshirt, a dark T shirt is partly visible at the collar. In contrast, the background is solid purple.

John's Journey 

John was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic degenerative eye disease over 30 years ago amid the planning of his wedding. His journey was one of uncertainty, resilience and adaptation. Dealing with sight loss while raising two children and progressing in a successful career within the science sector and academia, John found his passion for poetry. 

bottom of page