Me poetry is me life - Rushden's answer to nostalgia

David Wood, better known by his pen name A B Wyze, is a Northamptonshire poet, author, illustrator, and performer whose work celebrates humour, nostalgia, and everyday life.

Through a writing career spanning more than six decades, he has produced more than 1,000 poems, numerous books and a body of work that has resonated with readers across the United Kingdom.

Born on May 2, 1951, in Rushden, David was the fifth of seven children born to Fred and Florence Wood.

He grew up in a family where creativity, music, and learning were highly valued.

His father, a lifelong employee of John White's Boots and Shoes, was an accomplished pianist, songwriter, singer, and passionate political thinker.

His mother was academically gifted, earning a scholarship to a private girls' school in Wellingborough. Together, they created a loving family environment filled with music, literature, and encouragement

David attended Newton Road School before moving on to Wellingborough Technical Grammar School, now Weavers Academy.

His passion for writing began at an early age. At around nine years old, he wrote a short poem during a classroom exercise and received enthusiastic praise from both his teacher and his parents. Encouraged by this response, he continued writing and soon developed a particular love for comic and nonsense verse, drawing inspiration from writers such as Lewis Carroll, Edward Lear, and A.A. Milne

After leaving school in 1967, David began an apprenticeship as a painter and decorator with Wellingborough Urban District Council. Although writing took a temporary back seat, his love of words never disappeared. During his late teens he discovered the music of Joni Mitchell, which inspired him to write more thoughtful and reflective songs and poems. By this time, he had also taught himself some basic guitar skills and harboured ambitions of becoming a folk musician, despite freely admitting that singing was never among his strongest talents.  

In 1973 David married Wendy, and a year later they welcomed their daughter, Lisa. A few years later he became self-employed as a painter and decorator. During this period, his mother gave him a typewriter to help prepare business invoices. Instead, one of its first uses was to write a children's poem for his daughter. The experience reignited his enthusiasm for poetry and began a period of remarkable creativity. He became known for leaving handwritten poems on walls before wallpapering them, often to the delight of customers who asked to read or even photograph the verses before they were covered

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, David's output expanded significantly. He wrote limericks, humorous verse, and poems inspired by everyday life and local characters. Several of these works were later published, including collections of light-hearted limericks that showcased his gift for accessible and entertaining poetry

Following the recession of 2008, David's decorating business suffered a severe downturn. After losing a substantial amount of contracted work in a short period, he and Wendy made the difficult decision to sell their home. They relocated to Hunstanton, where David became involved with a local poetry group and found a receptive audience for his work. During the seven years they spent there, he was often writing several poems each day and was invited to perform for a variety of organisations and community groups.

It was during this productive period that David began writing what would become his most widely recognised work, Tanners and Bobs. The nostalgic poem, celebrating post-war British life and shared childhood memories, struck a chord with audiences wherever it was performed. Early readings frequently received standing ovations and confirmed the poem's broad appeal.  

After returning to Northamptonshire, David shared several verses of Tanners and Bobs on social media. The poem quickly went viral, being shared widely across the internet. Unfortunately, because his name was omitted from the original post, the work was often attributed to others. Determined to establish authorship and preserve the poem, he expanded it into a complete nineteen-verse work and published it. The extraordinary public response highlighted the appetite for poetry that celebrates the memories and experiences of older generations.

Since then, David has published numerous books covering nostalgia, humour, whimsy, and children's literature. He illustrates his own books and has steadily refined his artistic skills over the years. His best-selling title remains Back in the Days of Tanners and Bobs, which was later followed by a sequel, Tanners and Bobs Two.

Together, these works have established him as a distinctive voice in contemporary nostalgic poetry.

David and Wendy eventually returned to Rushden, the town where his story began. Now living in retirement, he continues to write and publish regularly. His work reflects the lives, humour, values, and memories of a generation that is often overlooked in modern culture. Through relatable characters, everyday observations, and a strong sense of community, his poetry preserves the stories and spirit of ordinary people.

In 2025, David committed to donating royalties from his poetry books to the Alzheimer's Society, a cause particularly close to his heart. Although operating independently, he has raised funds through book sales while continuing to promote reading, poetry, and positive ageing. His ambition is to increase awareness of his work and generate even greater support for the charity through wider public recognition and endorsement.

Today, with more than a thousand poems to his name and a devoted readership, David Wood, writing as A B Wyze, remains committed to celebrating the people, places, humour, and memories that have shaped modern British life. His work serves as both entertainment and a valuable record of a generation's experiences, ensuring that those stories continue to be remembered and enjoyed for years to come.