John wrote some poetry in his youth although much of it got lost through the years. It wasn't until his retirement that he decided to take it more seriously, by which time of course there was a fund of memories upon which to draw; not to mention many aspects of life which begged to be recorded. Whereas blank verse did nothing for him, poetry that danced along in rhyme was not only very therapeutic, but easier to recall. Much of John's work is a lighthearted romp through both actual and imaginary situations. As a Christian and a creationist, he had also felt driven to write about the ever-falling standards in life. His inspiration often came unexpectedly, and a rhyming couplet may, or may not, have been the catalyst for a successful poem. Even bouts of insomnia never proved to be productive in a warm kitchen over a cup of tea. Finally, one of John's favourite poets was Sir John Betjeman, and he considered 'Diary of a Church Mouse' to be a masterpiece of observation.