A TERMINALLY-ILL man, who has made his life's mission to inspire people, has written a Valentine's Day poem for the people of Swindon.

Paul Wilkinson, who has motor neurone disease, a degenerative illness, says he tries to keep fit and healthy through a positive mindset and good spirit.

The amateur poet says the ode is dedicated to the people of his favourite town in the world.

The 61-year-old said: "This poem is for the people of Swindon, because I love other people and if this poem brings happiness to the people of this town, even for a moment, I am happy.

"My passion is to mould words together and use that art to bring people together. That is my goal.

"As someone with a terminal illness I spend my life thinking about what I can do at this moment to help someone." Mr Wilkinson, who lives in Chilton Gardens, Moredon, says that when he first displayed the poem in the lobby of his sheltered accommodation he had so many plaudits he decided to have it published.

He added: "I have had four different wives and a life of passion and romance so Valentine's Day is very important to me. When I saw so many people liked the poem I thought I would dedicate to Swindon."

Tony Hillier, of the Swindon Poets Society, of which Mr Wilkinson is a member, says he is an example of how poetry allows him to express his inner feelings.

Mr Hillier is inviting all people to the town centre on Valentine's Day between 10am and 2pm where he will be roaming around and reading love poetry and to the Taste Café and Art Gallery in Victoria Road, at 7.30pm, for a glass of wine and love poems.

Paul's poem to the people of Swindon
We are all products of our own endeavours,
Create and build an attitude of strength,
courage and infinite possibility.
We cannot be who we need to be
By remaining who we are.
Change the way you look at things
And things you look at will change.
My illness is but an itch that I scratch now and again,
I barely notice it,
I am too busy seeing to the wants and needs
of my heart.
When death comes it will find me very busy
enjoying life
My death will not be tragic,
For how can it be, for I have allowed nothing
to die within me.
The way I pray is not what I say to God,
It is what I do with my life in his honour.
The legacy I leave this world is not what thee
can see,
But what the heart can feel.