As I walked around its edges

studying the crystal depths

the question haunted me

‘Was this really an oasis?'

 

It was, for sure

bright, dazzling, enchanting

winking in the sun like cut glass

blinding in its reflection

 

Skin dried, parched, wasted

like a child, I had crawled

walked, run to it

basked in its waters

revelled in its showers

splashed, jumped, gambolled

thrown handfuls t...

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Dzien dobry folks!  We have come to that popular time of the month again where everyone gets to know just who won the most coveted prize on WOL ��" of course, Write Out Loud Outstanding Poem of the Month!

November saw the posting of some 352 blogs ��" a fascinating mixture of prose, advertising, pornography and arguably - some poetry…

 

Thirteen people voted and happily some even managed to ...

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(sung)

‘What’s it all about - Alfie?

Is it just for the moment we live?’

 

What’s it all about?

 

Catholics know

That it’s all in a piece of bread

The breaking of and the partaking of

Transubstantiation is a very long word

Can you spell it?

And I’d so love to join them

But bless me, I can’t

 

Born agains know

As they jump in and out of water

Praising the lord and trying oh so ha...

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Plane touches tarmac in Manchester

Heart bumps, bumps again

Grey skies and drizzle without

Dry, cracked and broken within

With just the chink of light

Jet lagged and travel sick

Shell shocked and battle worn

Choked on wasted, recycled breath

Overwhelmed by cold refreshing air

Numbed, stunned, automated

A seat, a number, a boarding card

Confinement ce...

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No clear winners this month.  14 people voted, but no-one agreed.  I enclose a list of all the poems selected.  I guess we could give it to Gus since two of his poems made the list.   Thanks to all who voted. If you didn't vote this month but would like to get involved, all  you have to do is keep a note of poems you enjoyed in the current month's blogs and email me with your favourite by 6th of t...

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Thank you to all who took part in choosing their favourite poem from September Blogs.  16 people voted, which unfortunately wasn’t a great reflection of the site’s membership and meant that the votes were spread rather thinly.  I abstained, in the interests of fair play.  In view of this, I think it is perhaps better to think of this more as a list of ‘Notable Poems for the Month’.  Hopefully this...

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Write Out Loud Outstanding Poem

 

For some time now, there has been dissatisfaction at how the POM is chosen.  I, like many others, do enjoy being introduced to poets and styles of poetry I wouldn’t otherwise have come across.  POM fulfils this need and usually places on our homepage a poem of unquestionable quality that may well attract newcomers to the site. However, as a reward or incentive ...

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No chipmunk on his shoulder

No stardust in his eyes

Alvin parted waters

Poetic pathways to find

Led people to safe haven

Heaven's remedy on Earth

Lightened heart with laughter

Gladdened weary soul with mirth.

 

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Words like tides

wax and wane

each new day washed clean

pulled by paper moon

on foreign shores made vain

 

 

When light fades

day is done

our deeds stand moated

unconquered castles

in the dying sun

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Sometimes it’s hard

Not to listen to voices

‘Tart’ whispers one

‘Mutton dressed as lamb’

Another

Ruffled feathers

Freeze for a moment

Clipped, one too many times

But the shoes have bonded

And they are dancing

To a different beat

She smiles serenely

With 2 finely varnished nails

Salutes the world

And ‘totters’ precariously

Onto a ...

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(For Maria)

 

How I hate the school play

In crammed airless hall

Two hours of my life stolen

To watch other children

Whisper and mumble their way through

Indecipherable plot…

 

Doting mothers sit next to adoring dads

Who take photos and remind me

That I forgot my camera

And am

A most deficient parent

Exchange knowing looks of pride

Whilst I watch

A foisted corner to their tr...

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(Upon the I in poetry)

 

You’re cramping my style

You pen poised

Backroom boys

You’re cramping it, clamping

Stamp stamp stamping it

You’re a cancer canker in my brain

You’re a pain

In my arse

That I’ll eat for your pleasure

In great measure

If it gets you off my back

Track from the lack, lack, lack

Of it, you, one…

 

Roll up, roll up

Take a look

At the pathetic

Cathartic

Co...

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(not a great poem - but heartfelt)

 

What time is there

To get things wrong?

Tread a thousand grapes

For one drop of wine?

Allow fear

To cloud

Judgement?

Doubt

To soil

Beauty?

 

This life

So short

Demands more

Of you

Of me

Of all

 

These arms are all embracing

This mind a blank sheet

This heart an open road

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YOU

 

I stood in your shadow

In awe

Too in awe

Of the brilliant mind

That could blind yet bring sight

To you

The binding blowtorch

And the scorch from the heat

Of you

The weight that could crush

And the rush and the push

Of you

The know who I am

And the know what I want

Of You

I listened

I watched

I drank you in

Never let you in

Had I ever unfurled, uncurled

Been just wha...

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Summer draws

To its inexorable end

Fruits, over ripened, softened

Pickled, peeled, pulped

Scooped and scraped

Ooze long fermented juices

And leave their stain…

 

An early fall

From such great height

Nut, berry, gourd

Drop, plop, slop

Reduced to mound

Mould, mildew

And the soft scratching

Of some hibernating claw…

 

Autumn

Veterans of some long forgotten war

Last bastions of a l...

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So you want the receipts for the shopping I did

The petrol, the food and the pressure cook lid

 

One seems to be missing, one seems to be lost?

Guess I’ll pay the price now, guess I’ll feel the true cost

That gaping black hole in the statement of life

Must surely be down to one profligate wife

Useless and lacking, defective as ever

Though she tried oh so hard to keep them together

But who...

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‘It is the greatest tragedy of all that man was not born gay, with ability to swing on procreation’

IM/WOL/ LOL/ V/MMIX

 

I stand before you, a woman confused

Broken and damaged, sad and bemused

The source of my suffering I’d like to define

The difference between the male psyche and mine

A difference so great, how could I expect

Empathy, honesty, truth or respect?

Which leaves me with ...

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(An observation more than a poem)

 

On Bennalong Point

The Opera House soars

Stunning, majestic, iconic

The jewel in Sydney’s crown

Outlined against a tideless sea

And a sky so blue and cloudless

No eye to compare

 

Made in Australia

Designed by Dane

Now visited by every nation

Overdue, over budget, over all

An inconceivable idea

A preposterous proposal

That somehow came to be

 

...

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Your love was like an erotic mixer tap

 

You turned the hot full on

Come to think of it

You never did

Ouch.

 

You turned the cold full on

Invigorating

            But

            Ouch, ouch.

 

You turned both on

Low, medium, fast flow

Optimum temperature

Delivered head to toe

Oh the bliss…

 

You turned both off

Disconnected the plumbing

Packed away your tools

And b...

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