https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiPiRKbNCWY

Comment is about OUT OF THE MIST (blog)

Original item by ray pool

I can only picture him planting those damn things on his own homeland--eyes aflame.

elP

Comment is about OUT OF THE MIST (blog)

Original item by ray pool

i have read that and doors of perception many times. i love a bit of aldous, his first ever novel chrome yellow is a classic as well.

Comment is about kesnakesnakesnakesna (blog)

Original item by Stuart Buck

If you like Orwell, you would like Brave New World by Aldous Huxley..

You may have read it already but it seems very fitting to the piece here. Huxley announces great (and several decades old) theories that we wouldn't necessarily have to be coerced through brutality to accept enslavement to dictatorship and that humans will gladly take ease over revolution if they are distracted enough by inconsequential matters (ie gadgets?)..truly brilliant foresight.

Comment is about kesnakesnakesnakesna (blog)

Original item by Stuart Buck

So authentic that I have to envy your knowledge of form that fleshes out this outstanding poem Rick. A real blast; you can almost smell the pathos.

Ray

Comment is about "Theo" (blog)

Original item by Rick Gammon

Full praise indeed Stu thanks. Mutton dressed as lamb and yet I enjoy the playfulness of idiocy.

Ray

Comment is about WHICH HAND? (blog)

Original item by ray pool

Wonderful final stanza, Rick, and a keenly observed poem about someone gone to the dogs. I love fuschias.

Comment is about "Theo" (blog)

Original item by Rick Gammon

Great character study, Rick, with wonderfully observed detail. Did he know Theo?

Comment is about "Malcolm" (blog)

Original item by Rick Gammon

Hi Claire
If I make someone smile, that's all I can ask for.

You'll realise from my stance that I am perfectly attired in all conditions ?)

Comment is about Mrs Claire Baldry (poet profile)

Original item by Mrs Claire Baldry

Hi Steve
Pleased you enjoyed Exposure. It's frightening what you can see walking around.
Of course my dress-sense in all conditions is absolutely perfect ?))

Comment is about steve pottinger (poet profile)

Original item by steve pottinger

I love the rhythm that almost promises a gory conclusion, until the unexpected witty twist at the end!

Comment is about Murder On My Mind (blog)

Original item by David Lindsay

Thanks, Steven, for this informative and warm review of a quite legendary poetic figure. There were some events to commemorate the 50th anniversary of 'Briggflatts' a couple of months ago, and I commend this "Ten things you may not have known about Basil Bunting" by editor Don Share, including the fact that Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits was a copy boy (ask yer granddad) on the Newcastle Evening Chronicle in the 1960s when Bunting was working there in obscurity, as a sub-editor on the racing desk https://www.faber.co.uk/blog/basil-bunting-briggflatts-at-50/

Comment is about The Poems of Basil Bunting: ed. by Don Share, Faber (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

My warmest thanks to all the readers and audience at Write Out Loud Woking on Monday. I thought we might have a quieter night, it being August, but it turned into another tip-top occasion, made extra special by two New Inn debutants: experienced poet Carla Scarano, and Neil Palmer, reading in public - and very well, too - for the very first time. Both have promised to come again. The full list of readers, in order of appearance, was: Ray Pool, Denise Bundred, Carla Scarano, Karen Izod, Andy V Frost, Peter Taylor, Janet Collinson, Neil Palmer, Simon Wright, Amanda Briggs, and Eddie Chauncy. Thanks to you all for making the night such a pleasure - indeed a joy - to compere. Happy hols to my usual co-MC Rodney Wood, who was on a cultural visit to Japan, polishing up his haiku. Greg

Comment is about Write Out Loud Woking at the New Inn tonight (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Powerful stuff, Andy, and beautifully done.

Comment is about Prologue (Europa II) (blog)

Original item by Andy N

I really enjoyed reading this poem. The images and description work on so many levels. Every time I go out now I will look around for Malcolm.

Comment is about "Malcolm" (blog)

Original item by Rick Gammon

i like this a lot martin. its almost a simple vow but it becomes slightly sinister with hints of ownership and jealousy. it rewards repeatedly reading and the title gives it an extra layer of intrigue. the fact that it almost mirrors a traditional vow makes it very easy to read but i sense all is not what it seems and i like that. packs a good punch in a few lines as well. very enjoyable.

Comment is about Retail parks (blog)

Original item by Martin Elder

inspired lunacy, my favourite kind. one of these poems and subjects that i genuinely cant ever imagine thinking of, which is a real treat and as always beautifully written

Comment is about WHICH HAND? (blog)

Original item by ray pool

thanks martin, i like the brevity and impact of haiku and i must say i thought myself very clever for thinking of hai'coup' even if it doesnt fit with the actual poem!

Comment is about haicoup (blog)

Original item by Stuart Buck

Bexhill Writers Circle 2016

Comment is about Claire.jpg (photo)

Original item by Mrs Claire Baldry

Magnificent Stu, love
'we drown in our words'

Comment is about haicoup (blog)

Original item by Stuart Buck

Isn't it always the way. Or is it?

Comment is about Yearning (blog)

Original item by Carolyn

Sorted ;- )

Comment is about M.C. Newberry (poet profile)

Original item by M.C. Newberry

Sorted ;- )

Comment is about Tour de France (blog)

Original item by Tommy Carroll

I'll be there. It sounds like a great theme, I can't wait to hear everyone's interpretation. There are always surprises.

Comment is about Nicola Hulme (poet profile)

Original item by Nicola Hulme

this is an excellent review of a really great book of poems. to remain true to an artistic vision, and to instill a sense of grace and hope in such a dark subject matter is really quite mindblowing. i came away moved but not pitying, the character of the author shines through beautifully. some of her work reminds me of the director todd solondz who directed happiness and welcome to the dollhouse. pitch black but somehow funny and deeply hopeful.

Comment is about Say Something Back: Denise Riley, Picador (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Ha! This has been sitting for several days just for the fact that it might betray a trait that I would rather keep hidden..namely, the tendency to sweep any unpleasantness under the rug until it becomes an obstacle. On that note, I don't think I'm the only one. It is kinda funny, though..you've got me looking up symptoms of sociopathy..

Thanks so much for commenting, David..it's great to hear reader's reactions.

elP

ps
just a couple of songs that came to mind when writing..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX-bIr8dr6U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOV2iTeGQik

Comment is about CAGED (blog)

Original item by nunya

well cheers all! im glad my rampant orwellian miserableness struck a chord.

Comment is about kesnakesnakesnakesna (blog)

Original item by Stuart Buck

Compelling stuff, Stu. Shades of J G Ballard in a dystopian world. The pointlessness of material worship
is in dollops of paint, a headless stump of Orwell and a ring road to nowhere come to me.

Ray

Comment is about kesnakesnakesnakesna (blog)

Original item by Stuart Buck

I want to dip my brush in line three.

Comment is about kesnakesnakesnakesna (blog)

Original item by Stuart Buck

You were missed Nicola on the last meet hope you make it on the next one!

I think the theme is a good one as we are always looking for a better place - - - but when we find it we still miss the place we have left behind so is the new place better after all?

Comment is about Nicola Hulme (poet profile)

Original item by Nicola Hulme

Thank you MC - I hope all is well with you. I'm pleased to report that the weather here has since improved and the sun is shining today!

Comment is about Me & August (blog)

Original item by Gareth Glyn Roberts

It sounds like I missed a curious night.

I cant wait to see you all in September to hear what you concoct for "A Better Place".

Comment is about August 2016 Collage Poem: 'But a Dream' (blog)

Original item by Stockport WoL

Super clever title that fits very well..a sort of conspicuous consumption gone obviously and predictably awry.

elP

Comment is about kesnakesnakesnakesna (blog)

Original item by Stuart Buck

THanks for the comment Colin. An appropriate one too with Elvis as the figurehead. The worm only acts for God, so he would suitably humble ... be my guest. Is it possible to grow in stature after death? Apparently so.

Ray

Comment is about GRAVE MATTERS (blog)

Original item by ray pool

Thanks Greg. I've been a member of write out loud for sometime now, but recently got a booking from someone who found me on your site via google. I love this site and thought I'd better update my profile, as so much has happened in the past few months.

Comment is about Mrs Claire Baldry (poet profile)

Original item by Mrs Claire Baldry

Welcome to Write Out Loud, Claire. I was very interested to read your profile entry. Congratulations on your success as a performance poet. I know and love the De La Warr Pavilion, and that part of the world. We look forward to reading more of your poems here.

Comment is about Mrs Claire Baldry (poet profile)

Original item by Mrs Claire Baldry

I've been wondering whether to visit Graceland Ray but the thought of all those tourists. Nice neat poem. Can I replace God with the worm?

Comment is about GRAVE MATTERS (blog)

Original item by ray pool

BRENDAN CLEARY – ONE OF UK'S MOST INTUITIVE POETS & 'FOUND POETRY'

July's Write Angle was different from most. It followed a very successful day of poetry writing in a workshop run by Jenny Lewis. It turned out a success, with 15 people attending. Many new ideas came up, such as 'found' poetry.

Other than saying it's like a 'collage of words' that come from books, adverts, anything you can think of...those who originally rejected the idea as 'stealing' ended up being quite pleased with the results of their effort! Poems were made from maths books, photography...you name it. Even first words of different sentences were used! Credit to Jenny for keeping everyone 'awake' and enthusiastic for such a long day, and it extended into the evening where the 'poets' had the opportunity of performing alongside Brendan Cleary.
Only Brendan Cleary could wake up '…. in Czechoslovakia in the peaceful suburb of Prague with a splitting head from too much 80% vodka and now not only talk the language, have a beautiful Czech wife, 3 handsome healthy children (whose names escape him), read Kafka in the original and a pocket sized Philip Marlowe in the Czech translation.. ' ...and so his performance began. He's also 'probably the only person in the entire hemisphere who doesn't know anyone named Steve;.. nobody leans across in trains and says 'heard anything from old Steve' or 'Where are you and big Steve off to on the weekend?' Steve doesn't send letters from Southampton...Doesn't ever stop by for a smoke In the afternoon - all done in his wonderful Irish Brogue that brings each word to life – both gently yet with a fierceness. What he feels, you feel. He takes you with him, as he moves from one space to another. 'Everyone has a hero or heroine'. Brendan celebrated Kylie Minogue in a love poem, 'Kyle, be mine. You're such wild fire and magic..Your dance steps send me all to glee...you'll never cuddle up to me. You touch me in places I've touched myself…

On a more serious note, poems from a collection he'd written in 2013 dedicated to his brother Martin who passed away in 2007. His anguish was evident, ('it took me a long time to be able to write these') as he read, 'Feb afternoon. 'I'm clearing out your stuff. Loading your socks and wackers, your tee shirts…. and jeans….into bin bags for Oxfam.. Your complete set of the Vietnam socks I threw into the wheely bin but I'll keep your albums…your Manchester United posters... I'll keep your albums in magnifience nick. I stacked them on the sofa where you won't sit anymore….and some things I'll give to Keith (Keith Robert Gillespie, retired Northern Irish professional footballer (?)).

Brendan's family received a telegram from Alex Ferguson, but 'it meant nothing as our family wanted Martin back'. Memories of when Martin accidentally killed his friend's cat, and then went missing. Brendan would 'like to think that poetry could bring back the dead. '

Going from poem to poem, such as, 'Every Sunday, I play Nina Simone's 'My Baby just cares for me'. You spring out from the bar and we dance around the bar. We even waltz by the beer garden and for a few precious minutes, everybody just smiles, or 'on your rooftop, smoking weed, and you told me I was the same age as your dad and he looked much better so I decided not to pursue ….or you for that matter', and 'It was probably a Tuesday when I tied you up because you wanted me to. I had a silk scarf. It did for a blind fold. And later we had pizza... or I think it was pizza'. Then, 'If I could go back, it would be '72 when Jim Henry harried me because I snogged Sharon McBride…' Brendan has a rare charm – you can feel his mind is a collection of his work. It's no wonder he's known as 'One of UK's most intuitive poets'. The poet and the man are one! Sheer genius!

Meantime, Steve Scholey, from the poetry workshop, put together a 'found poem' though he said at first he didn't like the idea. 'surgeons achieve precise deletions cutting pathways they coudn't otherwise cure. Specifically remove the memory of ….' Margot Meyers, another workshop poet, did, 'As My wife arranges the lilacs in a glass, nothing in all the vastness of life hides summer but the trembling, ...we read the letters of the dead like puzzles of god'. She then did her own, '..I suppose if it was going to happen, it was going to happen on llangollen bridge. I see my double'.
Catherine Faulds, workshop poet, wrote for 'the centennary of John Cage, composer, referring to his famous 4 minutes silence ..'but what about the noise of crumpling paper...telling time, confounding critics, ….into body music to match John's body ... Colin Eveleigh, a 'regular' attending his first poetry wkshp ever, called it 'a brilliant workshop' 'He read of a little boy at school with a green glass Eye' which kept falling out. His own eyesight is good, he said, but he wants it better. Then, compared it with how he wonders if his life expectations are too high. Is he asking too much?

Richard Hawtree wrote a poem for a sick friend, 'On the way through the hall, you turn back to the rosary beads, not out of piety but.. because you love beads….your hands are those of a mathematician working an abacus….Determining the shape of things unseen. And confident that even if the stars fall on their courses, your love beads will store that gathered corvus in a blue monstrous orb - or stir the hanging baskets circling your windows.' Bruce Parry's holiday in South Wales, took him along the Dylan Thomas route, finding it very inspiring. On a different note, he read 'Charity Shop Ghosts', describing all the contents ..wanting to be seen again...loved again. Looking at Charity shops in the context of small museums, so many stories are told...come in come in We can show you the past, the present and your future.'

Rodney Wood, poet, then told how he'd been practising voice articulation and emphasis up until showtime, which turned out to be an empty room. He had only reached the end of the first line...when the second reader, a young guy, took over and the crowd appeared. ….It was over but at least he had learned how to articulate and emphasise. He then read of having to be
circumcised in '75. The 'Who Who Doing'.(?). ….describing his 'part' as a 'cute little face one had drawn just for fun. It looked like something the cat had been playing with'. He said visitors laughed. the nurses kept flirting..while it was dire pain. Worse when his mum came to visit. He felt he'd been embraced by an iron maiden. Sad, yes, but very funny!

David Roberts read of love fading'. It's funny how love fades as you start to get older. I'm looking at your sagging bottom... with a growing of time and the parting of the seasons, then love begins to fall just as the seasons begin to fade'. Then, 'The Last Supper'. About two lovers gazing at each other across the table. Will they ever meet again?…. an atmosphere of pain and fear of rejection at the last supper. ' Finally, 'Jess, the dancer' ….she takes you to another place.

Jilly Funnell played guitar and sang about a woman born in 1873 who had the 'original' toyboy. She supported artists, poets and fell in love with a very young man. She sang 'My boy was young, bright as the sun...my precious one...but fate had its way. Now I am alone...Then, using two accents, American country and 'proper' English, she did, 'Everyday starts with the tick of the clock… about a woman who lost someone she really loved, and thinking about wanting to go back, but realising it would be wrong. 'But she's strong and 'won't ever give up! Jake read about a thieving bastard who had one redeeming feature. He spoke in verse. They set a trap and caught him. Hung him from a 'poet tree'.

Jenny Lewis recited from her two year project 'Writing Mesapotamia' , which she's working on with the Iraqi poet, Adnan al-Sayegh. It started in the Ashmera museum in front of the Asyrian carving that inspired it: 'Read our footprints on the long road out of Babylon. They'll tell you How the river stops and the fish became tin. How the air had a taste of marble and our lungs fought breath as they turned to stone. How our souls disappear into the shadows of dates of palms. Still we journey... Flying between continents - between airports. Each new city that's our providence…..

Still the mother and child leaving their country forever. (Lovely poem). Jenny will be reading with Adnan in February. Jezz at the mic, then said, 'Starts in E major. That's about all I know about it', he said, then proceeded to play a happy song, 'if you love me…' in his lovely gentle and emotional way – that one never tires of. Then, 'Think you're very clever, don't you, boy'…

All in all, a great evening! Brendan was super and the poets very good. It was a hard evening following a long day – but we made it! The raffle for two free meals for Tai Tong, our local Chinese (excellent food) was won by one very happy Chinese food loving enthusiast! We look forward to Speech Painter in our August Write Angle! Hope you can all make it!

Review is about WRITE ANGLE POETRY & MUSIC +OPEN MIC on 19 Jul 2016 (event)

Thanks Stu. My usual black humour, glad you liked it. It's easy to get wound up with perceived unfairness but ultimately we do end up all disappearing off the arse end of the earth.

Cheers David. I think humour is the only to survive, the grimmer the better in my view. The soul without humour is an arse soul . Eric Idle really impressed me, although he didn't go down well with the religious fraternity !
I'm glad you like my style .

Thanks Mark. That sounds like a swamp to me, a bit of a nightmare all round. America really does this sort of thing with panache.

Comment is about GRAVE MATTERS (blog)

Original item by ray pool

I accept that freedom of speech has been dearly won - and
now the cost is coming home to roost. I will admit that
these lines were written after yet another chosen run
of reporting on Sky that seemed intent to emphasising
everything that's execrable in our existence. You can
have too much of a bad thing and the unfortunate result
can be what has been termed "compassion fatigue".

Comment is about THE GLOBAL MEDIA (blog)

Original item by M.C. Newberry

I smiled in rueful recognition at these words.
Back in the 1990s I had a holiday caravan in my family's
local Devon spot and one August it rained nearly every day.
I felt for those who were restricted to their chosen holiday
time and wouldn't have blamed any for leaving early. At
least I was a "local" and could sit and suffer with other
ways of occupying my time in familiar territory. Let's be
grateful for the sun in August!

Comment is about Me & August (blog)

Original item by Gareth Glyn Roberts

These lines took me to memories of...
1. The above ground edifices in the local cemetery in Napoleonville, Louisiana, many of them like monuments
trying to out point each other on ground that would not
accept earthbound entries due to its soggy consistency.
2. The lines "Man proposes, God disposes".

Comment is about GRAVE MATTERS (blog)

Original item by ray pool

Indeed, Ray. Maybe the true answer is ginger beer - non-alcoholic, of course.

Comment is about Murder On My Mind (blog)

Original item by David Lindsay

Hi LCP :)
Welcome to another grey dreary day :(

Comment is about Hot August ? (blog)

Original item by Tom Doolan

this feels like it should be read live by frank sinatra.
maybe its just the opening line
great stuff anyway, a light hearted look at a point that really is quite a deep one. im reading about this posh cunt who died, westminster chap, who we lived quite near to and by all accounts he wasnt a total prick but you feel with that amount of money he could have done slightly more with it than given it to his somehow even posher son.

job said it best. we come in the world with nothing and we leave with just the same.

im misquoting im sure but thats the general bent.

Comment is about GRAVE MATTERS (blog)

Original item by ray pool

thanks once again for the supportive comment on '...old lamp' Stu - I feel guilty when I use an e-reader - it feels like cheating on a proper book - always leaves me feeling cheap and dirty... *wink*
Ian

Comment is about Stuart Buck (poet profile)

Original item by Stuart Buck

thanks once again for the supportive comment on '...old lamp' Simon - I feel guilty when I use an e-reader - it feels like cheating on a proper book - always leaves me feeling cheap and dirty... *wink*
Ian

Comment is about Simon Widdop (poet profile)

Original item by Simon Widdop

Nice twist, David, a soft landing. If only life was that simple - some might reach for the bottle !

Ray

Comment is about Murder On My Mind (blog)

Original item by David Lindsay

?! Thank you so much for your comments everyone

Comment is about Nettles (blog)

Original item by Alexandra K. Parapadakis

White lives, black lives, hispanic lives, indigenous native lives...all are in the mix in that huge country. As for statistics produced by any newspaper, corroboration is
relevant, especially when figures demonstrating levels
of crime originating from any one ethnic origin are not
mentioned. If the prison population of America has a
disproportionate number of inmates from the black
and hispanic populations then that leads to the question
"why so?". Statistics need balanced attention to
achieve a proper fully informed spectrum of public
awareness when lives are lost in encounters between
law officers and those they face in their duties.

Comment is about Black Lives ✊ (blog)

Original item by Sakyah Campbell