How can this work not be flooded with comments, ie. GREAT comments on the subject, the wide scope and the clarity of expression. It is terrific.

There is a very scary story about 'the Monkey's Paw' is there not? I have a vague recollection.

Comment is about Beware! The Man Who Holds The Monkey's Paw (blog)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

I think this is a splendid theme, full of human and cultural possibilities, and well-undertaken in its scope.

Well, that's a bit garbled, but I do like the poem a lot.

Comment is about The Drum (blog)

Original item by Noetic-fret!

I'm with the comments here; especially enjoyed 'scowling porches'. Sometimes a 'spill-out' is marvellous, from who knows where. Don't ask. Just rejoice.

Comment is about WHERE I LIVE (blog)

Original item by ray pool

thanks cynthia! ts eliot said that cellar door was phonetically the most beautiful sounding phrase in the english language. i guess i just wanted to liken my feelings towards my wife to his feelings for the phrase.

Comment is about emma #2 (blog)

Original item by Stuart Buck

A lovely 'feel' runs through this as fine lyrical diction develops the writer's thoughts and moods. The 'cellar door' is an apt metaphor. Interestingly, IMO, it puts the writer in a specific 'place' both in geography and time. And I wondered whether 'out' or 'up' through the 'cellar door'. Not that it mattered. Or am I way off base?

Comment is about emma #2 (blog)

Original item by Stuart Buck

Reviews


"10/10 to Rose Fraser Ritchie and May Macleod for organising another enjoyable Federation of Writers (Scotland) open mic night at The Merlin in Edinburgh and 10/10 to the staff for the tasty bar meal and drinks and quality function suite venue" - Erik Zoha, Dundee.


"It was a lovely evening, full of great poetry, beautiful guitar playing, humour and warmth. Martin Stepek, Hamilton. - Author of Mindful Poems of hope and experience. www.flemingpublications.com"

Review is about Federation of Writers (Scotland) Meet the Makar on 23 Nov 2015 (event)

hello Mr.Coopey
I found your sample ''Ikea'' hilarious
It pictures the struggles most of us have while building up an IKEA shelve or other products of the same company.

Comment is about John Coopey (poet profile)

Original item by John Coopey

Thanks folks that you found favour with this one. Always nice to hear different reactions; a simple offering without any big ideas. Cheers .

Comment is about WHERE I LIVE (blog)

Original item by ray pool

Please note, this is our final meeting at The Commercial and is likely to be held downstairs.

Our future meetings will be held at The Wickham Arms in Cleckheaton.

Review is about Talking Zebras on 31 Oct 2015 (event)

went great Nigel on Saturday. had a really good laugh, as it got wrapped quickly - i ended up doing two poems for them, hopefully both will go live next week. will be sharing them on here for that defo and will be mentioning it at stockport when i am there next.

also - i sent two poems over to Rachel last night, one of which needed some major ish rewriting from but i am hopeful at least one will be accepted. yeah, it was a really good workshop (I came away in total after redrafting last night - 9 poems).

hope you enjoyed your dizzy blonde (:

See you soon

andy

Comment is about Nigel Astell (poet profile)

Original item by Nigel Astell

Hi Stu. The Café Rouge chain are still in business, but our local one slipped on its own banana skin. They sent a guy down to supervise and he was like Basil Fawlty so the writing was on the wall. Plus it needed a lot of doing up. Apparently it will become a themed bar. (gulp)

Comment is about LAMENT FOR CAFE ROUGE (blog)

Original item by ray pool

Hope your interview went O.K

Had a great day out on Saturday

Will send Rachel a poem for the launch on November 14th

Went out Monday night to a pub called The Puss in Boots

and had a dizzy blonde not as tasty as my black pussy!

Comment is about Andy N (poet profile)

Original item by Andy N

Hmm interesting take on that one!

Comment is about Nigel Astell (poet profile)

Original item by Nigel Astell

Thank you for your comments Cynthia ! X

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

hello ray. yes im fine thanks, just keeping my distance whilst the negative energy (yes i am a hippy dippy im afraid) dissolves and the place becomes more pleasant.

Comment is about WHERE I LIVE (blog)

Original item by ray pool

thanks lea! its as close to a 'love poem' as i will ever get i think. i was on my way to bed last night and saw my wife lying there and just thought 'i have to write a poem for her'. and this is what she got!

Comment is about emma (blog)

Original item by Stuart Buck

thanks mate. i was cooking a curry at the time so my senses were already on tune. yeah, the word cunt. it took me ages to decide on it but it was the word that fit best. its amazing how delicate and sensual the word can be if used properly.

Comment is about brine (blog)

Original item by Stuart Buck

this is excellent. will try at once!

Comment is about facebook feverbrush (10/25/2015) -- found (blog)

Original item by Zach Dafoe

Ian,
Ian I`m `resting` at the moment, but I had to pick up on this magnificently ghoulish effort.

All your figures fit with admirable and cannibalistic aptness, particularly those first four lines of stanza two. (and they are standing out in a very respectable poetic whole)

I `get` the return to Victorian poverty political slant you have given this, but the quality of your image-choices outclass the worthy theme.

It knocks all that phoney weird stuff around in the films at the moment into a cocked hat.

Thoroughly enjoyed!

Comment is about Beware! The Man Who Holds The Monkey's Paw (blog)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

Hi Lynn, I like this - I think it's a point well made, unfortunately self-righteous arseholes are a dime a dozen, and I cling to the hope that somewhere along the way they get what they give, and realise life isn't always black & white. Anyway, thanks for sharing this one, thought provoking x

Comment is about No Name (blog)

Love this Laura! Would love to see you perform it x

Comment is about Dominant Scrawling (blog)

Original item by Laura Taylor

Thank you very much one and all.

Cynthia - it's qwerty - look at your keyboard, top left row. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QWERTY. Glad you find it interesting :)

Hehe Stu ;)

Cheers Ray and Lynn :)

Comment is about Dominant Scrawling (blog)

Original item by Laura Taylor

Hey Stu, I really like this, just everything about it, it's got this really cool otherworldly thing going on. My favourite line: 'Willows have shot through ether' :)

Comment is about emma (blog)

Original item by Stuart Buck

Ooo I do like this - the crossing over of live and love, the significance of the home to the heart, and some beautiful sonics. 'gravel bottomed' - mmm.

Comment is about WHERE I LIVE (blog)

Original item by ray pool

Such a gorgeous spread of the senses in this Stu - a wonderfully evocative piece, and a loving use of 'cunt' (one of my favourite words ever).

Lush!

Comment is about brine (blog)

Original item by Stuart Buck

You are more than welcome Wendy, and once again, apologies for the train wreck. You made a very fine point. I've been the woman who says no, and wasn't heard, so it's painfully close to my heart.

Take care, Laura.

Comment is about Wendy Higson (poet profile)

Original item by Wendy Higson

Hi Amanda. Pleased that 'Satan Is A Wanker' brought a smile to your world. Ledger

Comment is about Amanda (poet profile)

Original item by Amanda

Thankyou Laura for showing support and understanding Wendy .

Comment is about Laura Taylor (poet profile)

Original item by Laura Taylor

Thanks Stu. I wrote this in double quick time , it poured out and I thought "what is this?" I'd been for a walk round in the dark and thought "what can I make of this?"

The whole thing felt very personal, and I'm delighted it hit a spot. I hope you're doing ok by the way...
Ray

Comment is about WHERE I LIVE (blog)

Original item by ray pool

i like cafe rouge!!!!!!!!!!!!

mainly because they serve hoegaarden on tap.

but still.

Comment is about LAMENT FOR CAFE ROUGE (blog)

Original item by ray pool

excellent. i had no idea where it was going until it got there (good thing) and i love this personal/spiritual thing. its the best way to suck a reader in. start out small and grow huge. this is excellent.

Comment is about WHERE I LIVE (blog)

Original item by ray pool

My thoughts on Bridport, and Roger McGough's comments, are now online on the Poet's Soapbox: http://poets-soapbox.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/bridport-blether-part-2-perils-of.html.

Comment is about Bridport prize judge Roger McGough notes lack of anger and 'rarity' of rhyme (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Hi Ian - thanks for the response about "We are the Dead"
on my profile page. I didn't assume it was about you...
more an "Ode to Opportunities Missed When Alive" from
my own POV.
The sweep of those is such that most of us are content/
sentenced to settle for less, relishing simpler things.
When I mentioned "response" in my opening line, it was
meant that the extent of the comprehensive content
was something of a challenge in that wider context and
might obtain comment(s) accordingly...nothing more.
By the way - I like "Bard Company" as a title. It reminds
me of "Bad Company" - a Western from some years ago
about youth falling prey to the same.
Good to note your busy future performance schedule.
Cheers

Comment is about Ian Whiteley (poet profile)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

Hi Laura

Enjoyed this and especially the line 'careless fingers play with Qwerty'. My clogs are sparking.

Comment is about Dominant Scrawling (blog)

Original item by Laura Taylor

Many thanks for your thoughts, MC.
"Suiting their situation and public popularity" made me think of Jeremy Corbyn's refusal to sing the national anthem. Whilst I might admire his principles it demonstrates to me the man's naivety. He surely recognises that he needs 11m votes at the next election. He surely recognises too that with the vast majority of the electorate the Queen is popular. It will come back to haunt him.
Set aside his principles - it was a tactical schoolboy howler.

Comment is about VIVE LA REPUBLIQUE (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

MC - I think you may have fallen into the trap that one or two others did about 'We Are The Dead'. It wasn't written about me and it wasn't looking for a reaction - it was written about a friend who passed away recently - and I felt he hadn't fulfilled his amazing talents as a musician, partly because he let those other things take over his life. Thanks for commenting
Ian

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

Original item by M.C. Newberry

Thanks guys. No idea what it will be maybe but I'm uneasy if not queasy. It's an interesting building, David, and almost like a Café Royal atmosphere - but I dare say it will be ripped out and themed. Where did we go wrong? We've not tried the Brasserie yet. Thanks for the advice though.

Comment is about LAMENT FOR CAFE ROUGE (blog)

Original item by ray pool

Very clever idea to put poetry in its place and at the same time display a mastery of the art of it ! I would agree that as with photography I believe, sometimes an experience in the raw can be experimented with in a self indulgent way. But wot the hell, it ain't rocket science - or is it? The log man.

very impressive.

Comment is about Dominant Scrawling (blog)

Original item by Laura Taylor

cc semen

me me mewing

more boar boring

ceaseless spewing


that is fabulous.

and i agree completely.

Comment is about Dominant Scrawling (blog)

Original item by Laura Taylor

Hahaha, I would like to say I practice a peaceful lifestyle where I help others if possible, and so I believe that we will all find our way eventually. We all make mistakes, it's only human, it's the only way we learn and experience life. :)

Comment is about Before you fall apart. (blog)

Original item by Eric Berard

Always a great philosophy to put into words.

Comment is about Here... (blog)

Original item by Amanda

Very interesting - very. Full of references I'm only guessing at, but still being influenced by. What's a 'querty'?

Comment is about Dominant Scrawling (blog)

Original item by Laura Taylor

Very funny - love the play on 'up' . Spears a strong point too.

Comment is about An ape's bald butts (blog)

Original item by Alem Hailu G/Kristos

After the experience of the Lord Protector Cromwell -
perhaps upset by the killjoys who held sway under his
tenure, the English (well, it was certainly them in the
ascendancy) decided enough was enough of the brush
with republicanism and decided that things could now
get better, with a harsh lesson against "absolute power"
inflicted and still in reserve as a reminder. Whatever the
objections to royalty, sometimes individually, sometimes
as an institution, often one served to support and save
the other - with the collective wealth of experience -
e.g. our present monarch - and huge source of wisdom
and experience that our "here today/gone tomorrow"
politicians can draw upon when in government.
We can remind ourselves that they are usually very
glad of the opportunity and the ability to claim they
have consulted "Her Majesty" when it suits their
situation and public popularity.
There are many who have huge influence but are not
elected, just as there are many who have huge wealth
that might fall outside the term "earned". Our history
is littered with them. It is how they use either that
matters most.
Lord (or Lady) Protector today...anyone?

Comment is about VIVE LA REPUBLIQUE (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Thanks, JC. She was a film actress who could always
be relied upon to display the female sex at its best.
I've just read how she upset Walt Disney by refusing to
let him wriggle out of a contract, to the extent that on
hearing her name he exclaimed "Bitch!" She would throw
her head back and laugh when hearing of this. Not one
to be messed with - on or off the screen. No quiet
woman, she!

Comment is about MAUREEN O'HARA (blog)

Original item by M.C. Newberry

Many thanks chaps :)

Comment is about Dominant Scrawling (blog)

Original item by Laura Taylor

Huw, a couple of comments.

Firstly, your point is about negotiation whereas Wendy's poem is about abuse of power by men whose notions of relationships are stuck in the 1970s.

Whilst I understand that you find fascinating, as an experienced negotiator, the question of when 'no' means something other than what it presents - along the lines of 'getting to yes', in Fisher and Ury's terms - that is not the context of Wendy's poem.

You will, as a skilled negotiator, recognise the term 'ellision', something that, unfortunately, you do here to slip from commenting on the context of Wendy's poem to the title, in order to make a non-contextual point.

Now, we don't mind ellision; it can be entertaining at times. However, the effect of your elision, in the specific context of Wendy’s poem - but not, I am sure, its intention - is to imply that when a woman says 'no' in a sexual context she might not mean it. The effect of which is to portray you as a rape denier. I don't think you are. I think you simply wanted to start a discussion about other contexts when 'no' is a negotiating position, and then you have warmed to your them. but the meaning of your communication is the response you get, not the response you thought you would get.

Most unfortunately, Graham compounds the solecism by his what could seem a laddish comment (but isn't), which you then exacerbate – I am sure unwittingly - by only quoting female examples of being persuaded to change no to yes. By doing so you appear to be reinforcing Graham’s tongue-in-cheek ‘accepted fact’.

The saddest notion you introduce here, for me, is to be discussing lovemaking in the context of negotiation, which reinforces the idea that it is a transaction. Perhaps that is the nub of the problem?

If I were Wendy, I would be pretty pissed off at how this discussion has overshadowed her piece of work. Wendy, thanks for putting your writing up on Write Out Loud. It might well have taken you a lot of courage to do so, so I am sorry if the discussion does not recognise that. I hope others will comment on the piece as a poem.

Now can we get back to helping each other out as poets and writers please? And could we perhaps offer something more supportive rather than continuing this tergervisation?

Comment is about No Means No (blog)

Original item by Wendy Higson

tick tock look at my socks I take my shoes off to you Laura.
I keep coming back to it to read again and don't know why-except for the fact that I like it.

Comment is about Dominant Scrawling (blog)

Original item by Laura Taylor

cheers for the comments jim this happened on the way home one night and sat with me for about 30 years before i wrote this, glad you like it..dazzer

Comment is about Deansgate Bridge (audio) (blog)

Original item by dazzer

yassssssssssssssss I love it

Comment is about Dara Smith (poet profile)

Original item by Dara Smith