you're very kind john - the story about the name in it is totally true - I have no idea where it came from - I looked up both words to see if it made any sense - and it kinda does. spooky. I was thinking 'the ghost of tom joad' (springsteen) when I hear it in my head - I'm a massive fan of 'the boss' and he's just released an electric version of that track on his new album - which is great - but I prefer the haunting acoustic original.

Comment is about John Coopey (poet profile)

Original item by John Coopey

Yes, I think that mid-west folky sound would go well.
There's a fusion in it of the spirit of "Universal Soldier" and "Joe Hill".

Comment is about Walkin' Man (blog)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

thanks for the comment on 'walkin' man' John and. yes, I'm on it - just released a CD of poetry and songs and this one is being lined up to be recorded for the next one - I'm thinking a Seeger/Dylan folky tune :-)

Comment is about John Coopey (poet profile)

Original item by John Coopey

I'm on it John - just released a CD of poetry and songs and this one is being lined up to be recorded for the next one - I'm thinking a Seeger/Dylan folky tune :-)

Comment is about Walkin' Man (blog)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

Liked this, Ian. I saw you blog on FB about it. It doesn't disappoint.The only thing it lacks is making into song with an audio

Comment is about Walkin' Man (blog)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

yes a purity we can only dream about, or perhaps
hope for'

Comment is about Pure (blog)

Original item by NICK ARMBRISTER

"Shitty little ingrate!" is a phrase I've barked at my kids on more than one occasion, Izzy.

Comment is about The Parable of the Shitty Little Ingrate (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Which is why I've never given my kids pocket money LOL!

They aren't at all materialistic so rarely ask for anything and I chuck them the odd fiver now and again if they help me out with a job...

They all know the value of money though - and neither of my older kids has ever gone overdrawn or borrowed what they can't pay back.

Those are values I can appreciate.

Comment is about The Parable of the Shitty Little Ingrate (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

I love this. Need I say more...

Comment is about The purple play (blog)

Original item by Carla Tombacco

yes its a vivid scifi futurist poem. yes the world is fucked now. a poem on the world as it currently is would be equally shocking.

Comment is about RAGING EARTH (blog)

Original item by NICK ARMBRISTER

Thank you for these kind observations Chris and also for your regular and much appreciated encouragement.

Comment is about TOO LATE (blog)

Original item by David Subacchi

Thanks, Steve. It is extremely flattering to know your poem is being learned by heart by kids in school (even though it is my own daughter teaching them!)

Comment is about Henry the Eighth (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

I really don't mind explaining what I had in mind when I wrote it, MC. It's aimed at shitty little ingrates everywhere; anyone who gets something for nothing and is ungrateful - young, old, man, woman, gay, straight, rich, poor. That's what I put into it. You take out of it what you want, laura.
So who should pay the 5 ducats?

Comment is about The Parable of the Shitty Little Ingrate (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

I don't take the view that a poet's task is to
explain his/her poem. It is for its audience
to "take" from it what they will - or not, as the
case may be.
I can think of numerous examples on WOL which
enter this category -and assume that others find
something in the content, even if I don't.

Comment is about The Parable of the Shitty Little Ingrate (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Or we could just make it even simpler, if it's making your head spin, and say who it's aimed at.

Comment is about The Parable of the Shitty Little Ingrate (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Good to know my grandad amd me have a right to our views, Ian.
Laura this is all making my head spin. Let's take a more simplistic approach and go back to my parable:
Who should make good the missing 5 ducats?
Do I have an entitlement to 10 ducats?
Am I justified or ungrateful.

Comment is about The Parable of the Shitty Little Ingrate (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

don't be so sensitive you old bard - it's just a different point of view - right and wrong is in folks mind - morally right and wrong is another matter ;-)

Comment is about The Parable of the Shitty Little Ingrate (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Shoot him? A little over the top no? And certainly nothing I would suggest, not being a Stalinist and all.

You told me that it IS aimed at someone/something, so fair enough for me to follow that up and ask who it might be.

S'up to you if you want to swerve it, if you don't want to say who you're having a go at.

Might help whoever it is to learn from your parable though eh, if they knew it was aimed at them?

Comment is about The Parable of the Shitty Little Ingrate (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Anyway, that's what me and my grandad think. (I assume he is allowed his view)

Comment is about The Parable of the Shitty Little Ingrate (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Laura, Ian - Perhaps you are both right. Perhaps the father should be taken out and shot for his inhumanity.
With regard to what it means and who it's about, as I've read in Discussions on WOL many times, once a poem is published its ownership is no longer the poet's; it is the reader's.
By that token, of course, you will indeed be right.

Comment is about The Parable of the Shitty Little Ingrate (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Hi Greg. Thanks for being so kind to take a look at my work. I didn't originally plan to make 'The Diving Board' a kind of short story narrative, it just seemed to develop that way! Thanks again.

Comment is about Greg Freeman (poet profile)

Original item by Greg Freeman

on Monday - my father took away my spade
on Tuesday - he tied my hand behind my back
on Wednesday - he crushed the bricks of my home
on Thursday - I said "father, why do you treat me so badly"
my father said "it amuses me to see you grovelling in the dirt for scraps"
we can all play that game john

Comment is about The Parable of the Shitty Little Ingrate (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

The what, John? What on earth are you saying? Is this true? Could this be the poetry world's Edward Snowden moment?
If you have evidence we need to see it, expose their misdeeds, these liberal arts mafiosi. Get in touch with me offline using the secure cutouts and we can arrange a meeting in a Hong Kong hotel, or the Sheremetyevo airport. How thrilling!
Cracking review, by the way, David. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and all the better for being outwith the purview of the Poesy Nostril.

Comment is about On Light & Carbon: Noel Duffy, Ward Wood Publishing (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

To clarify, I meant negatively, at someone. 'Having a go', or a 'dig'. That's what I meant.

Parables are meant to illustrate, or teach. So a bit different than what I meant. So who is it aimed at then? People who don't do a day's work for pay? People who do a job, say, on Workfare, and only get dole? Or - sorry - Job Seekers Allowance? People who are on benefits, either working or not, who are then stripped of them, or sanctioned, or...?

I dunno - you tell me.

Comment is about The Parable of the Shitty Little Ingrate (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

very good write it has an academic twang

Comment is about The Ides (blog)

Original item by David Blake

Of course it's aimed, Laura. It wouldn't be a parable if it wasn't aimed. My grandad's concept of socialism (and mine) is rather simplistic. A fair day's work for a fair day's pay.

Comment is about The Parable of the Shitty Little Ingrate (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

just nicked on,nicking out asap but not before I correct the name of that song-
*Anna*(go with him)and not Hannah.Have a good day Steve.x

Comment is about The coldest Morning (blog)

Original item by Steve Higgins

the only art i know by poetry publishers is that,
they tend to like the known and their friends

Comment is about Top poetry magazine editors explain 'the art of choosing' (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Hehe :D

Seconded!

Comment is about A plea to Michael Gove (blog)

Original item by Attila the Stockbroker

I missed this - glad I found it! Love this! So few words, so very evocative - I can see the scene. Great last two lines as well Andy :)

Comment is about Cat’s Prayer (blog)

Original item by Andy N

Cheers both

Ha, yes Andy, it's gone up on Poetry24 today.

Never thought I'd ever find myself writing about Justin Bieber, of all people, but I was listening to the news the other day, and felt kinda sorry for the fella. All I've ever heard from other people about him is contempt. I looked him up and he literally did come from nothing. Quite a deprived background, and raised on a string of low-paid jobs by his single mother.

Who wouldn't take the opportunity that he did, with that background? But you can bet your arse he's worked to death - hence the constant barrage of his stuff on the media. And now we're seeing the consequences of that. It is really quite sad.

Comment is about Judging Justin (blog)

Original item by Laura Taylor

Not at all sure who this is aimed at, but it is aimed, for sure.

What was your grandad's concept of socialism John, and indeed yours, out of interest?

Comment is about The Parable of the Shitty Little Ingrate (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Replaced by entitlement, Harry. Not at all my grandad's concept of socialism - nor indeed mine.

Comment is about The Parable of the Shitty Little Ingrate (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Great combination; history, poetry, and humour. Enjoyed this very much John.

Comment is about Henry the Eighth (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Sometimes we can make too many sacrifices just to get that name on our rent book! Excellent work,
Best wishes,
Steve

Comment is about A month's trial (blog)

Original item by fiona sinclair

Aww, thanks Solar. I'll look out for that Beatles song! x

Comment is about The coldest Morning (blog)

Original item by Steve Higgins

The images that have gone un-captured, well thought David. There is a definite loss that resembles melancholy and it hits a truism. The language is enjoyable also;

Quote
Achievement and advancement are only rungs on ladders

Climbing from sunlight into darkness
Unquote

The above two lines above are fantastic, Larkin would be proud to acknowledge those.

Of course there is lots of poetry in you yet, as this one most ably demonstrates. In one sense the shackles are off! You're not doing the whole career poet thing, which gives you a level of freedom.

The bottom line is the poems excellent.

Best of

Chris

Comment is about TOO LATE (blog)

Original item by David Subacchi

Very good to see poetry that hasn't been produced by the liberal arts Mafia...

Comment is about On Light & Carbon: Noel Duffy, Ward Wood Publishing (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Oh thanks Greg - I've got it to work now. I probably needed to shut down the computer before the new programme would work. It's certainly nitty gritty stuff - all about real life - glad it's not mine though!

But it still beats chaffinches :)

Comment is about 'Saying the unsayable': editor Sophie Hannah talks about The Poetry of Sex (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Nice bit of memorabilia Ian.

Comment is about Any Winter Saturday In Nineteen Seventy (blog)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

Thanks Harry. Truth is I am a latecomer to poetry but I am trying to make up for lost time! Appreciate the encouragement!

Comment is about TOO LATE (blog)

Original item by David Subacchi

John,
Very true (Ah, gratitude! wherever did it go?)

Comment is about The Parable of the Shitty Little Ingrate (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

David,
Gettawaywitcha!...there`s tuns of poetry in you yet!

Comment is about TOO LATE (blog)

Original item by David Subacchi

I was ten when the last one (a continuation
of the Great war)began. And, kid that I was, I can still feel and remember the universal feeling - despite the fear - of `up with this we can no longer put` (it was like a sort of
`wroughting up`

Comment is about BLACK BLOOD - a poem for the Great War (blog)

Original item by M.C. Newberry

Love it!

(and the music is better than the last music one)

Comment is about THE COUNTRY SINGER (blog)

Original item by M.C. Newberry

Good nightmare stuff this,

But Nick, isn`t there more to worry about now, than in a couple of thousand years time?


Somehow (Don`t tell the Greens)I can`t bring myself to care.

Comment is about RAGING EARTH (blog)

Original item by NICK ARMBRISTER

..."the words you've always had"
Just about sums up what we all do, MC.

Comment is about THE COUNTRY SINGER (blog)

Original item by M.C. Newberry

reminds me so much of the lyrics in an old Beatles song *Hannah*

#you give back the ring to me
and I will set you free to go with him*

I adore that song and love this poem.x

Comment is about The coldest Morning (blog)

Original item by Steve Higgins

thanks for your kind comments on 'any winter Saturday.....', 1972 eh - as my dad would have said "You're nobbut a bairn" - glad you liked it and appreciate you commenting
Ian

Comment is about Andy N (poet profile)

Original item by Andy N

Hi Sophie - Robina sends her love :)

Comment is about 'Saying the unsayable': editor Sophie Hannah talks about The Poetry of Sex (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman