Hello Kj,

Welcome to Write Out Loud, we hope you have a good time exploring the site. We're really looking forward to reading some of your work and I know that you’ll get a warm welcome from the other WOL-ers too.

Could you upload a picture of yourself, it’s really good to see what our fellow poets look like.

Have a good browse around, there’s work here on virtually any subject and there’s always lots going on. If you have the time to make some comments about the work of other poets please feel free to do so, it’s often the best way to get some constructive feedback about your own work too.

If you experience any technical problems there’s usually somebody who’ll help you out so just ask and someone will get back to you reasonably swiftly.

WOL is a friendly, creative and unassuming place, so welcome from all of us once again.

Graham @ the Write Out Loud Team.

Comment is about kj (poet profile)

Original item by kj

Hello A.M,

Welcome to Write Out Loud, we hope you have a good time exploring the site. We're really looking forward to reading some of your work and I know that you’ll get a warm welcome from the other WOL-ers too.

Thanks for uploading a picture of yourself (you look very young) it’s really good to see what our fellow poets look like.

Have a good browse around, there’s work here on virtually any subject and there’s always lots going on. If you have the time to make some comments about the work of other poets please feel free to do so, it’s often the best way to get some constructive feedback about your own work too.

If you experience any technical problems there’s usually somebody who’ll help you out so just ask and someone will get back to you reasonably swiftly.

WOL is a friendly, creative and unassuming place, so welcome from all of us once again.

Graham @ the Write Out Loud Team.

Comment is about A.M. Clarke (poet profile)

Original item by A.M. Clarke

Thanks guys. Graham, I felt like I have finally overcame an obstacle in my life.

Comment is about Mirror (blog)

Original item by Kassandra Morris

Ah, 'Mirror'. Tommy

Comment is about Mirror (blog)

Original item by Kassandra Morris

I thought I posted you before- Kassandra-.

Comment is about Kassandra Morris (poet profile)

Original item by Kassandra Morris

Dementia...loss...a confusion. Well wrote sir. Tommy

Comment is about After Death (blog)

Original item by A.M. Clarke

Enjoy enjoy! write and be dammed. Tommy

Comment is about A.M. Clarke (poet profile)

Original item by A.M. Clarke

Missed this first time Gus.
'In the waking dread of darkness
Spiral deepest down and down
Wherein long cold fingers claw...'
The photograph enhances this chilling moment.

Comment is about In The Time It Takes (blog)

Original item by Gus Jonsson

Powerful stuff! Best wishes for the success of your enterprise.

Comment is about STILL IN THE WAR, BOYS! - new CD and download from THE CROWS OF ALBION (blog)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

Perhaps GS has a point about the way in which
these writers enjoy their place in the sun at
the expense of others closer to home. Is
the UK really so short of writing talent and
what is has to say that prizes go elsewhere?
Is there a trend putting some ahead of others
in this area of poetry...much the same as the
preference for prose over verse in much of what
can be found in the poetry press nowadays?
I have no particular axe to grind as I would not bother entering modern competitions, held
and judged by those whose priorities seem far
removed from my own, preferring to "self-publish" or use excellent outlets like WOL and just get on with life.

Comment is about 'It's much bigger than the personal.' Jamaican-born poet talks of his mixed emotions on winning the Forward prize (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

My style is quite odd but that's not condescending at all, in fact that's quite a compliment haha! Thank you very much. :)

Comment is about For Loki (blog)

Original item by Lopt the Treacherous

I'm getting mixed messages here D. Is this a poem abt 'choice'? or abstention? or abstemious acts of...erm or suitable attire when having...hmm...

Comment is about LAST CHANCE SALOON (blog)

Original item by Daniel Dwyran

I completely agree with that last line, though I like to see him called Father of Lies, there is some justice in that. Somewhere between Prometheus and Lucifer, all eyes are on the shape shifter. Your style seems to have its feet in several camps, but I think you're finding your way with this - I hope that doesn't sound condescending, but with the Heroic, old English, the modern... as many feet as Sleipnir in as many different styles. Keep em coming.
Dom.

Comment is about For Loki (blog)

Original item by Lopt the Treacherous

It's early, and it took me a minute to suss this out. Then I chuckled.

Comment is about LAST CHANCE SALOON (blog)

Original item by Daniel Dwyran

what!? no mention of 'elfy pot noodles!

good gear dear! xx

Comment is about Our School Was Haunted (blog)

Original item by Ste J Bee

great!

likely to be greater still when 'performed'

xx

Comment is about Sleeplessness Blues (blog)

Original item by Ste J Bee

The point, which may not have come across in my precis of the original Guardian story, was that Kei Miller went in for slams to help pay for his creative writing studies at Manchester Metropolitan University. He did not regard himself as a performance poet at all, but the slam wins helped to pay the rent. He has published four collections with Manchester-based Carcanet, one of the leading poetry publishers, so that definitely makes him a page poet - and he certainly sees himself that way. I saw him read at the Southbank this afternoon, on a bill that included Daljit Nagra and the Caribbean-born poet, Jean 'Binta' Breeze. It was a marvellous, rich, invigorating set of readings, of which more tomorrow.

Comment is about 'It's much bigger than the personal.' Jamaican-born poet talks of his mixed emotions on winning the Forward prize (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

This is an interesting debate that I have to confess puzzled me when I first read Greg's post about this winner of the Forward Prize. Prior to this I had no knowledge of the recipient but from the information given was somewhat surprised that a "champion' slam poet had been awarded a page poetry prize. Uppermost in my confusion was how well slam poems transfer to the page. Of course the winner may have written the collection specifically for the page.
When reading more widely around a variety of poetry sites I do find that there is a vogue for 'foreign ' work to be celebrated above more home grown talent. Frankly I think it is in fashion. Finally I didn't understand much of what Paxman had to say.

Comment is about 'It's much bigger than the personal.' Jamaican-born poet talks of his mixed emotions on winning the Forward prize (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

The recipient mentioned race.
The point I was making is that art transcends
"race". I suspect that when race is mentioned
in art's context there is an agenda for its use.
The fact that black singers were such great
interpreters of material from ethnic sources
beyond their own seemed to enforce my belief
that it is not really necessary to bring it
to attention when communicating what you have
say (in song OR poetry) - unless the subject matter is narrowly and intentionally specific,
when it can be judged on its merits - or otherwise.
Cheers.

Comment is about 'It's much bigger than the personal.' Jamaican-born poet talks of his mixed emotions on winning the Forward prize (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Thank you for taking the trouble to comment on this, MC. But with all due respect, I cannot for the life of me see the connection between black Americans singing songs from the shows and the latest winner of the Forward prize, Kei Miller, who respectfully asks to be taken seriously as a page poet. Whether performance poets should be, or are, taken less seriously than page poets is of course another argument entirely.

Comment is about 'It's much bigger than the personal.' Jamaican-born poet talks of his mixed emotions on winning the Forward prize (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Hello Adeng,

Welcome to Write Out Loud, we hope you have a good time exploring the site. We're really looking forward to reading some of your work and I know that you’ll get a warm welcome from the other WOL-ers too.

Thanks for uploading a picture of yourself, it’s really good to see what our fellow poets look like.

Have a good browse around, there’s work here on virtually any subject and there’s always lots going on. If you have the time to make some comments about the work of other poets please feel free to do so, it’s often the best way to get some constructive feedback about your own work too.

If you experience any technical problems there’s usually somebody who’ll help you out so just ask and someone will get back to you reasonably swiftly.

WOL is a friendly, creative and unassuming place, so welcome from all of us once again.

Graham @ the Write Out Loud Team.

Comment is about Adeng Malual Leek (poet profile)

Original item by Adeng Malual Leek

Good luck and well done to this winner.
The dichotomy that the word "race" evokes seems
apparent here.
I am interested in words that touch me - that
communicate a common feeling or experience -
that MEAN something to my humanity, and that invariably transcends racial issues.
There is a readiness to cite race as a reason for lack of success whilst at the same time pushing it as a mark of pride and identity
when it suits, either in material or its presentation.
I think of black singers - especially in the
USA- who sang marvellous songs written by a writers of Jewish and Italian origin. Their
interpretations did not dwell on the origins but on the common experiences set out in words that all humanity understands.
"Black" poets today might care to remember that.

Comment is about 'It's much bigger than the personal.' Jamaican-born poet talks of his mixed emotions on winning the Forward prize (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Hello Shine,

Welcome to Write Out Loud, we hope you have a good time exploring the site. We're really looking forward to reading some of your work and I know that you’ll get a warm welcome from the other WOL-ers too.

It would be great if you could upload a picture of yourself, it’s really good to see what our fellow poets look like.

Have a good browse around, there’s work here on virtually any subject and there’s always lots going on. If you have the time to make some comments about the work of other poets please feel free to do so, it’s often the best way to get some constructive feedback about your own work too.

If you experience any technical problems there’s usually somebody who’ll help you out so just ask and someone will get back to you reasonably swiftly.

WOL is a friendly, creative and unassuming place, so welcome from all of us once again.

Graham @ the Write Out Loud Team.

Comment is about Shine (poet profile)

Original item by Shine

Hello Megan,

Welcome to Write Out Loud, we hope you have a good time exploring the site. We're really looking forward to reading some of your work and I know that you’ll get a warm welcome from the other WOL-ers too.

It would be great if you could upload a picture of yourself, it’s really good to see what our fellow poets look like.

Have a good browse around, there’s work here on virtually any subject and there’s always lots going on. If you have the time to make some comments about the work of other poets please feel free to do so, it’s often the best way to get some constructive feedback about your own work too.

If you experience any technical problems there’s usually somebody who’ll help you out so just ask and someone will get back to you reasonably swiftly.

WOL is a friendly, creative and unassuming place, so welcome from all of us once again.

Graham @ the Write Out Loud Team.

Comment is about Megan Scoble (poet profile)

Original item by Megan Scoble

a good poetic way of getting things off your chest that definitely deserves a 'Carroll cuppa!'


;0).....................x

Comment is about Arsonist (blog)

DANIEL.....what a treat! As a scot, I give this my seal of approval. Brilliant, clever, funny take on a very topical subject (I know I am a tad late lol)
The references are so good I would have thought for certain that it was written by a jock ;)

Comment is about HAWKEYE THE NOO (blog)

Original item by Daniel Dwyran

Natalie- you certainly have a 'physical' threat developing in your work: Fire, barbed-wire, daggers and fists. Natalie, have a seat and I'll make you a nice cup of tea. :) Tommy

Comment is about Arsonist (blog)

That's Jeoffry...

Comment is about Kei Miller wins £10,000 Forward prize for best collection (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Daniel,
Thanks for the comment on Majesty...
There are a whole lot of comical memories I could recount about that street, but it would be too long on a poetry site. (I like your rhymed stuff) Hopefully, I will be able to get back to commenting anon.
...You`ve started me thinkin` again.

Comment is about Daniel Dwyran (poet profile)

Original item by Daniel Dwyran

Hark at Paxo. He seems to have swallowed the poetry gits handbook since last year, I preferred him before he was articulating the articulation of multiple realities and meaningful ways of seeing the world... reading trivia from his idiot screen, for instance.

That's odd. Hmm. I gave up smoking this morning. Poor Jeremy... isn't there a poem about a cat called Jeremy somewhere? smiles back at the sun, of the tribe of tiger, that sort of thing, mummy's little tiger. But I digress.

Comment is about Kei Miller wins £10,000 Forward prize for best collection (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Hello Danny,

Welcome to Write Out Loud, we hope you have a good time exploring the site. We're really looking forward to reading some of your work and I know that you’ll get a warm welcome from the other WOL-ers too.

It would be great if you could upload a picture of yourself, it’s really good to see what our fellow poets look like.

Have a good browse around, there’s work here on virtually any subject and there’s always lots going on. If you have the time to make some comments about the work of other poets please feel free to do so, it’s often the best way to get some constructive feedback about your own work too.

If you experience any technical problems there’s usually somebody who’ll help you out so just ask and someone will get back to you reasonably swiftly.

WOL is a friendly, creative and unassuming place, so welcome from all of us once again.

Graham @ the Write Out Loud Team.

Comment is about iLmm (poet profile)

Original item by iLmm

Wonderful. Reflective, profound, almost tangible in places. Very clever tying all the different ideas of lines together. That second verse is stand-out. Brilliant mate.

Can you edit it though please and tag it 'richpix' so that we have them all together?

Comment is about The Lines (blog)

Original item by John Togher

Thank you very much M.C.I'm flattered. I must admit that in vital respects I consider myself a traditionalist. For instance, I don't think I'd ever have a mobile phone, or similar, in any poem i wrote. I suppose I, and any poet really, aims for universality and timelessness. Thanks again.

Comment is about SHELVED. (blog)

Some of your poems have pics of pretty women attached. So I asked :) I think a foto would add to the poignancy of the poem.
Preeti

Comment is about Tommy Carroll (poet profile)

Original item by Tommy Carroll

Thank you Andy. Take care mate x

Comment is about Andy N (poet profile)

Original item by Andy N

Thank you Cathy - I only really wrote it for her eyes, and when she didn't get to see it, I didn't know what else to do with it.

Comment is about CathyLCrabb (poet profile)

Original item by CathyLCrabb

cheers for the comments on my pages daniel. jeff certainly is an inspiration isnt he??!!

just loved this poem, it gave me a nudge, a reminder of what we have int north thats particularly northern and ours

Comment is about NORTHERN CHARM (blog)

Original item by Daniel Dwyran

Great stuff Steve, remember the Kate Sharpley poem from Rebellion, top stuff! Jeffarama!

Comment is about Steve Pottinger creates a buzz as 'last orders' threatens Rhythm & Muse (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

A unique tribute to a very unique city Harry. Your personal civic love and pride shine through this. Very warm and articulate. Nice one.

Comment is about welcome majesty (blog)

Original item by Harry O`N eill

Very good description of heartache.

Comment is about Painful Poison (blog)

Original item by .L.m.P.

Beautiful!

Comment is about Butterfly (blog)

Original item by .L.m.P.

Very nice, Nigel! Now why couldn't I do it :0

Comment is about An evening with you (blog)

Poetry kiss
slight taste
of rhyme.

But reading
it out
bitter lips.

Comment is about An evening with you (blog)

I like this Harmony. Accreditations are not the spotless guarantees they should be, despite the dazzle and "I don't need no acceptance no I don't need it at all" seems to me pitched just right.

Comment is about Needs (blog)

I have read this poem a number of times since
my previous post and it has one definable
quality: the ability to cross the ages.
It could just as easily been written by Leigh
("Jenny Kissed me") Hunt or W.E. Henley as by a contemporary poet.
One of the best on WOL at any time.

Comment is about SHELVED. (blog)

What brought this on was seeing, on the `Cilla` television program , My old street (Bostock street) where – during Cilla`s girlhood - I spent the first ten years of my married life . Ah! The memories: the occasional police raids (in unmarked vans!) on the men playing pitch - and-toss in the `ollers` ( little bombed-out spaces) between the houses...for pennies! How crime changes!. The busy ups and downs between Scotty and Great Homer street. And the happy memories of being the only `right wing` member of the old Liverpool Trades Council and Labour party executive (Happy? I must be jokin.) Now, my only claim to fame is that I once lived a couple of doors away from Cilla Blacks auntie ....(and still is)

Comment is about welcome majesty (blog)

Original item by Harry O`N eill

Graham, that's a fair observation. But better is the analogy you used about the headlines and not the whole gory story :0

Am trying to learn. But words feel so wrong; I am unable to articulate exactly how I'm feeling.

Thanks for the feedback.

Comment is about An evening with you (blog)

Truly moving..

Comment is about Eternity (blog)

Original item by Kassandra Morris

Love it!

Comment is about Isolated (blog)

Original item by Kassandra Morris

All I can say is wow...that was beautiful

Comment is about Mirror (blog)

Original item by Kassandra Morris