Point: The essential raison d'etre for Ukip is
"Who rules the United Kingdom?" In a Brussels-
based political club of nearly 30 nations
out for themselves, this is even more relevant.
Point: Immigration must be a decision for the
country affected not for those beyond its shores.
Point: The staff of the NHS could be significantly enhanced by home-grown numbers if
the billions paid each year to the EU (for what
"benefit" to us exactly?) were channelled into
the NHS funding. We shouldn't NEED to rely on
bringing in staff from abroad from countries
which stand to lose that talent from their OWN
health services.
We are a rich nation but our finances seem mis-directed in so many ways while our politicos
love to strut the world-stage and enjoy the
self-regulated (try getting a proper accountacy of the vast EU budget!) perks it provides...
even in retirement.

Comment is about (blog)

Original item by Harry O`N eill

Terrific spoof on the EU hymn - with better words!
As for the picture taken at a certain soccer match
and now on view online........

Lift your banner
Put a spanner
Into sporting football's works
Who cares to win like Argentina
When they show how they have been a
Sorry lot of childish berks?!

Comment is about Ode to Roy (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Thanks for the comments from two WOL contributors whose own work I enjoy. You will
see from the reference to HM that this was
originally written (now slightly amended) for
the previous big anniversary when a certain
Jacques Chirac was the French president...
providing some merriment when he attempted to
"shepherd" the unamused Queen to her place!
I thought the speech from Obama elsewhere was
particularly good and certainly well received
by the US vets who were present. He is an
accomplished "Mr Everyman" type of public speaker, giving the impression that his words
are "there and then" instead of the carefully
prepared and rehearsed content required for
such an important occasion. The speech itself
- like Lincoln's Gettysburg address - deserves to be remembered in the context of war and what
the rest of us owe to those who served.

Comment is about ARROMANCHES - a Re-post of Remembrance for 2014 (blog)

Original item by M.C. Newberry

beyond brilliance!x

Comment is about Voices Off (blog)

Original item by Dave Morgan

Cheers for your note on me review Dave :)

Comment is about Dave Morgan (poet profile)

Original item by Dave Morgan

It works in the summer as well Dave. Certainly giving me a "guilt trip" today. Like the analogy of the "voices" adding to the "to do" list. Very good.

Comment is about Voices Off (blog)

Original item by Dave Morgan

Very strange indeed. It certainly seems to have dissapeared into someones 'Room 101' ;)
Thank you Lynn. No problem.

Comment is about SMELLY BOGS AND DIAMOND DOGS (blog)

Original item by Daniel Dwyran

...and Lynn, I used to think 'sex on the hoof' was something to do with Lady Godiva! ;)

Comment is about Safe Sex (blog)

Original item by Lynn Dye

Yes Brian P. always seemed the quiet boyish one, but he knows how to manage an audience (not that his audiences are going to make life difficult for him). Whether it's stuff from the back catalogue or more recent writing, he has a gentle voice that smiles and entices, an accent that is still "exceedingly rare", and a wry self-deprecating manner that wins hearts and minds. Always makes me smile and he's not a bad poet to boot.

Comment is about Recapturing that 60s mood with Brian Patten in night of laughter and nostalgia (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Good to see this. Steve had quietly submitted a poem to our forthcoming Words from Worktown anthology which Scott was happy to accept. Then we find he's just walked away with the Saboteur Award.Impressive.

Comment is about Steve Nash and Sophia Walker win Saboteur spoken word awards (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Nice one Laura. Your last comments are very telling and should form the basis for the kind of discussion about what we do, that we generally run a mile from.Perhaps Julian can confirm that this is the same Lucy English he inveigled to perform in Bolton about seven years ago. She was brilliant. A memorable night at the old Phoenix Youth Theatre Bar.

Dave

Comment is about Prayer to Imperfection: Lucy English, Burning Eye (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

and heres us,thinking butter wouldn't melt in your mouth Lynn-(snigger snigger)xx

Comment is about Safe Sex (blog)

Original item by Lynn Dye

Thanks for the kind and supportive comments guys. So Dominic, what's wrong with those particular verses? If I don't know then I can't do much about it :-) they still work fine for me ;-)

Comment is about Passchendaele (Autumn 1917) (blog)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

Ha ha, John, I'm sure I was thinking of a much younger me, also!

Yes, that does sound painful, Solar, lol.

Thank you both for comments :-)

Comment is about Safe Sex (blog)

Original item by Lynn Dye

I enjoyed this, Daniel, many happy memories, even the white dog shit - how strange that was!
Thank you for your kind comments on my profile page, much appreciated.

Comment is about SMELLY BOGS AND DIAMOND DOGS (blog)

Original item by Daniel Dwyran

Thanks for the kind words, Daniel.
I'm afraid I can't claim the "postcards" line as my own - I heard Tommy Docherty say it about Scotland some years ago.

Comment is about Ode to Roy (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

I'm still giggling about the "Home before the postcards..."
Excellent work John. It gave me, as an Englishman, a great smile to start the day.

Comment is about Ode to Roy (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

As a guy who resented Sinatra challenging Crosby
I retire defeated.

Nice hectic performer.

Comment is about Children Of The Glamned (Resurrection Shuffle) (blog)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

How little those who participated spoke about it afterwards (including my father in law) Perhaps it was the case that there was so much dying still to do afterwards, that the dying that had just been done was repressed...(sobering, isn`t it)

Good one M.C.

Comment is about ARROMANCHES - a Re-post of Remembrance for 2014 (blog)

Original item by M.C. Newberry

Thanks Laura and John, for the comments. Both of you are right about the challenge.

The political implications of UKIP`s success are fascinating.

Should (as is being proposed) the conservative party now unite in some way with with UKIP and enough Labour supporters go over and vote for the new situation, then it could be an election
winner next year.

In that case Cameron`s present ploy of pretending to re-negotiate the terms, agreeing some`cosmetic` alterations and holding the referendum with a
conservative `accept` recommendation would ( like similar policies in other `right-wing beleaguered` Europe- nations) be in grave danger of rejection.

The whole basis of the conservatives beloved `economically only Europe` is the free movement of capital, goods, services and–in particular–people within the `free trade` area. Anyone who thinks that this can permanently be restricted to `cherry picking` only the the ones we want (such as foreign trained doctors) is living in cloud cuckoo land.

The (partly legitimate) present concerns about the speed and volume of the movement of people now has a politically important focus. So perhaps now the politicians will be forced to give the European argument the public airing it so sorely needs.

On the breeding `hurry up` call to middle-class women: How refreshing to see a woman looking about her and (somewhat belatedly) suddenly
realizing why all these immigrants are here.

Comment is about (blog)

Original item by Harry O`N eill

thanx Daniel and big welcome to the site Love your style :)

Comment is about Daniel Dwyran (poet profile)

Original item by Daniel Dwyran

I am not worried by UKIP, Harry. I am worried by the 4.3m people who voted for them. That is our challenge. Let's hope Lincoln was right about fooling the people.

Comment is about (blog)

Original item by Harry O`N eill

Indeed, MC. What a debt of gratitude we owe.

Comment is about ARROMANCHES - a Re-post of Remembrance for 2014 (blog)

Original item by M.C. Newberry

thank god you said sex on the hoof and not the roof Lynn-getting ladders caught in my knicker leg could be soooo painful! x

Comment is about Safe Sex (blog)

Original item by Lynn Dye

You'd be safe with me these days, Lynn.

Comment is about Safe Sex (blog)

Original item by Lynn Dye

Willpower - - - is the theme

That person I really like
do they really fancy me.

That person I really like
they might really hate me.

That person I really like
willpower I really need now.

That person I really like
I must really face up.

That person I really like
ask them really with confidence.

That person I really like
I say really come on.

That person I really like
is out really with me.

Comment is about Write Out Loud at Stockport art gallery tonight (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Strange as it may seem, it was a woman I was arguing with, and she could definitely hear me, apart from an empathetic level, as I was shouting at the end. Moving forward now she has laid a guilt trip on me, and sometimes appears in a wheelchair, so I'm given to understand or hinted at, that it is my fault that her life is shit. The strange thing about it is, I remember getting wound up and little about the detail.

Comment is about Some people have it, some don't (blog)

Original item by joe ranter

Hi Jean
Having just discovered this being new to WOL I concur with Alain's comment from 2010 that often relationships are taken for granted. It captures the fact that sometimes we can all be too blind to see. Nice poem.

Comment is about Love is Blind (blog)

Original item by jean lucy thompson

Hi Jean.
Glad you enjoyed "Glasto" and thank you for the comment. Much appreciated.

Comment is about jean lucy thompson (poet profile)

Original item by jean lucy thompson

Hi Laura
Pleased you liked "Glasto in my Garden" and the "sisters lippy" line. I think Glastonbury should be on everybodys bucket list just for the diversity and 101 different experiences with mud ;)

Mind you nowadays it's all "Wet wipes, Wellies and Great big tellys"

Comment is about Laura Taylor (poet profile)

Original item by Laura Taylor

This is good work Ian, it really speaks. I will say I don't like the first and last two stanzas, which don't do the rest of the poem justice, better aloud I expect, but this is a stirring passage, a coherent, terrible taking stock in the aftermath of a battlefield, among the corpses and ghosts - delivery like gunfire!

Comment is about Passchendaele (Autumn 1917) (blog)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

Steve seems like such a lovely guy and really is incredibly talented. He's not a shouty in your face performer so I was surprised he made the shortlist but seeing him win is fantastic. Just hope this gets him the recognition he deserves further afield.

Comment is about Steve Nash and Sophia Walker win Saboteur spoken word awards (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Hey, howdy chap! Long time no see!

What a delightful poem. I can see you've been playing around with language in your absence :) Some lovely images in this, and a nice little twist at the end there.

Hope to see you some time mate :)

Comment is about Reflections (blog)

Original item by Mike Hilton

Glad you commented then Harry :)

I'd have written something but I've gotta be honest - I feel increasingly worn down by the endless grinding of this govt, and hugely worried by UKIP's popularity. Even round here in St Helens, although Labour won as per usual, UKIP came second in every single borough they had a candidate in, beating even the Tories. That shocked me.

And you are bang on re our medics.

Comment is about (blog)

Original item by Harry O`N eill

Sorry it's taken me so long to get round to commenting on this - saw it a while back but was a tad busy round then.

I absolutely LOVE this. Perfect haiku series - each one stands alone and fits beautifully together. You've captured the ghastliness and the eerie atmosphere so well. I hope this has been sent off to a war anthology (I'm sure you mentioned such a thing at the MH gig?).

Comment is about Passchendaele (Autumn 1917) (blog)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

Hahaa - speaking as a veteran of Glastonbury 2007 (THE wettest muddiest one on record!!) this proper made me laugh. Love the line about your sister's lippy :D

Have to say though, the punters there these days are less hippy, more materialistic, and much more likely to sulk if the weather doesn't go their way!! Kudos ain't worth shit if the sun don't shine apparently ;)

Comment is about GLASTO IN MY GARDEN (blog)

Original item by Daniel Dwyran

brilliant David-as usual.xx

Comment is about Crash Survivor's Log (blog)

Original item by David Blake

I THINK THEY EXIST SO MY CAT CAN HAVE SOOOO MUCH FUN:)

Comment is about Can you see my flies? (blog)

Original item by Christopher Dawson

Really enjoyed this Daniel

Comment is about GLASTO IN MY GARDEN (blog)

Original item by Daniel Dwyran

I didn't laugh at the Wildey's comments,honestly! you do believe me don't you Jean?....ahem.

new one on me as well,re the Freedom Tower.
One learn's something new every blogging day!x

Comment is about A QUESTION OF FREEDOM !!! (blog)

Original item by jean lucy thompson

Hi Dave
Thank you very much for your kind comment on 'Glasto'. I have since practiced reading it in a West Country accent since reading your commment. If I get to an open-mic night one day I will try it. Much appreciated.

Comment is about Dave Bradley (poet profile)

Original item by Dave Bradley

Superb title. I can still "feel the noise" ;) Nostalgia revisited for me in this one. Great depth to the work. Love it. Another great piece of writing Ian.
(I have a shorter poem in my blog relating to the Seventies. 'Smelly Bogs and Diamond Dogs' relating to that time of the decade which may tweak the strings of nostalgia for you).

I really enjoy your work and your links Ian.

Comment is about Children Of The Glamned (Resurrection Shuffle) (blog)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

Dave,
With this metaphor you could go in and out forever...It`s full of further possibilities.
(mind, you`ve used all the major ones)

Comment is about The cost of fascination (blog)

Original item by Dave Bradley

Although I hail from an earlier teen generation
with the glory days of Rockn'Roll uppermost,
I enjoyed this foray into the slightly nearer past
- with its (for me) evocations of what Philip
Larkin might have come up with if he had similar
empathy.
Consistently inventive, it is surely "one from
the heart".
Seems like only yesterday!!

Comment is about Children Of The Glamned (Resurrection Shuffle) (blog)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

Hi Andy N

It will be good to see you

The theme for the night is willpower

When craving starts
Try to resist
Send strong messages
To your brain.

I must not
I must not
I must not
I must not.

In the end
Temptation wins battle
Willpower looses control
Feeling guilty maybe.

But even if
Strict diet dies
That chocolate bar
Tastes so divine.

Comment is about Stockport WoL (group profile)

Original item by Stockport WoL

so is he a good actor or a brave poet?

Comment is about Steve Nash and Sophia Walker win Saboteur spoken word awards (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Good fun. Kind of makes a point too. It would perform well - one of those poems that leaves everyone smiling

Comment is about GLASTO IN MY GARDEN (blog)

Original item by Daniel Dwyran

see you all on Monday as will defo be there unless something goes wrong in the meantime.

Comment is about Stockport WoL (group profile)

Original item by Stockport WoL

thanks for your kind comments on the 2 war poems mate - this is a topic I'm really enjoying getting my teeth into - wait until you hear the audio versions :-) see ya on the 14th mate

Ian

Comment is about Jeffarama! (poet profile)

Original item by Jeffarama!

Babestation John??? Does that get your creative juices flowing then? ;-)

Comment is about John Coopey (poet profile)

Original item by John Coopey