Yes, Christopher! I have an idea what flies are for. The only reason they exist in this world is just to annoy you. :-) Think about it. May be if you change your attitude to their buzzing around haphazardly and see some order in their flying
they'll stop annoying you. Just try to concentrate your mind on them and with the strength of your thoughts you'll be able to let them go away. After all you are a man and they are only flies. :-)

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

Original item by Christopher Dawson

Thank you very much, Constantinos, glad it amused.

Comment is about Sleep? (blog)

Original item by Lynn Dye

Thanks for the comments Dave. I guess I was in a very pessimistic mood when writing the piece, but I do take on board the comment about hopefulness, in that the poem probably does need the glint of hope amidst the cynicism. Currently mulling.

Cheers.

Comment is about Dave Bradley (poet profile)

Original item by Dave Bradley

Tripe Dave

I've never tried it either. It makes me gip just looking at it.
I was listening to an elderly lady who seemed to find the closing of the tripe stall a major drama. Meanwhile, the town is decaying. Strange what we find troubling

Hope to see you around some time

Comment is about Dave Bradley (poet profile)

Original item by Dave Bradley

Fantastic...

I totally resonate with that on all levels..

love & peace.. :)

Comment is about MY STRUGGLE (blog)

Original item by Mardell Lindsey

Don't run Dude... relax.. take a deep breathe, slowly close your eyes and as you exhale..see that dot of white light as if you are looking straight into the sun..behind it is a complete different world..a world of love, peace and happiness..you just have to believe in it for it to grow..:)

Comment is about Drapetomania (poet profile)

Original item by Drapetomania

Liked `Walkabout` Cool..:)

Comment is about David Franks: Walkabouts Verse (poet profile)

Original item by David Franks: Walkabouts Verse

This made me laugh. I enjoyed reading this thank you for sharing!

Comment is about Sleep? (blog)

Original item by Lynn Dye

Thank you very much Lynn

Comment is about Eros (blog)

Original item by Drapetomania

Brilliant, Ian! I found it really funny and pans beautifully too. Well done.

Comment is about Robbing Dylan (blog)

Original item by Ian Gant

I enjoyed reading this, good one.

Comment is about Eros (blog)

Original item by Drapetomania

We can only dread to think what it was like, but you paint what must be a fairly accurate picture, gripping Ian as always

Comment is about Slamming Flies (blog)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

Brilliant Ian, every line hits the point!

Comment is about Passchendaele (Autumn 1917) (blog)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

Very cool I like this a lot

Comment is about Everything Is Documented (blog)

Original item by John Togher

As a poem, this is far better than most of what has been on WOL recently. The imagery is striking, the rhythm subtle and compelling. The 'down' feeling and flatness is communicated throughout by the vocabulary - damp, flickers, fake used twice etc. But even as a Leonard Cohen fan, I struggle with the unremitting pessimism, perhaps centring on the line 'exposing the truth of relations', which implies that everything can be seen through. Even in the 21st century it's still possible to believe that there can be something cheerful, sincere and life-enhancing about relationships and I'd kind of like to hang on to that.

Comment is about Everything Is Documented (blog)

Original item by John Togher

Hello Graham,

Thank you very much for welcoming me, you are so kind.

I am so excited to join this community of talented poets and writers. I love reading people's work and hope to check some of your work out soon.

Thank you again.

Comment is about Em (poet profile)

Original item by Em

Thank you for your positive feedback, I appreciate it.

I titled it "The Red Room" as red has connotations with love and the heart which is the main theme of the poem.

It is really about distance, not being with the one you love however, feeling within yourself that you are with them.

Comment is about THE RED ROOM (blog)

Original item by Em

Thank you very much :)

Comment is about The cup (blog)

Original item by Drapetomania

Eyup! I could do without this competition in the parody stakes, Ian.
Cracking job and excellent shadow boxing with the original.
I had a go at this a little while ago, parodying my own parodies.
http://www.writeoutloud.net/public/blogentry.php?blogentryid=38052

Comment is about Robbing Dylan (blog)

Original item by Ian Gant

Try Babestation, Ian.

Comment is about the small matter of a white screen at midnight (blog)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

RIP Maya..`You have risen`

Comment is about Maya Angelou, 'black woman's laureate' and worldwide inspiration, dies aged 86 (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Harry - Tripe

Your comments are very similar to the discussion I had with an elderly lady whilst waiting for an ultrasound.
My nearest market town is in a state of decay, but all the old woman could see was that she couldn't get to buy tripe any longer

Thanks for taking the time - appreciated

Comment is about Harry O`N eill (poet profile)

Original item by Harry O`N eill

Prolific author who kept on writing to the end. A great loss.

I particularly like this rebuke in her book "The heart of a Woman" by Billie Holiday to Maya's son Guy recounted from 1957

An Encounter with Billie Holiday

On the night before Billie was leaving for New York, she told Guy she was going to sing "Strange Fruit" as her last song. . . .

Billie talked and sang in a hoarse, dry tone the well-known protest song. Her rasping voice and phrasing literally enchanted me. I saw the black bodies hanging from Southern trees. I saw the lynch victims' blood glide from the leaves down the trunks and onto the roots. . . .

Southern trees bear strange fruit,
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,
Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze,
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.

Pastoral scene of the gallant south,
The bulging eyes…..

Guy was intrigued and broke into her song. "What's a pastoral scene, Miss Holiday?"

Billie looked up slowly and studied Guy for a second. Her face became cruel, and when she spoke her voice was scornful.

"It means when the crackers are killing the niggers. It means when they take a little nigger like you and snatch off his nuts and shove them down his goddam throat. That's what it means."

That should have been enough to curb any further interruptions from the 12 year old and have him cowering in a corner.

RIP

Comment is about Maya Angelou, 'black woman's laureate' and worldwide inspiration, dies aged 86 (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

RIP

Comment is about Maya Angelou, 'black woman's laureate' and worldwide inspiration, dies aged 86 (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

I was so sad to read of her death yesterday. An amazing woman who will be very much missed. We often say that about those who have just died, but it's actually true in this case.

THE BIRD IS FREE

04/04/1928-28/05/14

A shock, this day, for we
who loved a poet, now departed.

She leaves her mark – bright tokens
of her sojourn here -

on each library floor.
Don’t be alarmed: her words

will not be lost in looming dust.
They cry out to us today -

<i>You never stamped on me.
I never hid my face.</i>

***

***

An extract from On the Pulse of Morning, by Maya Angelou:

A Rock, A River, A Tree
Hosts to species long since departed,
Marked the mastodon,
The dinosaur, who left dried tokens
Of their sojourn here
On our planet floor,
Any broad alarm of their hastening doom
Is lost in the gloom of dust and ages.
[...]
The Rock cries out to us today,
You may stand upon me,
But do not hide your face.

Comment is about Maya Angelou, 'black woman's laureate' and worldwide inspiration, dies aged 86 (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Thanks Harry.

If a successful career in athletics depended the length of ones member, it's a career path I wasn't made for.

Comment is about Harry O`N eill (poet profile)

Original item by Harry O`N eill

I like this one Em, I take it is a new life observation, in which the boy and girl just maybe one.

Comment is about THE RED ROOM (blog)

Original item by Em

Wonderfully succinct. Why is it a red room I wonder?

Comment is about THE RED ROOM (blog)

Original item by Em

Hello John

Welcome to Write Out Loud.

I hope you enjoy the site. We're really looking forward to reading some of your work and I know that you will be warmly welcomed by other WOL-ers too.

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

Have a good browse around, there’s lots going on and if you have the time to make some comments about the work of other poets please feel free. It’s the best way to get some constructive feedback about your own work too.
There’s always someone who’ll help you out with a problem, so just ask and someone will get back to you. It’s a friendly place, so welcome once again.

Graham Sherwood

Comment is about John (poet profile)

Original item by John

Hello Dave

Welcome to Write Out Loud.

I hope you enjoy the site. We're really looking forward to reading some of your work and I know that you will be warmly welcomed by other WOL-ers too.

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

Have a good browse around, there’s lots going on and if you have the time to make some comments about the work of other poets please feel free. It’s the best way to get some constructive feedback about your own work too.
There’s always someone who’ll help you out with a problem, so just ask and someone will get back to you. It’s a friendly place, so welcome once again.

Graham Sherwood

Comment is about Dave Booth (poet profile)

Original item by Dave Booth

Hello Emma

Welcome to Write Out Loud.

I hope you enjoy the site. We're really looking forward to reading some of your work and I know that you will be warmly welcomed by other WOL-ers too.

Thanks for already uploading a picture of yourself.
It’s good to see what our fellow poets look like.

Have a good browse around, there’s lots going on and if you have the time to make some comments about the work of other poets please feel free. It’s the best way to get some constructive feedback about your own work too.
There’s always someone who’ll help you out with a problem, so just ask and someone will get back to you. It’s a friendly place, so welcome once again.

Graham Sherwood

Comment is about Em (poet profile)

Original item by Em

Hello Trevor

Welcome to Write Out Loud.
I hope you enjoy the site. We're really looking forward to reading some of your work and I know that you will be warmly welcomed by other WOL-ers too.

Thanks for already uploading a picture of yourself.
It’s good to see what our fellow poets look like.

Have a good browse around, there’s lots going on and if you have the time to make some comments about the work of other poets please feel free. It’s the best way to get some constructive feedback about your own work too.
There’s always someone who’ll help you out with a problem, so just ask and someone will get back to you. It’s a friendly place, so welcome once again.

Graham Sherwood

Comment is about Trevor Carter (The Bard of Windmill Hill) (poet profile)

Original item by Trevor Carter (The Bard of Windmill Hill)

Hello Will

Welcome to Write Out Loud.

I hope you enjoy the site. We're really looking forward to reading some of your work and I know that you will be warmly welcomed by other WOL-ers too.

If you haven’t already added a picture to your profile please try and do so. It’s good to see what our fellow poets look like.

Have a good browse around, there’s lots going on and if you have the time to make some comments about the work of other poets please feel free. It’s the best way to get some constructive feedback about your own work too.
There’s always someone who’ll help you out with a problem, so just ask and someone will get back to you. It’s a friendly place, so welcome once again.

Graham Sherwood

Comment is about Will Drath (poet profile)

Original item by Will Drath

Thanks for putting this up Greg. I was very upset when I heard the news yesterday, to the point of tears (which is very unlike me). I read her autobiography when I was at Uni and it was one of those life-changing reads. She was so brutally honest about her flaws, her vulnerabilities, which is completely unlike your average autobiog.

The events that she took part in, the way her values and beliefs changed, her strength and fierce determination, and all of the hardship she endured take my breath away. We just lost a diamond.

RIP Ms Angelou

Comment is about Maya Angelou, 'black woman's laureate' and worldwide inspiration, dies aged 86 (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Only just come across this lovely poem, Ann. I find it really easy to associate with, as it reminds me that I wrote a poem once that I could try using to help myself drift off to sleep instead of worrying over things. This is much simpler though, yet very originally put. Good one! Hope you are well.

Comment is about queen memory... (blog)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

I think this is really good, I agree with Cynthia's comments. Thanks Jane, enjoyed the read very much.

Comment is about Gladiolus (blog)

Original item by Jane Ozkowski

Thank You Graham.

R.C Morose.

Comment is about R.C Morose (poet profile)

Original item by R.C Morose

Thank You.

Please Feel Free To Share.

R.C Morose.

Comment is about Poet Tree. (blog)

Original item by R.C Morose

Nice to hear from A Coltrane fan. Just rushing out he door. Be back in a day or two re Coltrane info. Cheers DAvid PS OLe, yes, all his stuff on Atlantic Records is great!

Comment is about Noetic-fret! (poet profile)

Original item by Noetic-fret!

Thank you M.C, thank you Harry. This is an old poem that I came across recently while looking through some note books. I re-wrote it and posted it here; I'm not sure about it so I thought I'd gather some opinions.

Comment is about CLOCK HANDS. (blog)

I can relate to this poem so much. Thank you so much for sharing. You are talented.

Comment is about Everything is full of you... (blog)

Original item by Noris Roberts

Thanks MC. Much appreciated.

Ventured a- broad, Ha.I like that, well played.

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

Original item by M.C. Newberry

Hi Cynthia
Thanks for the thought - which I will seriously consider
I have buggered about with that last line for the last 2 days, and I'm still not 100% sure
I think I wanted to make 'and the tripe stall had shut' as a comparison between the major physical changes to the town, and what, to many, would seem incosequential. This is my reason (perhaps unclear) for leaving a line between the last 2 lines, as if an afterthought.
But I shall keep considering
Maybe if I get over to Sale again I will be able to let you know which way I've jumped

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

Are you sure, Solar? Lol
Thank you for your kind comment, much appreciated. x

Comment is about Shed (blog)

Original item by Lynn Dye

Hi Cynthia Thanks for the comment on Coltrane! I might try to do a few more. Already got one for SOnny Rollins.

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

I think you are fabulous yourself. IMO, you have the indefinable 'touch' that separates those who record and those who reveal.

The 'subway lights ...crashing through the tunnel' metaphor is brilliant. Also 'side-tilted hat showing she was all spunk and seriousness' shows great perception and poetic skill.

Such blowsy beauty may not be an insult to grief. But your insightful point is well made. And duly noted.

Comment is about Gladiolus (blog)

Original item by Jane Ozkowski

Hi Greg, yes fancy doing a few more of these litle vignettes. Already got another on on Sonny Rollins and maybe one brewing for Monk. Btw, I gave Rodney a couple of books for you because I thought you'd both be at Screech Owl. UNfortunately I couldn't make it either.

Comment is about Greg Freeman (poet profile)

Original item by Greg Freeman

rich, rich stuff m8.

impressive. considering i am in the middle of first world war research i know exactly where you are coming form with this.

one minor thing i was wondering should
Lost boys fall like flies. be in fact lost boys fell like flies as it's in the past.

excellent stuff still m8

Comment is about Passchendaele (Autumn 1917) (blog)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

cynthia's right here gray. more than a few layers in this. it's one that needs thought to re-read.

excellent.

Comment is about Words repeating themselves (blog)

Original item by Gray Nicholls

clever gray. i like the use of numbers within this piece. smart and sharp.

Comment is about Days (blog)

Original item by Gray Nicholls