Graham - yes, the time travel element is an interesting one. To think of an artist painting these pictures all those centuries ago. And painting them with the detail of a novelist or poet.
You're quite right, Steve. A painting often seems to improve the more time you take to study the details.
The book sounds fascinating, John. Plus ca change, indeed.
Thanks to all for your kind comments.
And thanks to Nigel, Tom, Aisha, Stephen A, K Lynn, Holden, Manish, Jon, Rob and Tim for your support.
Comment is about Musée des Beaux Arts (January 2024) (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
Helene,
Most of us ponder on our lives, reflect on events in the past. You have described it as being enfolded in a book. I often see my past as if it were on a black and white film which shows itself in my mind. Your final line is true when the last few pages of the book are reached we are at peace with a store house of wisdom.
Thank you for this beautifully scripted poem,
Keith
Comment is about Each Page (blog)
Original item by HĂ©lĂšne
I think youâll find the US is definite âoutlierâ among âfirst worldâ countries - certainly when compared with Europe as you suggest. It does not enjoy the best of company in gun-related shootings as the attached table shows. And I cannot for the life of me see the need for someone to own an automatic weapon.
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/gun-deaths-by-country
Comment is about BANG ! BANG ! (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
My thanks for the "likes" are due to TH/HM/AS/SA/UoC and KJ.
Much obliged to all of you.
Comment is about HATE SPEECH - a warning (blog)
Original item by M.C. Newberry
Your poems bring a smile to my face Aisha!
Comment is about Be You Do You (blog)
Original item by Aisha Suleman
The apparent availability of assault weapons is a blight on US
life. There may be a historical "excuse" for the possession of a
firearm in that huge country, relatively recenlly born out of conflict in which vast distances and inadequate law enforcement
provided a reason for protection by that means, but that being
the case, there should be a limitation to a handgun per adult person/household when not including sporting firearms for
hunting etc. All that said, the relevance of drug abuse allied
to mental illness of various sorts should be paramount in
government legislation in the pursuit of weapon control. In
closing, however tragic the individual circumstances of these
horrible events, it should be remembererd that we are
talking about a land that compares to the whole of Europe
in size. Would these events - if occurring across the many lands of the latter - gain the same attention? Or put down
to the wars and other military associations that have engulfed
that continent in the past? Guns won't go away. So perhaps
the old common sense of proper mature training to teach
respect for them and self-discipline in their users from an
early age is one likely antidote to the carnage that erupts
with appalling ease in modern self-indulgent "entitlement"
times. After all, it works for a land-locked civilised country like Switzerland, with its own standing-army history and ability to keep the
peace against threat from beyond its
mountain borders.
Comment is about BANG ! BANG ! (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
Thankyou, Tim. It astounds me and I suspect the rest of the world that the US has a blind spot about guns.
Comment is about BANG ! BANG ! (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
Our congress closed mental health facilities and cut out a lot of funding and programs for the mentally ill. Every mass shooting they make a show of shouting how tragic; something must be done. So, they did. They made it easier for anyone to get war grade weapons and then made it legal to have them anywhere in public. As long as members of congress continue to rake in millions of dollars in the legal bribery and extortion of weak congress members by the NRA while ignoring mental illness, it won't stop. I believe in the right to bear arms, but our forefathers could not for see weapons of mass human destruction now available for ANY citizen who wants one.
My daughter and her husband are both teachers and they and their two children just a couple of weeks ago went through a mass shooting in their school by a 17-year-old. Thank God they were prepared or a large number of children and adults and would have been dead instead of the two out of eight who unfortunately died before the kid shot himself. I'm on a rant and apologies for it.
Thank you for your excellent poem John.
Comment is about BANG ! BANG ! (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
A new found love that has been made even stronger by those who wish to break it.â€
Comment is about Happy new beginnings (blog)
Original item by Sunshine
James and Isabella could only move forward with not only the support of each other but also the solid support of love shown by family and friends.â€
Comment is about Reconciliation and second chance (blog)
Original item by Sunshine
Goal of the Season in August, eh, Stephen? Always a bit presumptious Thanks also, Steve. And for the Likes, Graham, Stephen A and Holden.
Comment is about BANG ! BANG ! (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
Intriguing insight, Stephen. Iâm reading Robert Harrisâs âThe Second Sleepâ at the minute. What would the past make of us if it was discovering our artefacts through archeological finds? Plus ca change, pert etre?
Comment is about Musée des Beaux Arts (January 2024) (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
Really good, Stephen and interesting to read the two poems side by side.
Funny that no matter the objective quality of the art, it's the interaction with the observer that's important.
Comment is about Musée des Beaux Arts (January 2024) (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
"...thought I'd wait to post it until the next mass shooting".
It's terrifying how quickly the next one comes along. Your mention of Parkland reminds me of what I wrote at the time:
https://stevewhiteandtheprotestfamily.bandcamp.com/track/children-in-the-crosshairs
Comment is about BANG ! BANG ! (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
Galleries are the nearest thing to Time Travel that we can aspire to Stephen. Your poem describes this very well!
I wonder what galleries of the future will look like?
Comment is about Musée des Beaux Arts (January 2024) (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
Chilling and brilliant, John. The poem of the year so far. (Singing and playing great as well).
The right to bear arms, eh?
Comment is about BANG ! BANG ! (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
Tue 23rd Jan 2024 20:32
Thanks Aisha.
I wonder which came first, music or words?
Comment is about Music (blog)
Original item by Aisha Suleman
Thanks John.
How sad to have to deal with such a memory.
Comment is about BEREFT (blog)
Original item by John E Marks
Thanks Ally.
That reminds me, I need to get out more.
Comment is about Feeling Place (blog)
Original item by Hiddeninsight
Thanks Ray.
I remember well the sadness at parting with my old keyboard after it had outgrown our small front room.đ
Comment is about CONCERTO FOR KEYBOARD AND SKIP (blog)
Original item by ray pool
GF - the term I used as a subject represents an emotive extension of what has already existed in law: Ever heard of
the words "Using insulting, threatening or abusive words or
behaviour" for a start? Opinions take sides but can add little to
detached consideration of any given situation.
UoC - thanks for the comment. I was tempted to put "forceful"
instead of "opinionated" while seeking to show that those
holding strong views that they feel worth expressing in no uncertain terms might well find themselves subject to this
"catch all" definition via the ire of those who take exception
to what is said as much as how it is said. Legislate in haste,
lament at leisure?
Comment is about HATE SPEECH - a warning (blog)
Original item by M.C. Newberry
The provision of the "Comments" facility is a way to lodge an opinion about construction and/or content of any contribution.
These are occasionally clearly personally linked to the author of the material when there is a "history" of connected contributions.
The different views and their reasons that are either apparent or
suspected form part of the educational process about what is
created and put forward for our consumption. Poets should not
be shrinking violets in their chosen garden of creativity.
Comment is about Have you ever........ (blog)
Original item by keith jeffries
Blood always thicker than water.
Thanks Nigel.
Comment is about Family first (blog)
Original item by Sunshine
Nothing better than divine intervention in getting two people together who are meant to be.
Divine connections are blessed. Thanks Nigel.
Comment is about Divine connection (blog)
Original item by Sunshine
So true Nigel. No matter how bumpy the ride, yet, it has its own thrills. Thank you.
Comment is about Dreamy ride (blog)
Original item by Sunshine
Thanks all for the likes.
Comment is about ÂĄNo PasarĂĄn! (blog)
Thanks MC.
If being opposed to genocide enabled by racist politicians makes me opinionated, then I'm yer man!
Comment is about HATE SPEECH - a warning (blog)
Original item by M.C. Newberry
Hello Ally, good to see you here.
A word of advice to all new to WOL is that if you post several poems at the same time, only the last one posted will be easily visible, the previous ones being archived each month below your most recent entry and may be missed by other readers!
Comment is about Hiddeninsight (poet profile)
Original item by Hiddeninsight
I am an atheist, but have a great respect for ALL religions. This new temple looks fantastic and I can understand a nation's pride in such a building, but I do have to ask myself why it was built, and why there.
It was rushed through in time to be finished before an election, and built on the site of a former mosque. I'm probably being cynical, but I do wonder if it was built for political rather than religious reasons.
Comment is about Inauguration of Ram Mandir,Ayodhya (blog)
Original item by Ujjal Mandal
This is very special, Clare. It gave me a sudden feeling of happiness.
Comment is about Wonder. (blog)
Original item by Clare
A very fine poem, Andy, echoing the sadness and the waste. May John rest in peace.
Comment is about John (blog)
Original item by Andy N
Just discovered this - pure class in a glass!! đ„
Comment is about Armadillo... Draught British Sherry (blog)
Original item by kJ Walker
Thanks to Nigel, Aisha, John and Tim for the likes.
Comment is about John (blog)
Original item by Andy N
Good points M.C.. The gentleman I am talking about in this poem failed to do that - I'm Diabetic too and am on more tablets than him but am generally looking after myself better than he ever did which makes it sadder as he was three years younger than when he just died. Way too young. Thanks for the comments.
Comment is about John (blog)
Original item by Andy N
Thanks kJ, that would be good - but very sadly no Eddie ButlerâŠ
Comment is about Six Nations Time (blog)
Original item by R A Porter
Mon 22nd Jan 2024 16:33
Compassionate memory...like sending a prayer to an old friend. Funny what triggers memory. Lovely poem Mike.
Comment is about Visiting Old Friends at Stoplights (blog)
Original item by Mike McPeek
I hope you've sent a copy of this to Suella Braverman, MC.
Comment is about HATE SPEECH - a warning (blog)
Original item by M.C. Newberry
Brilliant.
This should be part of the coverage in the opening credits when the rugby comes on the box.
Comment is about Six Nations Time (blog)
Original item by R A Porter
Telboy,
for me it wasn't the fact that you found the poem tedious, it was the fact that you made a personal comment about Keith that I thought was inappropriate. I suspect that was the sentiment that angered Greg somewhat too.
Best keep the commentary about the work eh?
Comment is about Have you ever........ (blog)
Original item by keith jeffries
Well said Keith.
This hard hitting poem is a reflection of what most right minded people think.
The format suited the message that you were putting across, so in this instance was just right.
Comment is about Have you ever........ (blog)
Original item by keith jeffries
Thank you Keith. I feel vindicated by your gracious acceptance of my comment. I stress once again that I entirely agree with the sentiment, it was only the format I disliked.
Greg jumping on my case is nothing new...he has done it a couple of times previously and that in itself is becoming tedious. I know he is a senior member but that does not give him the right to pick on others.
Comment is about Have you ever........ (blog)
Original item by keith jeffries
Thank you to all who liked and commented on this poem. Graham, I take your point but if God has foresaken us, then who can blame him when as a human race we behave so badly. Desmond Tutu once said that despite all the turmoil in the world he took comfort that God was still there in the midst of it all.
Thank you again,
Keith
Comment is about Emptiness (blog)
Original item by keith jeffries
Thank you to those who read this poem and expressed their likes and comments. I wrote it hurriedly in a moment of passion having recently received a telephone call from friends in East Jerusalem. I must agree with Telboy that the format is tedious and repetitive but I was in full flow, fuelled by anger. I always welcome constructive criticism and the right to free speech. Let's hope this dreadful nightmare is soon brought to a halt.
Thank you again,
Keith
Comment is about Have you ever........ (blog)
Original item by keith jeffries
julie callaghan
Thu 25th Jan 2024 06:30
I made these to sell locally for charity. Just a little explanation of the sea glass heart theme.
Comment is about The Gift Of A Sea Glass Heart (blog)
Original item by julie callaghan