Lynn - Didn't your mothere ever tell you? You shouldn't have cast out your clout so early

Comment is about Summer Seasons (blog)

Original item by Lynn Dye

Now for a Freudian interpretation.....

Comment is about fat seal (blog)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

Excelleny stuff, Dave. And good to see some form stuff.
To follow Ann. A mate of mine's lad's mate's mate (honest) videoed himself looting and posted it on Facebook. Dumb or what?
It gets better - he was looting Poundland!
He should be dead proud to show his mates his set of crayons and birdfeeder.

Comment is about Reading, Rioting and (A)rithmetic - a villanelle (blog)

Original item by Dave Carr

Thanks for your thoughts on "The Scourge of God". Glad you enjoyed it.
I don't fancy the burial party's end, but the river-bed thing I fancy. Or maybe Viking style - pushed out into the River Aire on a raft, archer with a fire-arrow, then KABOOSH.

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

Yes, there's always been haves and have-nots but 50-60 years of consumerism, a society that relies on people buying things they don't need and 24/7 advertising reinforcing the multiplication of wants - this is a new phenomenon and is taking its toll, I think.
Discipline doesn't have to be instilled by smacking, though an occasional slap wouldn't harm, I agree, no more than would the occasional fag. But what about those who don't stop at an occasional slap? There are plenty of them and for their sakes and their children's sakes I can easily side with the anti-smacking lobby.
I think you want "spin of a coin" not spin on a coin.

Comment is about The Haves and The Have Nots (blog)

Original item by Isobel

Thank you Lynn and Francine - I appreciate your comments.

Francine, you are a great believer in the power of love. Nowhere is love more needed than in the home - elsewhere I find it is always suspect, shared, questionable. The love of parents, dished out with a little bit of discipline would put pay to so many of this world's problems.

I accept that metaphorical looting goes on with the Haves - but two wrongs don't make a right - if you see where I'm coming from. I don't expect any of those rioters sat about discussing the integrity of their political leaders before they started looting...

Comment is about The Haves and The Have Nots (blog)

Original item by Isobel

Well done, Isobel, we all have our opinions and yours are very well expressed. I see both sides of most arguments, so nothing new here! I enjoyed your poem. xx

Comment is about The Haves and The Have Nots (blog)

Original item by Isobel

I understand where you are coming from - to raise compassionate, respectful, responsible children should be everyone's aspiration. It is so much more than that though. It brings up the Nature versus Nurture issue too... One can do everything right and still get it wrong, and vice versa.

Comment is about The Haves and The Have Nots (blog)

Original item by Isobel

Jeez Laura, how can you say that? It is clear that we need to flog them all and hang them in public, why don't we? I'm sure that will work. Sure of it.

Einstein once said, (and I am repeating myself, I know)that to every complex human problem there is always a simple solution; and it's almost invariably wrong.

Alternatively, we could try to understand the factors at work in our society that have created the conditions in which people feel it's OK to behave like this. I mean, it's not as if our politicians, police, large companies, bankers behave in selfish, short-term, grab-what-you-can-whilst-you-can ways now, is it? So, were are their role models?
The directors of Southern Cross Nursing Home who made a multi-million pound killing by selling the 'care' homes and leasing them back, could not care less about their residents. A year or two later the company goes bust. do they have to repay their big fat profit made at the residents' expense? nope. Short-term profit is the game. Grab it now. Where are they on the courts' lists?
You have it bang on, Laura, as to the source. Maggie 'there's no such thing as society' Thatcher. A self-fulfilling comment.
We are run by a government of millionaires who, no matter how well-meaning they might consider themselves, have absolutely no idea how the rest of Britain lives.
The UK spring?

Comment is about Cause and Effect (blog)

Original item by Laura Taylor

I'm not wishing to resurrect any arguments here - I think we've all done the riots to death. I just felt like I wanted to say my piece in a blog, like everyone else. It's the first serious thing I've written in ages. Not great poetry but very heart felt :)

Peace to all. x

Comment is about The Haves and The Have Nots (blog)

Original item by Isobel

Really really interesting discussion. People may like to know that the Toxteth community in Liverpool, working with the police, has identified significant numbers of vehicles and occupants trying to come into the area to cause trouble. This is ordinary people getting active and caring about and protecting their community

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Toxteth-Against-The-Riots/139844202770437

Comment is about Cause and Effect (blog)

Original item by Laura Taylor

I've never felt haunted by anything or anyone, I sort of wish I had. My cat has never haunted me but last night I dreamed she re-appeared with two little kittens. Aaaah! They were just like her only littler.

Comment is about Sparky (blog)

Original item by Dave Carr

And what would you use to break down its doors?
Perchance a pen, for tis mightier than the sword...

Comment is about Sparky (blog)

Original item by Dave Carr

Wuff wuff - there's always one straggler - I bet if you were to riot, you'd be the only one attacking Waterstones... :))

Comment is about Sparky (blog)

Original item by Dave Carr

We can only present one poem per month to be on show continually in blogs. Once we blog another it drops behind the other one. You can access it by clicking on previous but it isn't as evident as it used to be in the past. The new system was devised to share out blog space equally and accommodate those who wanted to blog large numbers of poems without people complaining.

It isn't a problem for me cos I'm not that prolific nowadays. I would normally hold off blogging a second on the heels though.

Comment is about Reading, Rioting and (A)rithmetic - a villanelle (blog)

Original item by Dave Carr

Didn't mean to cover it up.
How does that work?

Comment is about Reading, Rioting and (A)rithmetic - a villanelle (blog)

Original item by Dave Carr

A great performance piece also Dave - I enjoyed listening to this last night - and I am always impressed by anyone who can do a villanelle - I remember starting one ages ago and abandoning it... It's a pity you've covered this one up by the other so quickly!

I like your little story Ann - it is really funny! A friend of mine had her shop looted and vandalised in Manchester. It is a skate boarding shop that also sells expensive watches and trainers (Vans - I'd never heard of them). The trainers didn't go cos there were only right feet and all the left were locked up in the basement. Everything else went though. Funnily enough she recognised a few regular customers on the CCTV footage...

The sad thing is that some boards were decorated by original artwork from famous skaters - impossible to replace really and the business was only just starting to do thrive after much hard effort.

Comment is about Reading, Rioting and (A)rithmetic - a villanelle (blog)

Original item by Dave Carr

I missed the deadline - but here's one anyway.

Comment is about Sparky (blog)

Original item by Dave Carr

Not so sure of the ocean breath Ann. My wife won't even kiss me after a tuna/mayo sandwich. Love fat as a bottle though.

Comment is about fat seal (blog)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

Thanks for that insight Ray. I would agree with you there on the warped nature of the money markets. It happens time and time again. Every time there is a financial crisis, millions are lost to economies and millions made by these bastards. It struck me as really depressing how shortly (very shortly) after Japan got hit by the Tsunami and nuclear melt down - the news focussed on the market impact...

I don't understand finance enough but I would have thought that markets could be suspended just for a period of time for things to settle. If that was accepted practise and not out of the norm perhaps we could correct this shabby side of things.

Comment is about Spontaneous Combustion (blog)

Hello Cynthia, Thank you for your comment on "Three's a crowd."
Coming from one who writes so beautifully is a tribute indeed.

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

God that seal was CUTE! ;)

Comment is about fat seal (blog)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

Thanks, ladies. Regarding the scapegoat martyrs - it's probably not exactly what you think. But anyway I did a 2nd version which omitted lines 5-8 and changed the title to Market Forces. I'm fascinated and appalled that somewhere - and this is just one example - there are people making money out of the crisis in Greece, placing wagers, making decisions that exacerbate the situation and ruin lives. And it will happen here, I guess. If this is the best system we can come up with we really are a sorry bunch.

Comment is about Spontaneous Combustion (blog)

Good one, Kealan, thoughtful and strong, and using structured poetic form.

Comment is about Kill The System (blog)

Original item by Kealan Coady

Steve, I was referring to the use of capitallized nouns for complex ideas, but can't remember the term, and haven't the time right now to dig it up. Although it's probably in Courtly stuff, or Romanticism. Later 'gator.

Comment is about An abstraction of events (blog)

Original item by Tommy Carroll

It's a very good poem Ray - but not obvious.

I'm presuming this is a piece of social commentary which is why I didn't comment initially. I'm still too ticked off by what's happened to appreciate talk of 'makeshift scapegoat martyrs on standby for the slaughter'

I liked the rythm you got going in that 3rd verse too - it mirrored the pounding of hooves - which I guess you were going for.

We're in different stands on this one Ray - it doesn't stop me appreciating the craftmanship of your work though.

Comment is about Spontaneous Combustion (blog)

"a connoisseur of social symptoms" - indeed, you are, par excellence!

Comment is about Spontaneous Combustion (blog)

Many thanks for your comment on Cause and Effect Lynn, appreciated. Aye - we are living through interesting and testing times at the moment, let's hope we can all join together and pull each other through it eh? Thanks again x

Comment is about Lynn Dye (poet profile)

Original item by Lynn Dye

Thanks for taking the time to read and think about Cause and Effect Jeff, always appreciated. We are all entitled to our opinions, as long as we try our best to ensure that they aren't formed by the constant stream of propaganda that passes for news so much these days. I would totally agree that we need to value society, each other, and as the working class we did used to do that. Some still do, but the divide and rule policies of the Tories has worked its own brand of filth on us.

It is up to us all now to look after each other, and part of that is to understand the roots of these troubles, and to join together. We must practice tolerance to an even greater degree than ever before, to our fellow men, if we are to ever get out of this without a complete collapse of society.

This bloody soapbox is taking a right battering lately innit? ;)

Take care chuck, hope to see you soon

Much love xx

Comment is about Jeffarama! (poet profile)

Original item by Jeffarama!

Really good poem Dave. I've never tried a villanelle, the fact that you have stuck to the form but you're talking about such a contrasting topic is wonderfull.
It may be an apocryphal story, but someone told me about one particular street in London. Every shop had been broken into, everything had been stolen, all the shops were now standing empty. Every single shop except - Waterstones! They'd left that one intact!

Comment is about Reading, Rioting and (A)rithmetic - a villanelle (blog)

Original item by Dave Carr

Great rhythm to this Ray - love that third stanza, the staccato choppiness of it

Comment is about Spontaneous Combustion (blog)

If what we saw out on the streets this week is our future regime, then God help us...

Comment is about An abstraction of events (blog)

Original item by Tommy Carroll

'Treat enemies with dignity'

'Have a reason to riot
The people have to agree'

I like it too. :)

Comment is about Kill The System (blog)

Original item by Kealan Coady

Brilliant :)

Comment is about Reading, Rioting and (A)rithmetic - a villanelle (blog)

Original item by Dave Carr

I disagree strongly about the use of initial caps in this poem, Cynthia. I think they weaken the poem - which isn't very strong anyway, becaue of its naive left-wing politics (sorry Tommy).

Dearie me, this blog section and its comments, are they about an exchange of honest opinions or do they merely constitute a bland social network which offers everyone "hugs". We have a responsibility as poets to be honest in our opinions.

And as a feminist and a men's liberationist, I feel that women are the worst offenders in these blog comments in offering facile "hugs" style comments.

Come girls, time to woman up!

Comment is about An abstraction of events (blog)

Original item by Tommy Carroll

No, it is not impossible.
You can be passionate about something and take great pleasure
in putting an end to it...

'We must kill the system
With love.'

Comment is about Kill The System (blog)

Original item by Kealan Coady

It's impossible to kill and love

Comment is about Kill The System (blog)

Original item by Kealan Coady

Hi Natasha

That 'permissions' notice is more than likely because you are not a full member of WOL. Contact Julian at his profile below for more datails as he is the one taking entries. or email julian@julianjordan.co.uk

Comment is about Like to write poetry at Ted Hughes' house? - last chance for a place (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Hah! What an absolute waste of time! Over and out!

Comment is about Spontaneous Combustion (blog)

This poem is written and is based on a well known novel "Master and Margaret" by Mikhail Bulgakov

Comment is about NEVER TALK TO A STRANGER (blog)

Original item by Larisa Rzhepishevska

Hello, dear Lynn! Thank you so much for your comment. How are you? I've missed you!
With love and warmest wishes, Larisa

Comment is about Lynn Dye (poet profile)

Original item by Lynn Dye

Well done, Laura, very much enjoyed your poem, and also the discussion from all on here. I also feel sorrow at such distruction, and can blame parenting up to a point, but I also look at the bigger picture, and while it doesn't excuse their behaviour, we should try and understand the cause and effect. I agree with your views on governments and banking; in fact, my other half could have written this too!

Comment is about Cause and Effect (blog)

Original item by Laura Taylor

Very good... : )
Killer last line!

Comment is about Kill The System (blog)

Original item by Kealan Coady

Witty and topical...
It's nice to try out different forms of writing - interesting structure too, the Villanelle.

Comment is about Reading, Rioting and (A)rithmetic - a villanelle (blog)

Original item by Dave Carr

Mrs Thatcher speaks very highly of you! Enjoyed your rant, some great points and who would have thought China would be the currently in charge of the world after the yanks and ourselves have had a go over the last couple of centuries running it, long live the all you can eat buffet!

Seriously though sad state of affairs and while there are reasons that some folk want to vent anger that wasn't the original cause of the trouble or the end of it, a lot of the rioters are either in work in decemt jobs, have wealthy parents, (had) good prospects or werent old enough to work (or sign on as the case may be), and hardly underfed or hard done to on their mobiles or blackberries), those who might have had a cause got lost in that.

I don't know the answer to that, some people like the thrill a bit like the football hooligan who works for a bank or solicitors etc, not even to do with rivalry!

There are of course deep rooted problems and I have to agree with a lot of the things you (and Bob on facebook!) have said. I said to Bob, the govt have been naive to implement the extreme cuts at such a rapid rate and all this was no surprise for those who are oppressed to make a point even if the cause was something else that sparked it off. I work in benefits, yeah something needs doing to get more people off the sick, etc, etc, but doing what, evrywhere is losing jobs and theres already 2 million unemployed, the maths dont work, after the miners, poll tax, students, G8 summits, it aint rocket science that this will happen at the slightest chance.

we need to value society, and give hope to those who do need it, not take the piss with bonuses when even the banks lose money and so on, I just hope that the good relations that have been built between police and communities dont take as long to heal, and that the people who care about this country get it back to the tolerant society we are fortunate enough to have and show the dignity expressed by the man whose son got killed in hit and run, right will get off my soap box!! thanx Jeff

Comment is about Cause and Effect (blog)

Original item by Laura Taylor

Nice one Kealon, very philosophical view of the current unrest and a valid argument for all to move forward best way possible, very few have had good reason to be even involved in the latest debacle, Jeff

Comment is about Kill The System (blog)

Original item by Kealan Coady

It might not be your joke John but you have certainly enhanced it. I've done this a couple of times myself. I would say it was poetic licence.
About the underwear, I'm sorry but it's gone to Qxfam. It depends on what part of the world you are from weather you will be a recipient or not.
Cheers John. Carry on blogging. Tommy Mc.

Comment is about John Coopey (poet profile)

Original item by John Coopey

Nice one mate, now see me for detention!

Comment is about Reading, Rioting and (A)rithmetic - a villanelle (blog)

Original item by Dave Carr

big big changes are a-comin-
the fan hitting shit
is gonna stink
long time-and large(r)

and there aint clothes pegs big enough.

Comment is about now what? (blog)

Original item by SPACEGHOST