Kealan, this is hilarious. 'Beards are not essential / As full training is provided' is fabulous. Irony is your bent, for sure, but so are beauty and philosophy, all essential qualities of a good poet.

Comment is about Interview. (blog)

Original item by Kealan Coady

Stefan has made a very good comment. There is an honesty about your lines that does attract people. Sometimes I think the ideas are a bit mixed up, and could be easily sorted, for more clarity. Do you carefully read your own finished work with a fresh eye, to check out how others will see it? One misused word can knock out your intended meaning. It happens to us all.

Comment is about What's next? (blog)

I like the poem, the banal interspersed with the awesome, state of the nation never put a man off his breakfast etc. What I find irritating are the words halfway, quarter way across the page. I've asked people before what they're intending to convey by this and got no straightforward answer, so Steven Waling, enlighten me, how long a pause does halfway across the page indicate?

Comment is about Breakfast Roll (blog)

Original item by Steven Waling

Thank you for commenting on 'Jehovah' Melanie and 'The Colours' - do appreciate your taking the time xx

Comment is about Melanie Coady (poet profile)

Original item by Melanie Coady

Thank you for commenting on 'Jehovah' Cynthia - do appreciate your taking the time to say so and for spotting the typo

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

David, I like your penetrating style, so immediate in your 'catch a moment' that speaks volumes about the universal experience. I thought 'nodding' was falling almost sleep, as opposed to agreement. Both ideas work together; so the word is an excellent choice. Clever, ironic title. I can see where 'Cow' wouldn't cut it so well.

Although I can't see how the English find that term 'cow' in any way acceptable, let alone funny! And women use it about each other!

Comment is about The Night Mare (blog)

Original item by David Mac

Dave another great poem - I think I know exactly what you mean when enraptured by environment - this happens to me a lot particularly when in the fens - great stuff

Comment is about David Cooke (poet profile)

Original item by David Cooke

good poem. I like the naturalness of the language.

Comment is about rabbit (blog)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

Thanks for your comments. Initial reason for writing was being commissioned by The North magazine to write a 25 word poem - but obviously, I've been watching the news about Japan over my breakfast cereals, so that, as well as 9/11 and the Manchester bomb which came to mind. The irony, I suppose, of watching all this over breakfast; I don't know if I intended a message as specific as what you gleaned from it, but it fits. I'm sure others will see different things.I'm always rather reluctant to say what my poems are 'about' so I've probably already said too much.

Thanks for reading

Comment is about Breakfast Roll (blog)

Original item by Steven Waling

Hi Steven,

Good to see you posting. I'm hesitant to offer any comment on this - especially comments that may be seen as subjective.

Four lines that that give it weight are obviously:

tsunami
towers fall
a bomb
and
clears streets

They seem to be interspersed with the banalities of advertising, notes to self, newspaper headlines and public notices. I like what you've done with it visually - possibly breaking waves? I feel you are playing with the juxtaposition of the global and the personal. I couldn't possibly tell you why - but I liked it. No doubt someone will ask for a scientific proof.

Perhaps you wouldn't mind sharing what inspired you to write this, and to write it in the way you chose - and no, I'm not being facetious, just keen to learn and understand. I thought the choice of title was very fitting. What the whole says to me is that despite momentous and shocking events, life goes on - but again, I hesitate to suggest that was the message you intended; if indeed you intended a message.

Regards,
A.E.

Comment is about Breakfast Roll (blog)

Original item by Steven Waling

I like the new picture! :)

Comment is about Dry (blog)

Original item by Crackling

HI ALAIN
to post a gig on this site you need to go to: http://www.writeoutloud.net/public/submitevent.php
I did try your link but it did not work. If you were simply letting us know of a gig then please do email me with the details via julian@writeoutloud.net
thanks.

Comment is about New Gig (blog)

Original item by Alain English

Proper gradely tha knows! Love it.
When are you sisters going to sing in dialect then? and Fivepenny Piece were a pale imitation of The Oldham Tinkers. Try, for example, The Night John Willie took his ferret to a do:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAc6V0s5-H4&feature=related Or Oldham's Burnings Sands (dont be fooled by the magnificent Spanish singing in the opening bars:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_6pDwjbUzs&feature=related
Or Gary and Vera Aspey, real Wiganers who sing wonderful dialect stuff. Appropriate for Isobel with her sad wedding dress "blues" is Vera's Don't Get married girls. no tdialect but excellent: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNfJGBhoeko

Comment is about Uncle Ned (blog)

Original item by Cate

cheers people. this is all true. it's about some crazy bird i know. i got more on her but they're a bit too rude.

Comment is about The Night Mare (blog)

Original item by David Mac

I love the line: I nodded down the phone. it reminds me of all those people (me included) who, when giving directions over the phone, point to left or right as pointless illustration.

Comment is about The Night Mare (blog)

Original item by David Mac

aw that's lovely sweety xx

Comment is about Still Waiting (blog)

Original item by Tom

The poem so appropriate to the title - liked this

Comment is about The Night Mare (blog)

Original item by David Mac

no wrys guys..love yer works xx

Comment is about Melanie Coady (poet profile)

Original item by Melanie Coady

baby, baby, baby,
thank you,
thank you,
thank you!
x

Comment is about Melanie Coady (poet profile)

Original item by Melanie Coady

Hi Melanie You've made my day. I thought this poem might be a bit obscure and the lines about the Mediterranean evaporating are probably the obscurest BUT they are also my favourite!

Comment is about Melanie Coady (poet profile)

Original item by Melanie Coady

PS JUst see you've been busily posting and have three I've not read. I'll get back when I can give them they attention they deserves. Also, just discovered that Steve Black on WOL lives up the road from my Mum in Reading and he can join us at Poet's Cafe for the legendary launch. NOw back to repricing my stock and the business of earning a living!

Comment is about Greg Freeman (poet profile)

Original item by Greg Freeman

lol simple and funny and lovely hun xx

Comment is about The Night Mare (blog)

Original item by David Mac

Hi Greg I've been wrting this over the last few days but started thinking about it before the disaster struck Japan. Someone passed on to me a link about this bloke's work. Until I saw it I thought 'pavement artists' just knocked out pictures of the Mona Lisa, but now some of them do these big industrial 3-D jobs. I thought this bloke's stuff was amazing at first, but then thought at the end of the day they're not really any more amazing than what 'really' happens. I did think this poem might be a bit obscure (which I was I mentioned the artist), but just wanted to see what feedback I might get. I can't keep writing the same old stuff about my family history! The obscurest image (and my favourite) is the bit in the middle about the Mediterranean. It's been on a constantly changing cycle between sea and desert for millions and millions of years. Slowly evaporates and then gradually refills when the waters flow back in from the Atlantic. Mindblowing stuff. That's why they have all these incredible salt mines on some of the isalnds and the bones of tiny elephants that got stranded as the desert gradually got inundated. Blimey, this is a long post!!

Comment is about Greg Freeman (poet profile)

Original item by Greg Freeman

ooh very nice too darlin xx

Comment is about Take it or leave it (blog)

Original item by David Mac

lovely hun xx

Comment is about Time and Happiness (blog)

Original item by David Mac

hun i cnt even describe how appropriate this poem is to me ive often felt exactly like this xx nice 1 huni xx

Comment is about Sadness Structure (blog)

Original item by David Mac

wow absolutly loved this one darlin xx

Comment is about Life Bores Us All To Death (blog)

Original item by David Mac

it's not silly at all hun i loved it anyway lol xx

Comment is about Why Do You Want This Job? (blog)

Original item by David Mac

thank you very much gareth xx

Comment is about Goodbye Childhood (blog)

Original item by Melanie Coady

it's just a silly poem i did a couple o' years ago but cheers, babe.x

Comment is about Why Do You Want This Job? (blog)

Original item by David Mac

thanks david xx stefan thank u too as always xx dave dunn thank you too my dear xx ye tiny hands sometimes do the most damage lol and i seriously need to see this pic lol

Comment is about I Want to be you (blog)

Original item by Melanie Coady

thanks lads xx comments much appreciated xx

Comment is about Bastards (blog)

Original item by Melanie Coady

"Black box for a brain"

Love it! There was a time in my life I would have given anything to have someone else's memories!

Comment is about Bastards (blog)

Original item by Melanie Coady

lovely hun xx

Comment is about What's next? (blog)

lovely hun xx loved the last 3 lines

Comment is about Why Do You Want This Job? (blog)

Original item by David Mac

hi Ann, been reading your stuff. i like the way your eyes see things and look deep, fixated upon the vision. do you write as you walk or just rush home quick and get it down?
I enjoy your poetry because it's true, and nothing like mine.

Comment is about Ann Foxglove (poet profile)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

Ooh, I've never been likened to Johnny Morris before! :)

Ta guys!xx

Comment is about rabbit (blog)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

lovely brown buttons apart, I love the way you attribute thoughts and intent to these creatures, rather like Johnny Morris used to do.
And it reminds me. Driving on the back road to Arnside once, late at night, three deer leapt into the path of my car then ran ahead of it. As I stopped, so did they; when I moved off slowly, they ran ahead at the same speed. This went on for around ten minutes before I did the only thing I could to get them off the road (for their own sakes) I drove at them quickly and they leapt back over the drystone wall. I felt so bad.
Thanks Ann.

Comment is about rabbit (blog)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

Enjoyed this, Ann. Sheep can be just as daft can't they, if they get stuck in front of walkers on a bridleway.

Comment is about rabbit (blog)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

sod it, just pee in the bath!

Comment is about Dry (blog)

Original item by Crackling

Glad to see you're getting house-trained! Keep it up! (But put it down again afterwards!)xx

Comment is about Dry (blog)

Original item by Crackling

Ey up lass!
A reet gradeley neet at t'Tudor tha knows.

Comment is about Uncle Ned (blog)

Original item by Cate

Hi Cynthia,

This is a powerful, insightful and considered - yet raw, piece of writing. It deserves expansion - maybe the basis for a novel. You certainly have the style for it.

Your phrasing is apposite and very succinct. I was particularly struck by:

"Weaving through the maze
Of adult suffering"

"the frightening
Cellars of my parents’ pain."

"adult confidences

Filtered through a child’s mind."

An absorbing, enlightening and thought-provoking piece of work.

Regards,
A.E.

Comment is about Trilogy of Heroes (blog)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

Fantastic this one. Finely honed imagery. As for retirement? Not sure but your words are fuel for a creative mind. Strangely I can see my poems in this piece (two in particular) hence my affinity to it. Win x

Comment is about retirement (blog)

Original item by Anthony Emmerson

Hi Cate,

If there's one thing poetry needs it's more dialect poetry! It's something I've loved since childhood. My Nan & Grandad, who were largely responsible for my upbringing, introduced me to it - though the dialect was largely Derbyshire. Later, in my teens, I was a fan of "The Fivepenny Piece" - a folk band from Lancashire who did a lot of dialect monologues etc.

http://www.5pp.co.uk/

One of my favourites was:

http://www.monologues.co.uk/1960-2000/Hencote_The.htm

written by Bill Froggat.

Proper gradely lass, and a fitting tribute to Uncle Ned!

Regards,
A.E.

Comment is about Uncle Ned (blog)

Original item by Cate

Hi A. thanks for the observations re 100 ways to fold a serviette. A jigsaw with pieces missing. I like that. It is an inherant feature of the ghazal style but in this case without the song. Win x

Comment is about Anthony Emmerson (poet profile)

Original item by Anthony Emmerson

This was a fantastic opener on Thursday - it set the standard bar so high!
I agree with Isobel that you MUST sort out audio to go with it

Comment is about Uncle Ned (blog)

Original item by Cate

Hi Martin-good luck with your WOL venture(fellow Mancunian originally)cheers.

Comment is about Martin Miles (poet profile)

Original item by Martin Miles

Thank you Melanie :)

Comment is about Trembling Hands (blog)

Original item by Martin Miles

Thanks folks....Ray I totally agree with you and have changed it as you suggested. Cheers.

Comment is about Uncle Ned (blog)

Original item by Cate