Terrific, Cate. Up there with 'Oor Olive's Pumps'. You really should write more.

Comment is about Under The Stairs (blog)

Original item by Cate

This resonates strongly. Perhaps your purpose is universal empathy rather than personal actuality. Whichever, you show great insight with these tripping, little, rhyming lines whose structure seems to make the subject even more disturbing.

Comment is about My childhood rainbow (blog)

Original item by Kath Hewitt

Anna, this is lovely. Apart from the capturing imagery and melody of diction, I like the interjection of thoughts into the visual as in 'stone walls scaling hills...great grandfather...the skill that made them stand without cement'. Impressions are always multi-dimensional, including overlapping memories.
It IS hard to know when one has met an expression elsewhere, if only once. Hopefully the author of the 'original' (if applicable) will be honoured. It's the obvious 'borrowing' that needles me, even here on WOL.

Comment is about Childhood Recollection (blog)

Original item by Anna Percy

What a magical story of childhood inventiveness!
I enjoyed reading this, Cate.

Comment is about Under The Stairs (blog)

Original item by Cate

These lines are so effective:
"I recall the rain
Crying into my dreams". A very spare (in a good way) and poignant poem.

Comment is about Bucket and Spade (Childhood) (blog)

Original item by Gus Jonsson

Really nice, Cate.
Especially enjoyed the last verse -I think the rhythm is at its strongest here.

Comment is about Under The Stairs (blog)

Original item by Cate

Sorry, Kath, I can't say anything particularly helpful - just that I like this poem a lot.

Comment is about Left turn (blog)

Original item by Kath Hewitt

A truly wonderful poem, Cate. It has such a feel-good vibe and whether it was always that good or not, how precious are such times, such memories. I do feel with my own family that this kind of imaginative play is lost too early in their short childhoods, which makes me sad. You evoke that longing for past days so beautifully and the rhyming couplets work superbly well - somehow just perfect for describing childhood.

Comment is about Under The Stairs (blog)

Original item by Cate

As you know Cate, I have different memories of 'under the stairs' but I love your version. I think there is some selective memory going on here but it makes a wonderful change to hear something positive said about childhood. As children we really have no control over our lives so it is pretty much a lottery as to how well we come through it.
I love the way you have focussed on freedom. Those are my happiest memories of childhood - running free in the woods - running across the water pipes over the local reservoirs, even though I couldn't swim - how unthinkable would that be now? I remember us only coming home when it was dark or we were hungry. Small wonder there were not so many fat kids around then - we just burned all our food up. It was great for the imagination - which comes out vividly in your poem.
Lovely to see the art of rhyme still alive also. xx

Comment is about Under The Stairs (blog)

Original item by Cate

You've captured the feelings well in this beautiful little poem, Gus.

It is always interesting to me how certain disappointments and experiences we endured as children can make such a huge impact on our sensitive little souls...

Comment is about Bucket and Spade (Childhood) (blog)

Original item by Gus Jonsson

So childhood wasn't a picture post card for you either then...

Perhaps that's what links us as poets - the ability to see right through to sadness, even at a young age.
Can't be arsed commenting on your imagery - it works. You don't need to thank me for commenting either - I will assume your gratitude instead :) La dee da dee da x

Comment is about Bucket and Spade (Childhood) (blog)

Original item by Gus Jonsson

I have indeed been compared many times to Leonard Cohen, and to David Beckham. I think they've said I play football like David Beckham and write poetry like Leonard Cohen.
No, my wife says they said it the other way round.

Comment is about Ann Foxglove (poet profile)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

Hi Greg
Excellent poem of the month, perhaps because it is from an era I still recall (for the moment!). Round our way (up north, to you I suppose) they were t'shadders.
And Hank did panto? How sad; your brother’s Lepanto perhaps, he being outwith the pale of we Beatlophiles.
Had me reminiscing and chuckling anyhow. Thank you.

Comment is about Greg Freeman (poet profile)

Original item by Greg Freeman

hello and thank you for reading and taking time to comment x

Comment is about Marianne Daniels (poet profile)

Original item by Marianne Daniels

thank you Andy x

Comment is about Andy N (poet profile)

Original item by Andy N

thanks Ann x

Comment is about Ann Foxglove (poet profile)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

I think you should definitely go to the WOL open mic venue your friends have signed you up for John.
Being part of WOL is a journey. The poetry you are writing now is probably very different to the poetry you will be writing in 6 months or a year from now, if you stay the course. Reading other people's work (which is what WOL should also be about) affects your way of looking at things and writing. I think it makes us develop as poets.
All the best. Isobel.

Comment is about John Woodhouse (poet profile)

Original item by John Woodhouse

Hi John , Welcome to WOL. Hope you get some feedback and enjoy the site. Winston

Comment is about John Woodhouse (poet profile)

Original item by John Woodhouse

Thanks very much, Marianne, for your comment on Stuffed.

Comment is about Marianne Daniels (poet profile)

Original item by Marianne Daniels

Lovely. Last two lines are very nice.

Comment is about Rites Of Spring (blog)

Original item by Tom Harding

Nice poem. You might lose "written",
a book of hello in a thousand tongues.I liked the last verse best, though I think you might swap en route and swaddled around.

Comment is about Left turn (blog)

Original item by Kath Hewitt

Ann- nothing wrong with a Quickie every now & then ;)

Comment is about like paper (blog)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

incredibly powerful. x

Comment is about My childhood rainbow (blog)

Original item by Kath Hewitt

I agree with banksy and always like to catch up with what you are writing. Love "slowly strangled by the air" really pushes a sense of futility and dispair.

Comment is about Left turn (blog)

Original item by Kath Hewitt

Great poem - going throught the list of new additions, I took to this straight away - you have a very "easy" way of writing which doesn't jarr & I like it.
Poem - I like it just the way it is.

Comment is about Left turn (blog)

Original item by Kath Hewitt

particularly love 'Floating the edge of insanity
with a torn umbrella' but there's a lot of good stuff here, Kath.. Pleased you are writing lots of stuff at the moment (I need to put up some of my stuff - reminds me - lol) xx

Comment is about Left turn (blog)

Original item by Kath Hewitt

This isn't the kind of poem where I would normally comment on technique or imagery but one thing struck me. You could probably lose the 'slowly strangled by the air' and replace it with something else. I think the fact the fish is dying could have been imagined by the reader.

Comment is about Left turn (blog)

Original item by Kath Hewitt

Have you ever been compared to Leonard Cohen before John? I seem to think you are more cheery! ;-) x

Comment is about Cradle - A Triolet (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

I like this Kath - I love the "book of hello" and the last verse especially. x

Comment is about Left turn (blog)

Original item by Kath Hewitt

I love the quirkiness of this...
I can envision it.
My favourite parts are 1st and 3rd stanzas.

Comment is about Left turn (blog)

Original item by Kath Hewitt

Hadn't planned to log in but had to, to say how good this one is.

Comment is about Rites Of Spring (blog)

Original item by Tom Harding

Really liked this.
Cx

Comment is about Rites Of Spring (blog)

Original item by Tom Harding

But who needs a bear when they've a stuffed monkey in their pocket? Tut. Kids these days, they want it all.

Comment is about Childhood Recollection (blog)

Original item by Anna Percy

Yes I do agree with you Isobel about not just posting but commenting on others. That's what i've always done and it's a main reason why I don't post that often - because it is wrong not to read other people's stuff and comment on it in a supportive way, and I don't always have time to do this properly. If you don't like it at all, best not to comment, I'd say - unless it;s actually offensive in some way and you feel really strongly the need to comment anyway, but it can and should be done maturely - not something everyone is capable of on here sadly, altho no doubt they consider themselves well-endowed intellectually!

Comment is about Isobel (poet profile)

Original item by Isobel

A very enjoyable read - thanks.

Comment is about Rites Of Spring (blog)

Original item by Tom Harding

Thanks for commenting on my La dee da dee da poem. With all these wonderful site changes, it looks like I'll soon have nothing to write or complain about! Will have to start writing serious poetry then! x

Comment is about Gus Jonsson (poet profile)

Original item by Gus Jonsson

Thanks for commenting on La dee da dee da Elaine; it was a bit of silliness inspired by a very boring night in. It seems to have struck some chords though. Hope to see you around :) x

Comment is about Elaine (poet profile)

Original item by Elaine

Emma, thanks for your comments. Wonderful to hear that you have a collection published. Best wishes to you. x

Comment is about Emma McCourty (poet profile)

Original item by Emma McCourty

Hi Greg congratulations on being poem of the month worthy prize winner great stuff

Comment is about Greg Freeman (poet profile)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Hi Gus
Many thanks for your response to my comments on Raged the Wind.
Good to hear you keep in touch with Augusta. She was, in fact, something of an inspiration for me when I did Cradle, my latest blog. I tried to capture some of that sense of "oooo..err" she puts into her mysteries.

Comment is about Gus Jonsson (poet profile)

Original item by Gus Jonsson

Hi John


Thanks for the tip re Augusta... Dont worry on that score ... we are very close.

Thank you so much for the wonderful and extremely flattering comments made to my poem.

‘Raged the Wind’

The catalyst for the poem was one of trying to capture a moment before the world as we know it through history and geology actually deciding to render up the spark that began the development of life. To the dizzy heights and progress of today’s Homo sapiens in let’s say for example in Wigan today.

Once again many thanks for taking the time to read and comment I very much appreciate it.

Gus

Comment is about John Coopey (poet profile)

Original item by John Coopey

Hi Laura

You thought you could hear the wind... Believe me thats possible I should never go near brussel sprouts before i settle down to write an epic.

Thank you so much for the wonderful and extremely flattering comments made to my poem.

‘Raged the Wind’

The catalyst for the poem was one of trying to capture a moment before the world as we know it through history and geology actually deciding to render up the spark that began the development of life. To the dizzy heights and progress of today’s Homo sapiens in let’s say for example in Wigan today.

Once again many thanks for taking the time to read and comment I very much appreciate it.

Gus xx

Comment is about Laura Taylor (poet profile)

Original item by Laura Taylor

Afternoon Isobel

I used to be a bouncer at Mothercare...

Thank you so much for the wonderful and extremely flattering comments made to my poem.

‘Raged the Wind’

The catalyst for the poem was one of trying to capture a moment before the world as we know it through history and geology actually deciding to render up the spark that began the development of life. To the dizzy heights and progress of today’s Homo sapiens in let’s say for example in Wigan today.

Once again many thanks for taking the time to read and comment I very much appreciate it.

Gus xx

Comment is about Isobel (poet profile)

Original item by Isobel

This is very good Dermot.
"what’s the use in still having feelings? Still, standing close, I feel, but I try to go numb.
AHW XXXXX

Comment is about Standing close (blog)

Original item by Dermot Glennon

i love the last stanza. excellent poem.

Comment is about Stuffed (blog)

Brrrr.... my, it's cold in there :-)

Reminds me of a scene from Paradise Lost in moments where the devil wins.x

Comment is about Raged a Wind (blog)

Original item by Gus Jonsson

Thanks for the comments.

Philipos.It's a fascinating subject to me. There really was a belief that the splendour of the old asylums would raise the spirits of the inmates.Appearances and reality, eh? Can a sign not request?

Elaine. It's nice to see one's subtleties noticed! Ta.

Ann. At my age, a measured pace and dignity means everything.

Isobel. These days there isn't even a pretence to external magnificence!

Jules. I'm talking about the old asylums. What do you think I'm talking about?

Comment is about Stuffed (blog)

Enjoyable read. Love the line 'each time you lie, a bit of your soul dies'.. it gives it a dark edge ;-)

Comment is about Lies (blog)

I was just about to say that the Macleod reference is whiskey and you went and beat me to it Dave :-)
I read this on Tuesday and didn't have time to comment.

I love the references, too many good ones to pick out but if i had to choose one it would be the Mcavity one because it reminds me of my junior school days and my headmaster who loved reading poetry to us.x

Comment is about Burns Night (blog)

Original item by Dave Carr

I love the intrigue this portrays for me. Nice one Ann :-)

Comment is about like paper (blog)

Original item by Ann Foxglove