Wonderful poem Rachel, and all my love to you and the kids too. We all love you on here I'm sure! xxxx

Comment is about Heartbreaker (blog)

Original item by Rachel McGladdery

Just a bit of nonsense really! I'm reading Villette and there are lots of french phrases. In the back of the book they are translated, and look quite intriguing in this form, with no sense to them. I have chosen some at random and then arranged them. I blame Steven Waling! Went to a very enjoyable workshop he did, it obviously affected my brain!

Comment is about villettedada (blog)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

Ann, I'm not sure what you're trying to do here - or even if the last line is part of the poem or your own personal comment!I took an interest because I'm a fan of Charlotte Bronte, though it's a long time since I read Villette. This is meant to be a severely truncated version or "experimental" poetry? I noticed in passing how similar (maintaining an air of innocence) is to A mountain near Athens.Thanks for the comment on my poem the other day.

Comment is about villettedada (blog)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

Enjoyed it, John, can taste the grime and the smoke.
Or "to" start their economies budding? and "was a craft you'd never look good in"?

Comment is about Tom Pudding (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

This is good, Steven. I doubt it is everyone's cup of tea, but I grow to like the style/form more with each exposure to this type of 'scrambled images'.

Comment is about Incident Tape (blog)

Original item by Steven Waling

Rachel, the touch of a master here, spontaneous or not, or maybe more so because of. Your words wring readers inside-out. Poets speak for us all, sometimes like the voice of God 'in mysterious ways'. Or whatever your idea of Wisdom/Truth is. I think that 'brutality' comes in all guises, determined to wipe us out. I also think that 'happiness' always has to build up again in very small, captured doses. Let no pleasing thing pass your notice no matter how inconsequential it may seem. Tiny, aware moments build strong bridges back to self-esteem.

Comment is about Heartbreaker (blog)

Original item by Rachel McGladdery

I like the juxtaposition of 'communal art' and 'ether isolation'. 'No conceptual sex' is great, and ironically, maybe a good thing. The rhythm does trip along with some plummy words and their interesting rhyme relations. A very good read, deceptively relaxing.

Comment is about Estrangement (blog)

Mapule, it is not easy being a stranger amongst people who you regard as brothers and sisters, amongst your fellow Africans...BUT go on we must...

Comment is about Emmanuel Sairosi (poet profile)

Original item by Emmanuel Sairosi

Will mail you privately for a little chin wag. I'd have invited you to chat but for the fact that I have one off today and am supposed to be going out soon - recording summat. Have you done your bio yet? As soon as we are both up there, I'm going to update my profile and let folks know what we are up to - we might even get a group goint...
Isobel x

Comment is about Rachel McGladdery (poet profile)

Original item by Rachel McGladdery

Love this ray :) from the opening two lines, through to the 'techno tart/fingers tap and touch in text' - lush. Although have to confess I did have to google what a Second Lifer was!

Comment is about Estrangement (blog)

No worries Rachel - like I say, I don't know you, but I've been in that situation, with a small child, and it's incredibly difficult. You will pull through though - both of you. Would be good to meet you sometime. My advice now - get plenty of chocolate, crisps and pop in, and watch some crappy kids films tucked on the couch with your lass :)

xx

Comment is about Rachel McGladdery (poet profile)

Original item by Rachel McGladdery

Oh Isobel, you are so wise. Any doubts I'm having are because I feel that he's at rock bottom and I'm worried about him coping and also because of the kids and their distress. Thanks honey
xxx

Comment is about Isobel (poet profile)

Original item by Isobel

Sincere thanks Greg.
x

Comment is about Greg Freeman (poet profile)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Thanks Andy, very much appreciated
x

Comment is about Andy N (poet profile)

Original item by Andy N

I agree with Isobel, Rachel, and with you. The cold categorising of social media makes everything too final, too public, too soon. If you're thinking about Facebook, don't go there yet ... I also echo Dave's warm, concerned comment elsewhere. This is a clear-headed, powerful poem, though it seems almost irrelevant to say so

Comment is about Why? (blog)

Original item by Rachel McGladdery

Thanks Dave, I have left a comment on the blog too, thanks so much for the comment you left, it's not about a bereavement in the usual sense, but about a relationship breakdown, and yes, I am living through it at the moment and much appreciate the support xxx

Comment is about Dave Bradley (poet profile)

Original item by Dave Bradley

Hi Laura, thanks for the comment, it's hugely appreciated. x

Comment is about Laura Taylor (poet profile)

Original item by Laura Taylor

Thanks everyone for the comments. I did tag this relationship break up or at least tried to. I have not suffered a bereavement in the usual sense, it's a break up, I'm so deeply sorry if anyone thought that was the case.
Rcahel
x

Comment is about Heartbreaker (blog)

Original item by Rachel McGladdery

I love the stoical, industrial detail of this, John, and of course the line "it's Goole not Cannes" which sums it up. It refers obliquely to the death of coalmining - "two pits my brothers sweat blood in". A quiet elegy for Britain's industrial past. I think it's excellent. I used to work very close to this area many years ago, at Selby

Comment is about Tom Pudding (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

The use of electronic imagery is a great way of expressing that feeling Rachel - I often find parallels between what I do with a keyboard and what I do with emotions. I like the irony in the press save button equating to the opposite.
If it's that hard to press save perhaps you shouldn't be pressing it and looking to communicate instead?
Shoot me down if I'm wrong. It's just such a momentous step to take where there are any doubts.

Comment is about Why? (blog)

Original item by Rachel McGladdery

Good stuff Dave - I particularly like the phrase 'trading in indignation' ;)

Comment is about Feral Youth (so called) (blog)

Original item by Dave Bradley

Agree with Isobel. Writing it out helps, doesn't it? Been there, done that, it can be lived through, and children ARE remarkably resilient. This broke my heart - I don't know you, but send strength and good energy to you anyway. Take care x

Comment is about Heartbreaker (blog)

Original item by Rachel McGladdery

Interesting take on an 'incident', kaleidoscopic mixing of the stuff going on and good jokes too! What's not to like?

Comment is about Incident Tape (blog)

Original item by Steven Waling

ngiyakuhlonipha ndoda. this is enough to give one a minute in the life of a foreigner.

Comment is about Emmanuel Sairosi (poet profile)

Original item by Emmanuel Sairosi

This is an excellent poem Rachel, but (bearing in mind your previous one), more importantly it seems you may be living through it. If so, there will be a lot of people here pulling for you and your family and hoping you get through to calmer water.

Comment is about Heartbreaker (blog)

Original item by Rachel McGladdery

thanks for the comment over tunnel 3, cynthia .. not sure yet what i am going to do for the final edit of this piece, it's one of those pieces i wanted to get out to the world asap but glad you liked it and thank you for your comments xx

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

thanks for the comment over tunnel 3, greg.. not sure yet what i am going to do for the final edit (they will be a re-edit) as i wanted to get this out asap, but i am grateful for your comments x

Comment is about Greg Freeman (poet profile)

Original item by Greg Freeman

don't know if this is intended, dave but defo has a feel to a song like quality to me. like it however, in particular the extra syballe at the end off it.

Comment is about Feral Youth (so called) (blog)

Original item by Dave Bradley

not going to quiz you over the content, rachel as it sounds one of those pieces which you would have been driven to write it without even perhaps realising it..

i do like the full piece, but my favourite segment is:

I heard the click

audible just to me,

(our hearts being one),

of valves shutting on the final piece of innocence

'corpuscles turning sour as news flooded the brain.'

top stuff... x

Comment is about Heartbreaker (blog)

Original item by Rachel McGladdery

Thank you xxx

Comment is about Isobel (poet profile)

Original item by Isobel

Thanks Isobel. That means a lot to me xxx

Comment is about Heartbreaker (blog)

Original item by Rachel McGladdery

You got the right title for it Rachel. This is about as heartbreaking as you can get.
I won't labour over the linguistics of it. It is a brilliant poem as all your stuff is.
If any of this comes from personal experience, all I can say to comfort is that children are amazingly resilient. Not long after I announced the big split, mine were weedling away for a hamster - they'd never been allowed pets before...
There is no replacing the main carer in a home - be that mother or father - I guess we can only speak from our own experience though - a lot would depend on the quality of relationship held with secondary carer. What I'm trying to say is that with the stability and love that a main carer gives, children do come through it.

I'm pushing as much positive energy and love as I possibly can your way.Isobel xx

Comment is about Heartbreaker (blog)

Original item by Rachel McGladdery

I think this is very, very good.
"more sleek than silken stockings garter strapped" is one of several great lines. I liked the 3rd verse best, funnily enough. To quibble just a little, I think "red bold pollen" would be better.

Comment is about Lines on Picasso's APERITIF (blog)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

Simply can't find whether she was drinking green Pernod or blue Suze; either 'drink' works beautifully in the poetic scheme. Tonight it is the 'blue' drink which rather hitches on well to 'smoky blue atmosphere'.

Comment is about Lines on Picasso's APERITIF (blog)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

I salute any writing which contains the line "the perfumed whiff of rosy cunt"

also absolutely love 'absinthe curled'

Love the whole 2nd stanza in fact

Comment is about Lines on Picasso's APERITIF (blog)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

I'm not familiar with the painting either but that aside, this poem paints a damn good one by itself so i'm not even sure i want my vision spoiled by seeing the inspiration for it.
Well done Cynthia.x

Comment is about Lines on Picasso's APERITIF (blog)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

Hi - I know this sounds mad, but I've actually built our business around the "wild & wacky" ideas I'd had after a few spliffs.
I wrote em down & the next day they still seemed sensible - just broadens your horizons. Maybe they should hand out spliffs at No 10 cabinet meetings - we might get some sensible governance then :)

Comment is about Laura Taylor (poet profile)

Original item by Laura Taylor

Hi Andy, thanks for your comment on 'Blue' and your continual encouragement for writing in general.
I've edited a little since your comment but decided to leave it to the reader to decide what and where it refers to :-)

Janet.x

Comment is about Andy N (poet profile)

Original item by Andy N

Hi Cynthia, thanks for your comment on 'Blue'. It's very much appreciated. I've done a little editing since your comment.
I decided to leave it up to the reader what and where it refers to. Let's just say i'm glad now i decided not to mention the coconut shy :-)

Janet.x

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

Thanks Cynthia and Andy - i have done some editing since your comments after a friend gave me some advice.
I too like the opening and last stanzas so they will stay as they are but the middle bit has changed a little.

I decided to leave it up to the reader to decide what and where it refers to :-)

Comment is about Blue (blog)

Thanks, everybody. I did spend considerable time on it. Win,the painting is called APERITIF. Francine, the spelling is corrected; I have always said it wrong. Paul, the brand was Pernod; the ingredient was absinthe/absynthe, but you make a valid point: I didn't SEE this in the picture, I knew it, and I concluded the shape of the bottle must be distinctive. The bitterness of wormwood also influenced the line 'absinthe curled'. So I crossed over the discipline of the visual only, and I did hesitate to include this reference. Is this permissible for such an 'exercise'?

Comment is about Lines on Picasso's APERITIF (blog)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

A poem after me own heart Cynth. Particularly like the newly minted phrases such as 'whispering scented smoke'.
The only thing that jarred slightly was the reference to Pernod and Absynthe as Pernod was originally Absynthe.

Comment is about Lines on Picasso's APERITIF (blog)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

just googled it & I can't find the painting either, but it's still a damned good poem. well done Cyn. xx

Comment is about Lines on Picasso's APERITIF (blog)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

enjoyed this ann.. one of my favourites currently of yours.. particularly liked 'sun appears through leaf lace golden

in the end a little sadness

sitting on the digger bucket'

good stuff xx

Comment is about turning circle (blog)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

yeah, agree with cynthia - meaning isn't perhaps that clear to me on first readings anyhow but it's great to see you back again Janet writing...

you may want to consider on the 2nd stanza breaking it up into smaller stanzas as when i was reading it back to myself - there seemed to be a few little breaks, but that doesn't district from the quality of the piece.. lovely xcx

Comment is about Blue (blog)

very well wrote, cynthia - not quite sure i get all of it without seeing the painting, but i can see straight away this is a well wrote poem indeed..x

Comment is about Lines on Picasso's APERITIF (blog)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

Cynthia, voulez-vous dire peut-être APÉRITIF ?

Comment is about Lines on Picasso's APERITIF (blog)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

find a copy of the picasso picture on line and download it to your desk top then go to the make blog entry page. Near where it says 'picture' to the right of the blank box click on 'Browse' when you have found the pic on your desk top, double click on it and the rest will happen automatically if not instantly. Hope this helps. If not tell me the name of the painting and I will post up your poem (it will be in my name however)
Win

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

Hi Sian, Cynthia did say hello! Win X

Comment is about sian howell (poet profile)

Original item by sian howell

Hi Cynthia, A good meet up at the BW with you. Thx. Now... I am being a bit dim here. Do you know the name of the painting (is it on the back of the card) if so, you can just do a google picture search and copy it onto this blog entry. I want to comme t on the poem too but will wait for the pic. :-) Win

Comment is about Lines on Picasso's APERITIF (blog)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas