Hi Ann, it was an experiment. The picture is a self portrait by a friend and I stared at it for a while and wrote 'portrait' so it is purely about what the image said to me rather than the person in the painting. He is painting something inspired by one of my poems, so it will probably be a big miserable mess :-) thanks for your interest!

John

Comment is about Ann Foxglove (poet profile)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

Hi Ann. glad you liked my latest offering and thought it was Ace, surely that should be Acer? (groan). Win

Comment is about Ann Foxglove (poet profile)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

Thick and Lovely words you canalmost hold. Win :-)

Comment is about The Search (blog)

Original item by John Togher

Bravo dave ! Win :-)

Comment is about Stiff letter to the FA Premier League (blog)

Original item by Dave Carr

Thanks Racheal, Ann and Louise. Louise no I have not read this one out. Stuff like this rarely sees the light of day. Perhaps I should..............

thanks for reading.

Comment is about Going to Disnelyalnd Paris without any children (blog)

thankyou for your comments on my poem :)

Comment is about Ann Foxglove (poet profile)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

thanks for the commments on my poem , you know i cant do long ones. so short is all they ever are :)

Comment is about Isobel (poet profile)

Original item by Isobel

thankyou lovely louise for the comments on my poetry . glad you like them

oh just read the fraud thing , really i dont write much , or often , just sometimes and i have no idea what i am doing.. it just sometimes happens is all i can say

Comment is about Louise Fazackerley (poet profile)

Original item by Louise Fazackerley

I liek this. I have now learned to reign in my intrinsic urge to structure structure structure and instead enjoy your skill with language and image and words and pictures in my little head. have you performed this?

Comment is about Going to Disnelyalnd Paris without any children (blog)

i like ruins best, the best. i like the daydream and the other world you portray. good stuff. ps. i used to think the girl in your profile pic was me- in a younger, different sort of life x

Comment is about Ann Foxglove (poet profile)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

I love the end stanza and how the rhythm of the poem spirals down to it. And I like the structure of it and the familar imagery that almost but doesn't quite venture into cliche. I bet your perfomance of this is boss. Excellent!

Comment is about Springtime (blog)

Original item by Steven Kenny

you fraud! there you are, at the tudor, always telling me you like to watch, and here you are creating all this lovely stuff. i don't come on here enough- i missed your work before. and i love the stuff i've just read. more please. and if you want- i could team you up with a performer who could read out some of your work at my new night 'the papercut' that is, if we can't persuade you to get up urself. big love xxx

Comment is about Shoeless Carole (poet profile)

Original item by Shoeless Carole

another beautiful poem. i like the 'woman to water' bit- it makes me think of a swan landing and the reference to menopause makes it all real somehow. i want to connect. dead good x

Comment is about swim (blog)

Original item by Shoeless Carole

'drifts of losing you pile upon my heart'
what a heartwrenching, beautiful end line. i very much like this poem and the bracketed 'inner-voice'/subtext device.

Comment is about snow texts (blog)

Original item by Shoeless Carole

Very poignant. I am presuming that the bracketed words are implicit thoughts, not text. Some ideas work really when shortened.

Comment is about snow texts (blog)

Original item by Shoeless Carole

A life without faith is a scary one indeed. I like the starkness of this and the image of bodies rusting...

Comment is about The Search (blog)

Original item by John Togher

fab!!

Comment is about Neck (blog)

Original item by Dave Carr

Lifes not long enough to find all, is it? I love this thanks, jane

Comment is about The Search (blog)

Original item by John Togher

Thank you, Andy, for your beautiful comment on my poem
'Is it not enough...'

What exactly do you mean by '...unless it is lost in translation a little - lol'

Comment is about Andy N (poet profile)

Original item by Andy N

I love the feeling of being free to wander off, both mentally, and physically...

Comment is about Hunger Hill Farm (blog)

Original item by Tom

I just listened to you Rachel, and you sounded fab!
Loved your poem 'Spring Cleaning' too...
Flashback 80's - LOL

Comment is about Ceci n'est pas une poeme... (blog)

Original item by Rachel McGladdery

Thank you, as always, for your fab comments. Your poems are gorgeous, fun, unique and energised. Always!

Comment is about Ann Foxglove (poet profile)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

It's lovely! What was the fool doing with it in the first place?

Comment is about snow texts (blog)

Original item by Shoeless Carole

How sad - and how well observed.

Comment is about snow texts (blog)

Original item by Shoeless Carole

rescued from the fool :)

Comment is about snow texts (blog)

Original item by Shoeless Carole

Thank you for your kind comments on Mother Nature. It is an unpretentious little thing and I'm glad you liked it! xx

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

Thanks for the kind sending of calming thoughts and good wishes....it appears I haven't added a file so I'll try to put the link up if it works it's about 2.00.55 ish I think!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/p007b5yb

Comment is about Ceci n'est pas une poeme... (blog)

Original item by Rachel McGladdery

ah now then, this is a nice one :)

Comment is about Springtime (blog)

Original item by Steven Kenny

This is a kids one, and a bit Christmassy for April, but here goes:

When it Snowed Inside

On Christmas Eve I wished and wished: ‘Oh let it snow tonight!’
But then it snowed inside the house – I hadn’t got it right!
I woke up in a blizzard and out of bed I leapt
and ran to tell my mum and dad - but mum and dad still slept:
both snoring little flurries as snow up covered their bed,
so I put my best wellies on and went to find my sled.
As I tobogganed down the stairs the snowflakes softly fell
in drifts against the banisters and in the hall as well.
The living room was inches deep. I crunched towards the tree
that hung with real icicles - so very Christmassy.
I heard my sister getting up. I heard her saying: ‘Oh!’
and landing in the stairwell in a giant ball of snow.
When dad came skiing into view he didn’t even shout
but went and found us spades so we could dig our presents out.
The kitchen was an igloo with slush upon the floor
then, oh my gosh, we were awash after of a sudden thaw.
But all the food was frozen and so for Christmas lunch
mum gave us turkey lolly ices, sprouts that we could crunch.
Dad called out for a pizza (deep pan), crisps and even
nicer than sprouts and so I hope the snow’s not leaving!

Comment is about Win a Trip of a Lifetime to Reykjavik (article)

Ann, it is clever, short and pointed, a good satire.

Comment is about mother nature's victory!! (blog)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

A heart gripper. Compelling in its universal pathos and beautifully written.

Comment is about Hunger Hill Farm (blog)

Original item by Tom

Interesting, a bit of this idea and a bit of that, with enough to make bridges.
I presume you are allowing for extensive 'borrowing' in your claim of biblical tales being 'as old as the wind'. Or do you use 'biblical' in a more austere sense? Still, SPEECH and WRITING are very new in Big Bang Time.

Comment is about The Search (blog)

Original item by John Togher

Thank you so much. I take all your points to heart and will seriously study them. You must have spent considerable time. Just a point, my name is actually Cynthia. Christine Dawson is a great lady with whom you frequently chat. Easy mistake.

Comment is about Antony Owen (poet profile)

Original item by Antony Owen

just my cup o shale. i want to bash my head off some rocks taste some big bangs and stand scary with death like a lighthouse :) i still owe you 1 guiness.

Comment is about The Search (blog)

Original item by John Togher

hey johnniejohn
new poem apocolypse heart, as liked by marianne, is on the page and ready to go in book if u agree...its suitably intense.

Comment is about John Darwin (poet profile)

Original item by John Darwin

Hey, your comment is right in that 'gallery of thoughts' is something i wanted to use,your advice is appreciated. Donna

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

A lovely poem Thomas. The last two lines finish it off perfectly. We should all be out there looking up at the stars! xx

Comment is about Hunger Hill Farm (blog)

Original item by Tom

Thanks so much for your note. You answered all my questions!

Lisa

Comment is about Isobel (poet profile)

Original item by Isobel

i think that to write the story its best to detach and semi autobiographise it.in this way you may go over areas of your life that are compelling without getting caught up in detail...you can also explore areas that are what ifs...or seperate endings/ split characters all sorts of possibilities. its potentially less painful also.
only my opinion. I write much more interesting stories when my characters are composite and i have a distance from the subject. all our histories contain painful moments and i believe when someone captures them right without sensationalism and with imagination they are cathartic, healing and make a fascinating read.

Comment is about Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice (blog)

Original item by Lisa Milligan

Hi Dave - Having been on WOL just since March, I don't know how one gets chosen for Outstanding Poem of the Month. Is there a way to submit a poem, or some other process?

Thanks,
Lisa

Comment is about Write Out Loud Outstanding Poem For March (blog)

Original item by Dave Bradley

Snowtexts


‘Hey what are you doing?
Look out your window it’s snowing
(Do you know I love you?)
Amazing white faeries are floating down’

‘Oh yes it’s beautiful,
And thanks, I went outside to see,
(Yes I know you love me,)
Thanks for the text
(I know, so sad I don’t love you in return)

My tears are silently falling
Drifts of losing you pile upon my heart

Comment is about Win a Trip of a Lifetime to Reykjavik (article)

Good luck, good publicity Rach! Maybe afterwards you can post a recording of the show here, or a link to it. (No pressure)! Greg

Comment is about Ceci n'est pas une poeme... (blog)

Original item by Rachel McGladdery

Hello you, too, lovely poet! I still have the poems we created following our WOL chat (was that about a year ago?) and yours has remained fresh, resonant, funky and fab. A free-verse tour-de-force! I remain a huge fan.

Comment is about Shoeless Carole (poet profile)

Original item by Shoeless Carole

Bonne chance Rachel : )
x

Comment is about Ceci n'est pas une poeme... (blog)

Original item by Rachel McGladdery

i have been to word soup two or three times. Its really an enjoyable night for audience and performers

Comment is about Ceci n'est pas une poeme... (blog)

Original item by Rachel McGladdery

Good luck in deed mon petite fleur!! good 'ole lanky radio!!better than Neanderthal Cornwall-haha!! (Morning Ann...ooer!) Stef-x

Comment is about Ceci n'est pas une poeme... (blog)

Original item by Rachel McGladdery

Good luck!! Don't suppose I can get Radio Lancs down here in sunny Cornwall. I'm sure you'll be brill! xx

Comment is about Ceci n'est pas une poeme... (blog)

Original item by Rachel McGladdery

Mmmm better than being down in a sewer - on the end of a skewer! (Oooer, sounds like we're back in Dogshite Alley!) bye bye my pet (rattus) xx
P.S. Carol Ann who? I bet she took longer to write her though! I'm the fastest poet in town! xx

Comment is about Ann Foxglove (poet profile)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

hah yeh...at the same time my mum was trying to deafen herself to the sounds of next doors piano practice...its a sign! of what i dont know but sign nevertheless

Comment is about Isobel (poet profile)

Original item by Isobel

Cynthia, thanks very much for your comments on St Leonard's, although I think you really have been too kind. Thomas Hardy? On the other hand, you have made my day. Greg

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas