An offfical if dalayed welcom back from the admin team :-) Win

Comment is about Shoeless Carole (poet profile)

Original item by Shoeless Carole

I like this poem it has some great points

Comment is about Modern Saviour (blog)

Original item by Kealan Coady

Agree with Cynthia. It's a report from the frontline. And I like the rhythm of it too

Comment is about A Working-Class Family Go Out Shopping With Very Little Money, In The Hope That It'll Last 'Till The End Of The Week. (blog)

Hi Pete, hope you are well. This is great stuff. Particularly liked the 'harder' tinge you give to the potentially sloppy sentiments as you describe things - black sea / leatherd hide / tarter / withering hand. It gives the poem a realism and strength. Win xx

Comment is about ankle chain (blog)

Really good. As a social comment, short, punchy, and true. Strong last thought is compelling as the summary because its point is universal.

Comment is about A Working-Class Family Go Out Shopping With Very Little Money, In The Hope That It'll Last 'Till The End Of The Week. (blog)

Superb, Tom, in topical content, and in poetical skill.

Comment is about My mother used to believe she'd run people over... (blog)

Original item by Tom Harding

A good social poem with many fine images. In my opinion, it gets a tad 'jumbled'. Since this is probably one of the effects you want, perhaps it is in re-formatting that this becomes a stronger poem. Clever title.

Comment is about The Park Bench 'swing'. (blog)

Original item by sian howell

A great idea, with some very fine images. Sounds quite 'immediate'. I would love to see it tightened; and I do not think it would lose that element of joyous spontaneity if done carefully. It is emotion that carries it through as it is. I do know that is exactly what you wanted. I still would like to see the whole somewhat harnessed, more of a 'postcard' than a 'letter'.

Comment is about A postcard from Happiness (blog)

Reading your marvellous poem, Tom, I was reminded of Beckett's Krapp's Last Tape, and the way the character repeats the word "spool". The image of the fragility of the theatre set a few lines down reinforces that. Very wry and honest: I particularly like the music of the final lines.

Comment is about My mother used to believe she'd run people over... (blog)

Original item by Tom Harding

Hi, Kealan. Thanks for responding. No, I totally got the 'Hamas' thing; in so many ways the early Israelites were 'terrorists' of their era, god-oriented or not. In my opinion, I think it was introducing the idea of 'woman' into the mix, in any form, that diluted rather than augmented your idea. I did enjoy Rachel's comments. Perhaps she picked up 'ghosts' far better than I did. Maybe one has to be a committed Roman Catholic to fully understand the dynamism of the idea of Virgin Mary as 'perfect woman'. Maybe that wasn't your intent at all. I also wondered about 'admitted', but I have heard that word used. 'committed' is better, no question; avoids a 'bump' in getting your ideas started clearly.

Comment is about Kealan Coady (poet profile)

Original item by Kealan Coady

Morning, David, good to hear from you. St Leonard's was written after a walk Gillian and I took with our daughter Kate. I just did it as an exercise really, listing the images I remembered, then trying to shape them into a sonnet in the early mornings while others were in bed. I find it's easier to do when you're in someone's else's flat or hotel room and don't have to worry about/find displacement activities such as filling the dishwasher or the washing machine. At least it's a recent effort: the previous two I put up here were three or fours years old! Look forward to reading more from you, old churches or otherwise. Btw, did I overhear a conversation here in which you said you sometimes read in Reading? I did a spot at Guildford last week

Comment is about David Cooke (poet profile)

Original item by David Cooke

wow! ok
first of all may I thank everyone for the debate and interest and comments on this. It feels positive to invoke such a hijack, but its not a hijack. The benefit of writing is to inspire and hopefully move people, I think that the sincerity in the poem has made it through so Im pleased about it so much, thanks.

ok regarding the poem. For me it is about the 'standard' love. The default setting of powerful love, how it only has to be itself and needs not to try and be anything sparkly, it just naturally has the power. Its about the simple mechanics of love and wanting to share the simple yet complex feeling. Galvansing is used to protect steel from rusting and actually benefits from weathering and the elements. The coating benefits from oxidisation, in the same way all that life throws at us gives strenght to true loving bonds, shared experiences good and bad just make more strength in the love, giving us victories to be proud of, my idea was that gold is to surface and not as practical an ankle chain and whilst all the sparkling beauty, all the fancy ceremonies and massive weddings mean nothing compared to a genuine core of love, you can have both and thats fine, i.e true deep love AND all the fancy gold and trappings, but theres no need, the practical truth speaks much more and is more potent, if you scratch it it re-heals (as does galv), thats what I mean about being 'sulphate' and 'oxidised'
galv is used to protect from the sea salt too, and barnacles can cling to it but when removed the metal is intact. The chink/chain metaphor was the 'knocks' along the way that we just smiled at, it all brings us together even tighter. I visualsied the ankle chain whilst writing and i saw the letters stuck togehter by the process (as it does) the zinc galv locks the once seperate letters into one complete unit, almost bomb proof, very strong. There is a lot of resiliance and strength in the poem juxtaposed with the traditional idea of a fragile ankle chain, the whole idea being to demonstrate the lovers obcession with the simple enduring love he has for his partner. The proud willingness to share comes at the end of the poem- how can I keep this amazing thing to myself, he/she must share this for the other couples or 'the envied grin of the single'

I hope I have not spoiled this !
there are things I can improve and expand on in the poem, im not sure its finished, this was typed straight out.............


once again thanks Isobel, Racheal, Ann, Val, Francine, Jane.

im off to read my milns n boon.
xxxxxxxxx

Comment is about ankle chain (blog)

Hi Greg Old Churches are right up my street. I might post one of mine when I get a minute - all been very hectic this end. Anyway like this one a lot, especially the cadence of 'a thousand years of belief and hope sing across the city'. Also like the matter of fact ending. keep 'em coming.

out across the city.

Comment is about Greg Freeman (poet profile)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Great poem, the obsessions so realistically described. I love the spooling and spooling till sanity decamps the rail esp. (Should it be a theatre set, not just theatre set?) Never disappointed by your stuff. (No pressure then - don't obsess about it!) xx

Comment is about My mother used to believe she'd run people over... (blog)

Original item by Tom Harding

writing from a man's point of view John. signed A. Marshmallow

Comment is about marshmallow (blog)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

Not easy to live with... Your poem brings that to light.
A very thought provoking poem.

Comment is about My mother used to believe she'd run people over... (blog)

Original item by Tom Harding

I always go to the park during off hours... More peaceful that way ; )
Amazing though what you can see and hear if you pause to observe and take it all in...

xxx

Comment is about The Park Bench 'swing'. (blog)

Original item by sian howell

Thanks for your comments about me looking a twat. I appreciate your support!

Comment is about Gus Jonsson (poet profile)

Original item by Gus Jonsson

I liked it too, Ann.
Lovely voice - I'd forgotten the Collins's's's's. I thought it vaguely reminiscent of Sandy Denny (praps b.y.t?).
I think Gus has a point - a couple of bridges would give it a bit more dimension.
Can't knock the voice, though. You can sing me to sleep anytime.

Comment is about blackthorn (blog)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

Not sure what's happening here Ann, but happy to watch and learn.

Comment is about marshmallow (blog)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

Easily. Look around you Ann. How many truly happy long term marriages do you see? On the surface they look fine, but dig a little deeper...
I think that you were lucky, and Rachel. I am sorry that fate should have worked against you both. Truly sorry.

Sorry also to hijack your poem Pete. I think we are all agreed that we love it though and it seems to have stimulated enough debate!

Comment is about ankle chain (blog)

Oh Isobel - how can you put the words "love" and "shelf life" in the same sentence! xx

Comment is about ankle chain (blog)

Sorry Rachel - you have either amended your earlier comment or I skim read and missed part of it. I don't think I would have been so crass with my remark otherwise. I can understand anyone wanting to indelibly remember a love that left this world. I wasn't meaning to diss your tattoos either - just express the way I think of love - as something impermanent that is built on shifting ground. Perhaps someone will help me change my mind on that one day - then who knows what I'll get up to! x

Comment is about ankle chain (blog)

As usual, I like your stuff! x

Comment is about Our Duet (blog)

Original item by Max Wallis

Dave, you never know. Life's full of surprises

Ally ;o)

Comment is about Dave Dunn (poet profile)

Original item by Dave Dunn

Hi Anthony, sorry for a very late reply. I need to log on more. Thanks for describing some of my work as being raw and poignant. I'm touched.

'live beneath the eyelids in your dreams' is a great statement. I appreciate your words very much.

Very Best

Ally

Comment is about Antony Owen (poet profile)

Original item by Antony Owen

Not having a name gives it a longer shelf life - you can pop any old name in and the poem works. I guess poetry is no different to tattooes. Who would want to have the name of an ex indelibly written on their skin? Yet people do!
I think it works best without the name - after all it's just a notion - isn't it?

Comment is about ankle chain (blog)

I absolutely love this!
So many levels, layers, and metaphors...

Comment is about The Dancer (blog)

Original item by Steven Kenny

This is so delicate, sensuous and beautiful.

Comment is about marshmallow (blog)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

You express the sadness with such sensitivity and truth in this Mike...

'I see the tears of others stained upon the concrete;
And I step aside and let the tears blossom
Into flowers within the imaginations of my heart'

'But as the moon sits blue this night,
I cannot help the feeling that we never truly
Know each other'

'My heart remains heavy despite the fluttering of memory,
And my tears join the throngs of others,
To be washed by rain concealing acid like
The bitterness I find upon my tongue'

Comment is about Clair (blog)

Original item by Noetic-fret!

This is a love poem in its 'truest' sense - so I'm guessing there is probably no name to offer LOL
Very much of what we read on here is in my opinion lust fuelled - and there is nothing wrong with that - it is just of a different ilk.
Someone on here once said to me 'lust is good for us, love is a minefield...' and that is reflected in so much of what we read.
In my opinion lust and love go hand in glove but love transcends lust. I can see precious few living examples of it when I look around. Never having known that blissful state myself - I'm only conjecturing that it in fact exists.
I love the fact that the love in this poem sees beyond age and physical faults. Its subject is not trussed up in a Cinderella frock or a basque and suspenders - they are just flesh and blood, riding the storm. A beautiful poem.

Comment is about ankle chain (blog)

loving the carousing swallows and hunger of the cliff.

total trust is potent, if bottled 100% proof of love.

Comment is about the joke (blog)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

Sorry - in your head doesn't count Graham! Get those hips gyratin' now!

Comment is about dance round the kitchen it's SUNDAY!!! (blog)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

"before disfigurement makes mockery

Of the beauty that ‘we’ are,

I am begging questions of the architects

That still remain unanswered; – dropping

To an unforgiving floor"

my fave part.
the architects of life is an exciting metaphor. Gods and Architects, this faulty design Mike, but why faulty, why weeds take hold in pavement cracks and not pretty flowers? Perhaps they do and we cant see them. This imperfect nature. Cruelty and beauty sit side by side

always a pain in your writing and always a catharsis for me

thanks

Comment is about Clair (blog)

Original item by Noetic-fret!

I dance in my head every day Ann.

Comment is about dance round the kitchen it's SUNDAY!!! (blog)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

Hello Ms Foxglove! Yes, being an obsessive imaginer and vegan (oh but I sometimes sneak the occasional organic milk yoghurt/organic full milk tapioca pudding!) means I'm in a perpetual state of horror. I was thinking to rectify this by taking a course in taxidermy. Arghhhhhhh!

Comment is about Ann Foxglove (poet profile)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

I really enjoyed this poem, it was full of feelings about things we all have opinions on. I could careless for tabloids and whom ever is in them.At times while in line, Ill read the front page of one and feel sad for the people within.This poem shows your person is just full of your care.That poor girl, she is pretty in a fake way, and has no real her or real love ever.she is plastic.you can almost make out the silicone ball in the breast.

Comment is about Love in a charcoal shell (blog)

This very well observed and loving . Good well written as usual

Augusta xx

Comment is about 23:21 (blog)

Original item by Max Wallis

How lovely Anne, IYou have a pretty voice... it must be all the salt air.

Augusta xx

Comment is about blackthorn (blog)

Original item by Ann Foxglove

Ta again Val fof commen-tea-ing on my poem..tee..hee!thanks lovely Lady!...Stef-x

Comment is about Valerie Cook (poet profile)

Original item by Valerie Cook

My dreams are reality, my mind my stage so theres no room for failure there its just sometimes a tragedy...tho always a comedy when I see you x
This touches on the reality that jesus represents to us every sorrow and every woe, every last burden since this dawn of time. the weight of all, beyond any we'd ever comprehend. like the deepest ocean upon our heads.
Mossad would have had him tortured.
The saddest is that its all perpetuated in fighting with ghosts and images of religion. A cowards battle as any could slay a spectre. And has nothing to do with Jesus as a sacrificial lamb, an archetype of let blood martydom given in the honour of alleviating our pain. And now people continue to give him a hard time, calling him a silly bastard and me for loving ALL the very essence of him as beautiful.
When greatest love of all is sacrifice .
ah well.
i think youre right about being admitted.did you mean committed? I once visited a loony bin and there was a man there with a big beard sitting in the corner smiling. Very odd. you know Im sure it was a ginger one too ;)

Comment is about Modern Saviour (blog)

Original item by Kealan Coady

Hi Cynthia,
I hope the poem, hope all my poems can stand without knowing any background. Of the people who commented only one knows much about me, and I think she was the only one who knew beforehand that I'm about to go in to hospital again, and am a bit uptight about that.
It wasn't intended as a 'chat' thing, and nor is all my work so autobiographically personal. I welcome comments of any kind - particularly nice ones, and I always appreciate yours very much - good or bad!
Cx

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

Cheers Jonboy!

Comment is about Colin Galbraith (poet profile)

Original item by Colin Galbraith

thank you, i take it your speaking about jesus being in hamas? I was hoping somebody would say something so i could have the oppurtunity to explain. Jesus was a freedom fighter in his own right, he knew his preaching episodes were causing civil unrest in a region then dominated by the roman empire and yet continued. Today that is what western propaganda media would call a "terrorist" if he were to come back and witness the israeli tyranny of imperialism imposed on the innocent people of palestine there is no doubt in my mind he would join hamas. Afterall it is his home country.

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

This is bitingly funny, tripping along its marvellous diction and carousing rhythm like a tu'penny rant. Do you ever write when you are 'high'? Or maybe, 'high' goes in a totally different direction from chemical stimulation. I can think of several 'other ways'.

Comment is about Blowback (blog)

Original item by Marianne Daniels

A huge theme, Kealan, huge. You have made some splendid points; for me, maybe a bit murky with relational ideas in spots, but compelling in concept. Way to go!

Comment is about Modern Saviour (blog)

Original item by Kealan Coady

Good afternoon Val-my thanks to you taking time to read 'Oh my Father'and kindly commenting.Am very grateful.My best regards to you-Stefan-x

Comment is about Valerie Cook (poet profile)

Original item by Valerie Cook

Thanks Val
xxx

Comment is about Valerie Cook (poet profile)

Original item by Valerie Cook

Thanks for your comments Cynthia
Cx

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

really like these pics stevie. you are good at taking them when the subjects unaware! thats a good one of john togher and the one of louise....hope you saw the one i got of your groovy legs that night on facebook. thanks x

Comment is about Steven Kenny at the Tudor House, Wigan November 2009 (photo)