Hi Dave, thanks for your comment on 'April' - I agree it can last but that wasn't how the writer felt at the time! Like your old texts poem very much - personally I do a lot of deleting to avoid embarrassing myself the morning after :-)

best wishes

John

Comment is about Dave Bradley (poet profile)

Original item by Dave Bradley

Thanks for your comments. My husband said a similar thing and told me to update my history before writing, but I hope I put the idea across.

Hitler not only desecreated humanity but much of the world's Art. I'm not a religious person, but wherever he is I hope he's suffering twelve million times more than the suffering he placed on each individual. Knowing our luck he'll be Satan.s right hand man and come back to haunt humanity at the end of days.

Maybe I should have personified him as War, one of the four horseman of the Apocolypse.

Comment is about Graham Buchan (poet profile)

Original item by Graham Buchan

Hi steve, as I was one of those who followed the Obama election with morbid interest, I mirror your sentiments on this. There was a foreboding conviction held by many that overshadowed the whole proceedings, one that maybe I think will continue indefinately - people are shallow and fickle creatures and power always hangs precariously in the balance, and the stanza, 'how would failure be recieved?' draws on this and juxtaposes the hope and the foreboding, and balances the continuity not only of the poem but also the ongoing fear of many, and interest of others on the future of this man who holds so much power in his hands.

Comment is about Hopes & Fears (blog)

I loved this, what a story. Cleverly constructed.

Comment is about Critical Switch (article)

thnaks for your comment on 'plum' Cate. i loved for whom the wheel turns :)

Comment is about Cate (poet profile)

Original item by Cate

Hi Dave
Hope you had a good weekend.
My fear (and that of my US friends) was/is that if he fails, the black population will feel that there is no hope for their world to be improved, and then what?
Steve M.

Comment is about Dave Bradley (poet profile)

Original item by Dave Bradley

Totally agree with the sentiments Nicky. A friend has said that he found it so (a few years ago anyway) that the birds really don't sing at the former concentration camps. Remarkable if true.

Comment is about Reign Of Terror (blog)

Original item by Nicky Burrows

Hi Steve

Sorry I haven't commented before - been away with family in Glasgow. Totally agree with the sentiments. He's still walking that knife edge isn't he, and (more important) still alive!!!

Comment is about Hopes & Fears (blog)

What, not Princess????
Cate xx

Comment is about Advice to Peter Andre on Marketing (blog)

Original item by Mark Niel

Lovely rich language for a rich time of year... I liked it a lot.
Cate xx

Comment is about Plum (blog)

Original item by Carol Falaki

Certainly food for thought......
Cate xx

Comment is about Losing interest (blog)

Original item by Joshua Van-Cook

Mans inhumanity to man never ceases to amaze me.
Cate xx

Comment is about Reign Of Terror (blog)

Original item by Nicky Burrows

Why not indeed??
Cate xx

Comment is about Pointless 15 (blog)

Very touching. It gets to the heart of the numbness we all feel when great tragedy touches us. Even more poignant when it happens to a child.
Cate xx

Comment is about The Last Ham Sandwich (blog)

Original item by Neil West

I would agree with Isobel on this Cynthia. In style it reminds me of Robert Brownings "Last Duchess" almost as though you are having a conversation with your reader. I like the way you are developing and trying out different styles.
Cate xx

Comment is about The Peacock (blog)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

Te he he..... love it Yo.... all us ladies need to take this advice, and shagging poets is def out of bounds!! Imagine logging on and finding yourself and all your foibles up for the world to view. A big no no!!!!
Cate xx

Comment is about Never Shag A Poet (blog)

Original item by Yolande

Hi Neil - I kind of thought the story had to be a real one. No-one could have imagined the ham sandwich which really tugs at you cos it brings us back to basics - the humanity of it all. You are right that sharing such experiences brings us together. I am happy to hear that the child survived it all and prospered - the seeds must have been sown well.

Comment is about Neil West (poet profile)

Original item by Neil West

Hi Isobel, thank you for your kind words, in fact the story is true and happened to a friend of mine, I feel that these extraordinary things that happen to ordinary people deserve to be recorded and expressed somehow so it can become a shared experience - and as it happens he grew up to be a fairly well adjusted music teacher!

Comment is about Isobel (poet profile)

Original item by Isobel

Hi Val, thank you for your kind comments. It's one of the few things I've written that is completely true, it was the experience of a friend and colleague who only told me the stroy after working together for about six years, I was very affected by it at the time but I hope it shows even the tragedies that befall us can be life affirming in their own way. I feel there is a sense of that in your own very powerful and passionate writing, especially Broken Heart where I think you make fantastic use of language'The knife that cut was long and thinSilent as it slid right in' - ouch!

Comment is about Valerie Cook (poet profile)

Original item by Valerie Cook

A well written poem. I could really sense the bewilderment and sadness of the child. I liked the ending too Neil.

Comment is about The Last Ham Sandwich (blog)

Original item by Neil West

I like this very much... a painted nostalgic moment... captured perfectly.

Thank you
Gus

Comment is about SAPPHIRE AND JADE (blog)

Hi there,
How are you? How did the exams go? Thanks for reading, and commenting on, 'Important' - glad you liked it.
I've not been writing much lately - spent a bit of time doing some silly (but fun) fx on a friend's video - the link is on my profile page - please feel free to leave comments (on youtube I mean - no point in leaving them here - not my film) - and of course, encourage everyone you know to watch it. It's an undiscovered work of genius - possibly, rightly so!
Take care,
Cx

Comment is about Joshua Van-Cook (poet profile)

Original item by Joshua Van-Cook

Very moving, very well written - we all feel for that child - can only guess at what went wrong but some how know that child was loved.

Comment is about The Last Ham Sandwich (blog)

Original item by Neil West

I found this was very moving and well written

Jessie

Comment is about The Last Ham Sandwich (blog)

Original item by Neil West

I would describe this as an odd piece Cynthia. It is set out like a poem but in places reads like a piece of prose. The second verse is quite conversational using every day language, as though you are chatting to someone. Possibly this was your intention but it does contrast greatly with the first and even the last two.
I do think you are brave though to step outside the norm and make something out of your reaction to a picture. You will probably know that I am not a great fan of descriptive poetry which is why I haven't commented before. I may not be the best one to listen to therefore.

Comment is about The Peacock (blog)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

Hitler is thought to have killed 12 million. (civilian, not military)
Historians now reckon Stalin killed 27 million.
Some say Mao killed as many as 77 million.

I say: don't trust anyone who believes they know how to create an ideal society. They are vain, self-deluded and extremely dangerous.

Comment is about Reign Of Terror (blog)

Original item by Nicky Burrows

Thank you for your comment - a word such as delightful is exactly how the Eek is.
Reading your contributions to Write Out Loud has been a pleasure as well.
Spencer

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

Hello Cynthia
As ever, I appreciate your comments. I enjoyed writing Life-Line.
Hopes & Fears is a wee bit trite, and may well be worth a bit of re-writing. I was still a little carried away with the emotion I had felt whilst in the US, and fearful of the effect of failure on the black population.
I doubt that I would have posted it without the Discussion started by Dave B. Nevertheless.
Thanks again
I await your re-write of The Peacock
Steve M. :-)))

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

You gather it all together and then you leap - fearlessly. Very good, and expressed poetically with great style.

Comment is about Catharsis (blog)

Original item by Nicky Burrows

Really a clever, a very clever idea, and thought-provoking too. Great stuff.

Comment is about Life-Line (blog)

It is a good idea. I'm glad you followed through. It has thoughts worth sharing.

Comment is about Hopes & Fears (blog)

Bernie, your insights are so strong, and you express them really well. You do have a lot of poems; I can't keep up with everything, but you usually hit hard and true. Your brain must be a welter of ideas.

Comment is about Curtains (blog)

Your short poems in the vernacular are the best, for me. They ping with energy and truth. What more could you want?

Comment is about It happened one night 2 (blog)

Nicky, I got your message. I'm not ignoring your request. I wouldn't offer suggestions without much prior thought, but I certainly will. Thank you for even asking.

Your updated Bio only confirms what was already evident in your work ... intelligence, compassion and experience. And 4 kids, one a baby! Accolades to you!

Comment is about Nicky Burrows (poet profile)

Original item by Nicky Burrows

Hi Nicky
Now where's Dave's?
Enjoyed? the poem. Sickening thoughts

Comment is about Reign Of Terror (blog)

Original item by Nicky Burrows

Thank you, Janet. This is indeed an old poem of mine that I thought I would post here.

Hope you have a great weekend.

Melissa

Comment is about The Raven (blog)

hmmm... whilst I'm sure there'll be some kind of recompense for being so critical (despite remaining constructive and positive) there is certainly a place for some kind of protest in an open forum. I certainly don't wish harm to persons or their event, but is there any way to teach people the error of their ways with the intention of improving things?
I believe that myself and my friends are pretty good at slams (we're all experienced performers), so the concept isn't the problem. Neither is sour-grapes (although it'd be nice to win one at some point!)
This is what we do, it's what we work hard towards. Why does the experience end up feeling so hollow?

Comment is about for those about to slam.... (blog)

Original item by Danni Antagonist

Hi Jane, I know I've commented on your use of language and it's effectiveness before but I really enjoyed reading Queen Mary's Rose Garden again just now, so atmospheric and warming on a cold autumnul evening :)

Comment is about jane wilcock (poet profile)

Original item by jane wilcock

Hi Antonionioni-I was going to ask if that was you in the photo-but there are so many faces-lol-thanks for taking the time to comment on my 1st ever blog

Comment is about Pointless 1 (blog)

Yes Danni, I know just how you feel, but this sort of crap seems to be quite normal for slams. I've done a few of them now, and I'm often appalled at how casually they are run. I usually spend at least a month beforehand preparing my piece, I compete against a number of equally committed performers, to find that the event is judged by people who have absolutely no prior knowledge or experience of performance poetry, or any kind of poetry for that matter, and appear to dole out points at random. There's organizers who change the rules on a whim e.g. "We're going to ask the highest scoring contestants to have a play-off in a second round now...!" I've had an organizer excuse their casual attitude with the words, "It's just a bit of fun really!" after I've driven a round trip of over 100 miles, spent a fortune on city centre parking and expect to get home sometime in the small hours before going to work at the crack of dawn the next day. I commend you on your tact in not mentioning the name of the slam in question, but I've looked on the gig guide. Death to F******!

Comment is about for those about to slam.... (blog)

Original item by Danni Antagonist

Hi Innocent
You have to remember that I was born in Yorkshire, where the pace of life is a little slower than on your side of the hill.
We obviously do things slightly different.
It wasn't totally auto-biographical. You'll have to guess which bits are which.
Steve M. :-)))

Comment is about Isobel (poet profile)

Original item by Isobel

Mia - I think you are a talented poet and I like the warmth that you convey for a relationship that is truly platonic. I don't like the shock tactics of gross sexual imagery though - I think you could make your poetry work better without it. Just a personal opinion of course and maybe I am a little old fashioned.

Comment is about Punanis, Peckers and Poems (blog)

Original item by Mia Darlone

Trust Gus to notice that! But he is right of course - he is an expert on these matters...and I am a sweet innocent.

Comment is about Life-Line (blog)

Hi Nicky
Obama poem
I shall lay any abuse firmly at your (and Dave's) door, but on the off-chance that I don't get any, I'm afraid I shall have to accept all the plaudits.
Steve M. :-))))

Comment is about Nicky Burrows (poet profile)

Original item by Nicky Burrows

Hi Dave
I wouldn't have posted this normally, but it may start the ball rolling on the historical figure front.
It may not be the finest poem you've ever seen (who am I kidding).
Good idea though Dave
Steve M.

Comment is about Dave Bradley (poet profile)

Original item by Dave Bradley

Until I re-read this I hadn't realised that I'm in ....ation mode again.This was written just after Obama's election, having seen the election right up to the final day of the vote, during a stay in Ohio.Not the greatest, but a good idea by Dave (backed by Nicky)Steve M.

Comment is about Hopes & Fears (blog)

this is weird. He was flying around my pen the other day and wondered whether to write a poem about Thanatos. should i still?
Beautiful: vacant eyes of washed out skies.
I agree with janet, and the story sees him becoming a more of a peaceful plummet rather than a violent death.

Comment is about Thanatos (blog)

Original item by Nicky Burrows

Cheers Janet.
Bernie

Comment is about Lighthouse (blog)

dead on Janet.
Bernie

Comment is about It happened one night (blog)

ooops! sorry Janet.
Bernie

Comment is about The Meat Market (blog)