Thank you Hélène for yet more of your thoughtful and calming writing-badly needed in today's world.

Comment is about Wrapped in Golden Ribbon (blog)

Original item by Hélène

Thank you Keith.
I'm no longer a practising Catholic, however during my walking trips in Spain and France,, I found solace and tranquillity in the many churches along the way.
I still hanker after the spiritual "discipline" and simplicity which frenetic modern life seems to erode.

Comment is about La Ermita (blog)

Original item by keith jeffries

Thanks Philip.
A very human portrait.

Comment is about Family portraits, snap shots of life (blog)

Original item by Phils Words

Than you Tim.
I take unasked for love and care too much for granted-I am fortunate indeed.💓

Comment is about To Robbie x (blog)

Original item by Tim Ellis

Very well put! We are sleep walking into our own demise. I despair! Thanks for this, John - we all need a metaphorical kick up the butt.

Comment is about Consumer Rights (blog)

Original item by John Botterill

Thanks Eric.
I think humour / comedy is so effective because it points out the absurdity of life, releasing certain tensions- hence "black humour" which helps us deal with physically or emotionally painful situations.

Comment is about Laugh (blog)

Original item by Eric Berard

I wonder-exactly how far could my faith in my fellow men's handiwork be literally stretched.😐

Comment is about Wendy K (blog)

Original item by JD Russell

Thanks John.
Very uncomfortable reading-and so it should be.
"Put it on the plastic dear" sums up for me the vacuous nature of much of modern society-the banks are increasingly targetting our children with a view to
"helping them to manage money",
whilst in fact, getting them up to their necks in debt befor they leave home.

I was talking only yesterday to a chap in the pub about the plastic waste which is ending up in the oceans, in our food and ultimately in ourselves.

Stephen- about things we don't need-On our bathroom window sill we have an ugly pot cat with a slot in its back, in which sits a plastic cactus-insanity or what!😕

Comment is about Consumer Rights (blog)

Original item by John Botterill

Thank you for your kind words Stephen, and your poetry.

Comment is about Family portraits, snap shots of life (blog)

Original item by Phils Words

A fine description of the peace and of the history of the place, Keith. Thank you.

Comment is about La Ermita (blog)

Original item by keith jeffries

Thank you for this marvellous poem, Philip. This is real art about real life.

Comment is about Family portraits, snap shots of life (blog)

Original item by Phils Words

This poem is a masterpiece, John B. Loved it so much that I'm gonna save it. It vividly speaks of how materialistic humans can be and still loose interest so soon, shelving them, or worse, putting them in plastics, creating room for more non biodegradable wastes.
Thank you for this.

Comment is about Consumer Rights (blog)

Original item by John Botterill

I enjoyed the rhythm and rhyming of this, John, and how it seems to fade away at the end. Someone said that the modern economy is based upon persuading people to spend money they haven't got on things they don't need. I think your poem shows this very well!

Comment is about Consumer Rights (blog)

Original item by John Botterill

A heartfelt poem which so many readers will be able to relate to.
Thank you for this,
Keith

Comment is about To Robbie x (blog)

Original item by Tim Ellis

"And see the humour in all life's mysteries". These lines stood out in the middle of this poem. How true, especially in a world which takes itself so seriously. The gift of laughter is one to be heard and rejoiced in.
Thank you for this,
Keith

Comment is about Laugh (blog)

Original item by Eric Berard

Stunning poem, Helene

Comment is about Wrapped in Golden Ribbon (blog)

Original item by Hélène

Thanks, Stephen. It's good to know that Nature has these regenerative powers. God knows it needs them! 😏

Comment is about Hickleton Main (blog)

Original item by John Botterill

Thank you for taking the time to read or listen to my poem.

Comment is about Family portraits, snap shots of life (blog)

Original item by Phils Words

And those words; ' Surrendering came as a gift ' I can almost feel them-fabulous!

as is the whole poem-well done Helene!



LS

Comment is about Wrapped in Golden Ribbon (blog)

Original item by Hélène

I would like to thank ZTC Space, Manish, Keith, John B, John C, Telboy and Graham for your kind and interesting comments. This poem came about following a visit to a cemetery in Oostduinkerke, in Flanders on the Belgian coast. The neat, tended graves of British and Commonwealth soldiers (and sailors and airmen), along with the memorial to the executed Resistance heroes, gave these ordinary men great dignity but also seemed to magnify the horror of the war which led to their death. We say ‘no more war’ but we don’t seem to know how to stop it. I understand that there are huge civilian casualties in modern war, but there is something especially poignant about the young (mostly) men whom nation states send to their doom, or often throw on the scrapheap if they survive.

Thank you all once again.

My thanks to Nigel, Kevin, Rudyard and Leon for liking this poem.

Comment is about War Graves (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

Thank you Helene. I wish your husband the best of luck in his endeavour!

Comment is about The shock of silence (blog)

Original item by Tim Ellis

I am not a religious man but I have to admit that when on holiday a visit to a church is often on the agenda for some reason.
There is a certain presence in such places as monasteries, abbeys, hermitages, etc and I am usually impressed with the tranquility in those places.

Keith your wonderful description above exudes some of those characteristics and the perpetual ongoing routines and uses of these oasis of calm. Well done!

Comment is about La Ermita (blog)

Original item by keith jeffries

A powerful poem with a name to evoke an age where one murderous regime followed another.
Tim, thank you for this,
Keith

Comment is about Anastasia rises (blog)

Original item by Tim Ellis

So sweet and comforting. Really like the Peter Pan imagery. Lovely, Jordyn.

Comment is about sad little soul (blog)

Original item by Jordyn Elizabeth

Beautiful! We live in the city, but my husband (retired) is periodically working on a piece of undeveloped land in a rural area (trying to improve the soil through permaculture) and he tells me of how suddenly all the wild birds go silent. You captured this experience so well in this poem.

Comment is about The shock of silence (blog)

Original item by Tim Ellis

"We love who we love" are the words which stand out in this well composed poem. As a gay man I stand alongside you and endorse your words. We have still more to do! Sadly prejudice is always present but it is the possession of the ignorant. Let them be so.
Thank you for this,
Keith

Comment is about Shades of Love (blog)

Original item by ChloeOSLE

A lovely tribute to the loss of your loved one. I am sorry you had to write this.

Comment is about To Sean (blog)

Original item by Luke

A worthy tribute to a good friend.
Thank you for this,
Keith

Comment is about To Sean (blog)

Original item by Luke

Masterful, Stephen.

Comment is about War Graves (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

I think it's all that Eton fagging that they can never shake off, Stephen.
And thanks for the Like, Stephen A.

Comment is about BOP IT ! (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

The ideal which is always sought. A good poem.
Thanks
Keith

Comment is about Accept me as I am (blog)

Original item by JD Russell

thank you

Comment is about Accept me as I am (blog)

Original item by JD Russell

Your war grave picture reminds me of a unintentional visit to a war grave site in France that my wife and I made with some friends. I had a conversation with a man lying on a mattress full length in front of one such grave and noticed he was re-outlining the lettering on the stones with a tiny drill to remove algae /moss etc. He said it was his full time job (with another man) and that they covered all of France throughout the year. They were immaculate and perhaps as they were occupied in the war have a stronger reason for such respect.

Sadly as your poem rightly points out the souls of those boys are forever young. Well done yet again Stephen.

Comment is about War Graves (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

You have taken Wolfgar's mantle. He seems to have gone quiet of late.

Comment is about War Graves (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

A beautiful poem, JD. Loved it!

Comment is about Accept me as I am (blog)

Original item by JD Russell

Stephen,
You have paid another great tribute to the fallen. Your poetry on the subjects of war and remembrance are beyond compare, rich in compassion and with a clear message that all war is futile. Those young men and women who gave their lives did so to buy the freedom we enjoy today. We shall forever be in their debt.
ZTC Space hits on a number of facts which also need to be taken into consideration. Most of our politicians today have had no personal experience of wearing a uniform and serving their country. This is apparent in the abysmal amount of money given to ex servicemen as pensions for their service and the appalling fact that the size and numbers of our Armed Forces are at an all time low. And all this, as a war rages in Europe. What kind of leaders do we have? Perhaps National Service/Conscription might wake a few from their slumber and bring them to their senses.
Stephen, thank you again,
Keith

Comment is about War Graves (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

Another magnificent poem, Stephen, as always. Brings in a lot of things into perspective to ponder on.
Thank you.

Comment is about War Graves (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

A superb poem full of reverence, respect and nobility. I live rhythm and the rise and fall of the cadance, Stephen. It is sad that countries are still sending their younger generations out to die.

Comment is about War Graves (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

Thank you all so much for your likes and kind comments. You guys keep me writing!💕

Comment is about Friendship by The River. (blog)

Original item by Clare

............Hello Stephen,

I like this poem.

As a veteran, it is a different occupation in this day. where once to be a soldier would be thought of as a condition for sacrifice, it has now a lesser meaning. Politicians further careers by being war prime minister for post office foreign dignitary occasions. chemical companies vie for position to test injections none descript and never sanctioned, and those many charities on the back drop of conflict that hope one day to fulfill a ceo wage akin to the ceo of high street charity outlets.

films at still of a romantic inclination, slow mo bullets and adagio for strings, or singing mickey mouse songs on patrol - all venture the romantic, except of course the Russian 'Come and See.'

yet the words are bought, words bought by thespian to give a grand recital. today, if Wilfred Owen can be taken every eleven eleven, dusted off and given a fresh thespian to sport their skill, then all is well.

Over 100 years of modern conflict, and still the soldiers statement is never really heard. If it were, it would at last be conducive to a Global Cessation of all forms of Conflict.

But it is not, as warfare is sexed and rammed down our childrens throat till they look across the living room with contempt at mum and dad in their teenage years.

The soldiers plight is never acknowledged to those in positions of power. It still means something to you and I, and service families, but where once a local would shout 'Bring them back,' it is now replaced with..........' send them back ! '

How many apart from service families visit those fields of green adorned with white crosses and headstones???

so much is lost to complacency and still our rulers do not understand............. in a society where children are killing themselves more and more............ there needs to be 'understood,' a desperate need for change.

Until that day, a soldiers sacrifice actually means........... nothing!

be well Stephen.

God bless and great poem.

Comment is about War Graves (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

A wonderful, life-affirming poem, Clare.

Comment is about Friendship by The River. (blog)

Original item by Clare

One can't get away from Tory MP's, eh, John? (Not sure which, or both, maybe).
Sorry, a bit perliddical, as Tony Blair would say.

Comment is about BOP IT ! (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Thank you, John. It is remarkable how nature reasserts itself.

Comment is about Hickleton Main (blog)

Original item by John Botterill

This is great, Mike. Liverpool did Ukraine and the whole of Europe proud.

Comment is about The Party Is Over (blog)

Original item by Mike Bartram

I think instinct is a massively underrated characteristic. I think it’s the only paranormal entity that we all believe in. You make us think Katarina!

Comment is about Part of us (blog)

Original item by Alexandra K. Parapadakis

I wholeheartedly agree with Keith and John, thank you Helene.

Comment is about Infinitely (blog)

Original item by Hélène

And I agree with both previous comments Clare such a lovely pi piece of writing, thank you.

Comment is about Friendship by The River. (blog)

Original item by Clare

So beautiful Katerina-thank you.

Comment is about Part of us (blog)

Original item by Alexandra K. Parapadakis

An interesting and scary poem Hugh, it seems that we are living on a knife edge these days.

Comment is about What’s coming next ? (blog)

Original item by hugh

Correct about the fossil fuel, John. I wanted to honour the miners and celebrate nature at the same time. A tricky juggling act.
Thanks for referencing my use of metaphor, Manish. I was inspired by Clare( as I often am) and her superb Tenter Hooks series.
Thanks too for the like, Keith. 😀

Comment is about Hickleton Main (blog)

Original item by John Botterill