Ladies and Gentlemen,
raise your glasses please,
a toast to the picket line!
💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐
Comment is about The January Rebellion (blog)
Original item by Ralph Dartford
Wonderful and timeless imagery, Trevor, wrapped in a comforting rhythm.
Comment is about On Muckish Peak (blog)
Original item by Trevor Alexander
He’s not Gareth Bale, is he, Ghost? And thanks for the Like, Red Brick.
Comment is about THE GENGHIS KHAN OF CAS (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
Thank you Stephen.
History repeats Nigel👍
Comment is about Figurines (blog)
Original item by Sunshine
I never thought I'd see the day when a son of mine had a top knot...but he has!
Comment is about THE GENGHIS KHAN OF CAS (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
Took me back too. 🙏
Comment is about Back In Knotty Ash (I'd Rather Be) (blog)
Original item by Mike Bartram
I bought your poetry book, pomegranate mythology I loved it. My favourite poem was four leaf clover lover. You have that sort of wild and mythic Morrison type trance of words.
Comment is about Rob Cohen (poet profile)
Original item by Rob Cohen
Very nice poem with direction and giving!
Comment is about Remember to buy yourself flowers (blog)
Original item by Ged Thompson
Thanks Helene, Stephen, and Tom for the positive comments. They are appreciated. And thanks to everyone who liked the poem as well! They are also appreciated!
Peace and Love
Willow
Comment is about Remember When...... (blog)
Original item by New Shoes
Thank you for the thoughtful comments, Uilleam, Graham and Greg.
I have great admiration for those who fight in wars, whichever side they are on, because it must be terrifying and I doubt whether I could do it.
I could have said:
'They fight like lions at the front' instead of 'They squirm in trenches at the front'.
I do not believe that the average conscripted soldier wants to kill his counterpart on the other side, although indoctrination (or macabre incentives, in the case of released prisoners) may lead him to believe that he does. As you say, Graham, wars achieve nothing except destruction of all kinds, which is why Russia's invasion of Ukraine is such a pernicious and barbaric act.
Yes, there are heroes and heroes, but there is a tendency for society to change back to its old ways when the fighting is done. I hope that the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine will not be an opportunity to line too many pockets.
Thanks again to you all, and to Adam and Frederick for liking.
Comment is about The Finer Things (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
I agree, Mike. I've not read many, if any, poems about the end of lockdown. It's as though we can't believe it's over. It is though, one way or another.
Comment is about Doors (blog)
Original item by mike booth
Enjoyed this poem, Lee - and not just because I'm a Chelsea supporter! Thanks for sharing.
Comment is about Tackle (blog)
Original item by Lee Campbell
Straight out of prison, in the case of some of the Russian soldiers in Ukraine. Meanwhile our defence forces have been cut back so much that the US don't rate them much these days, apparently. I know that's not your point in this fine poem, Steve.
Comment is about The Finer Things (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
Thanks Stephen and Uilleam!
Comment is about Willy's at the Foodbank (blog)
Original item by Steve White
We do have a national trait to run ourselves down, whatever the political stripe. And it is a fact that the armed forces have always been a ready occupation for the poorly educated or aimless.
As to patriotism, we would be better served if we could summon up a fraction of the fervour for those who defend us, that some seem to lavish on our overpaid and feckless national football team!
The real problem is that we brand everyone a hero these days but look after them badly after they've served.
I consider the man who operated on my heart eighteen months ago a real hero for saving my life. However the brilliant nursing staff who looked after me following the operation were equally brilliant in my eyes.
Wars achieve absolutely nothing! other than to fuck up people places and things. Keep Ukraine in our minds Stephen, we need to be reminded!
Comment is about The Finer Things (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
There's poetry in them there words. I love it.
Comment is about Yew (blog)
Original item by Jonathan Humble
Nice one.
I'm familiar with all those term-my dad left school to work as a painter and decorators apprentice.
Our house was never the same colour for long.😊
Comment is about The Decorator (blog)
Original item by Rick Varden
Jam butties were "desert" for me and my 2 brothers and 2 sisters-luxury!
Comment is about Back In Knotty Ash (I'd Rather Be) (blog)
Original item by Mike Bartram
Thank you reading...I think 'chains' can relate to lots of things, drugs, drink any other addiction and of course people.
Comment is about Chains (blog)
Original item by Mike Bartram
and this:
https://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/james-obrien/james-obriens-powerful-response-foodbanks/
Comment is about Willy's at the Foodbank (blog)
Original item by Steve White
Comment is about Willy's at the Foodbank (blog)
Original item by Steve White
a country fit for heroes
It surely is-what with the the likes of Johnson, Hancock, Cummings, Shapps, Truss and Sahawi.
Comment is about The Finer Things (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
That's right, Adam. It's a shame to see all great athletes and sports people now wrapping themselves in the flag and everyone belting out national anthems like some induced drug. It wasn't always like this. Are we becoming more nationalistic?
Comment is about Pearl Of Wisdom (blog)
Original item by Adam Whitworth
A fantastic poem, Mike. It captures this wonderful feeling of almost being reborn as we enjoy familiar things again. A great read.
Comment is about Doors (blog)
Original item by mike booth
And my thanks to John, Adam, Holden, Pete, Hélène and Rudyard.
Comment is about Sending Tanks (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
A heartwarming story! You did a wonderful thing, JD.
Comment is about Lacey Dog (blog)
Original item by JD Russell
A great piece, Steve. It says so much about so many things, like the rather sad, vacuous heart of royalty.
Comment is about Willy's at the Foodbank (blog)
Original item by Steve White
This is a well crafted thing, it flows smoothly, not a word out of place, very user friendly. It also nicely captures something, but what...
hmm?
...Aha!
Comment is about Willy's at the Foodbank (blog)
Original item by Steve White
Thanks Stephen. Yes lots of wartime footage is now in colour - though I don't recall personally seeing the camps in that light....
Reggie's Ghost, I didn't realize that, thanks for posting it. It is a hard task bringing such poems to the table.
Thanks Graham, I did get a compliment for that from someone also respected in the inner fraternity(shall we say) it pays to go out on a limb sometimes with a phrase I find. That's a perfectly frank and valid point you make , this is the first one I've ever posted. Where do we start. The only writer I know who went to the camps was Primo Levi (prose) but very moving.
Thanks due to Red Brick, John, Koya, Helene Holden and Stephen...
Comment is about THE COLOUR OF DEATH (blog)
Original item by ray pool
Thanks so much for your kind encouragement Stephen & Layla! Sometimes my poems get a little "out there" (magical realism style perhaps?) & it's nice to know folks enjoy them.
Comment is about Up and Away (blog)
Original item by Hélène
The Little Prince is such a beautiful story. You incorporated it well into this poem.
Comment is about Up and Away (blog)
Original item by Hélène
You’re quite right, Stephen; “side-step” overcooks it a little. Rather it would have described a gentle parabola. Even so, enough to have left the lardarse rooted like an oak tree.
And thanks for the Likes, Nigel, Red Brick and Stephen A.
Comment is about REGRETS? I'VE HAD A FEW (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
This is a poem of real feeling, Jordyn. Beautiful in its way.
Comment is about Pain is a friend (blog)
Original item by Jordyn Elizabeth
I was fascinated by this, Hélène. It seems to suggest that there is always hope in our earthly life.
Comment is about Up and Away (blog)
Original item by Hélène
At least the full back didn't intercept it and run the length of the field for a try, John. Not that it sounds as though he could have.
I like the options. Flank forwards doing side steps? You were way ahead of your time.
Comment is about REGRETS? I'VE HAD A FEW (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
Merci Uilleam! Impressed with your upside down exclamation point for Spanish. Just remembered that punctuation rule & figured out how to make the upside down one on my cell phone keyboard. ¡Gracias!
Comment is about Family History (in 2 parts) (blog)
Original item by Hélène
You see, Trevor, this has been a memory for you to treasure for a lifetime. Whereas mine is a haunting.
Comment is about REGRETS? I'VE HAD A FEW (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
Reminds me of a similar occasion in my rugby career, except I was the full-back being menaced by two ginormous forwards bearing down on me under our posts. Being somewhat averse to hospital food, I reckoned the safest option was to play for an interception that would result in less pain to the body. I mean, both these guys were about twice my size. Imagine my amazement when the ball landed in my speculatively outstretched hand, whereupon I rapidly launched it to touch. Of course I was lauded as a hero, but I knew it was born of sheer cowardice!
Comment is about REGRETS? I'VE HAD A FEW (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
The Guillotine chop chop chop,
not long enough and even its
sharp blade became dull under
the betrayers tongue.
Hear hear.😊
Comment is about We Don't Trust Them (blog)
Original item by Chris Bunton
Thank you Stephen and Uilleam.
Comment is about On The Road To Samaria (blog)
Original item by Jonathan Humble
¡Holà!
What a story!
Also sprach la plume de ma tante!
Vive le Québec - et la différence!
¡Qué vida loca indeed😊!
Comment is about Family History (in 2 parts) (blog)
Original item by Hélène
Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh
Thu 2nd Feb 2023 09:41
Dia dhuit!
Go raibh maith agat Trevor.
We've been to Ireland twice, but sadly didn't do any proper "hiking"-accosted as we were by pubs which had a habit of jumping out in front of us!
Comment is about On Muckish Peak (blog)
Original item by Trevor Alexander