"I’ll stay detained with the whole human race ."

Excellent choice-I'm off to the pub!

Comment is about A franchise on my soul (blog)

Original item by JD Russell

I definitely won't be going to the Manchester Christmas Market this year-my idea of hell.

Stay in the pub-much safer!

Comment is about Late Knight Shopping (blog)

Original item by Brenda Wells

Oh and the smell of fish glue, and the time our teacher cut his hand open showing us how to sharpen a wood chisel-Tee-heee!
😄

Comment is about The Chisel (blog)

Original item by John Botterill

I used to love woodwork classes at school.
I made a ship, a teapot stand, and a food tray for which my mum embroidered a lovely cloth.
Our visits to antique shops involve my rescuing old wood-working tools such as planes, which now lurk under the stairs-unsharpened and unused.
But I still take pride in knowing the difference between a mortice and tenon, and a half-lap joint!

Comment is about The Chisel (blog)

Original item by John Botterill

We used to play cowboys and Indians in the school playground in the 50's. We'd chase each other around firing "cap guns". It was a right bugger when we ran out of ammo!

I wonder if that would be acceptable in today's schools-rehearsing the actual killing of another human being?

Comment is about GUN LAW (blog)

Original item by ray pool

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
Or as they say in my local the beer-holder!

In the 70's and 80's I had a thing about collecting old valve radios, (some of which still work), and some of which I imagined I could repair, but never did, and ended up in the tip.

I think it stemmed from the time my dad and I would send off for kits which we would assemble with the use of a soldering iron. We managed to make a single-valve short-wave radio - which did work, and was powered by a 9 volt battery!

Comment is about Alone With My Glass (blog)

Original item by Jo Callisto

A really meaningful, cleverly written poem, John! 😎

Comment is about The Chisel (blog)

Original item by John Botterill

Thanks Uilleam
I agree with your point🙂

Comment is about Complainers Complaint (blog)

Original item by Tommy Carroll

Bethany I'm playing the part of a backward thinking biggot - I'm "extracting the Michael" (urine) 🤔😉

Comment is about Complainers Complaint (blog)

Original item by Tommy Carroll

Love it. Craftsmen are fascinating! And old tools (I have many of my father's) are the best heirlooms!

Comment is about The Chisel (blog)

Original item by John Botterill

Where we once used fists, now it is knives and guns with irreparable damage. We do sink slowly into the mire. Everyone is a brave nowadays!

Comment is about GUN LAW (blog)

Original item by ray pool

A wonderful, thought provoking write, Tom

Comment is about Day of Death (blog)

Original item by Tom

A superb & worthy collection that we all should take note of.

Comment is about Poet who won't let us forget Ukraine publishes war collection (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

I hope we never lose our common humanity. Being competitors will only get you so far i.e. nowhere. I still cling to the hope that people will pull together in adversity.

A powerful and important poem, John.

Comment is about SURVIVAL (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

We could have done with some in Essex as well, Uilleam. Needed oxygen to climb to Horndon on the Hill. More power to Lancashire and the Netherlands.

Comment is about Hallo Nederland! (blog)

Thank you, John. Indeed, it is sad to have to write this. Every day we see such harrowing scenes.

Thanks to Jo and Bethany.

Comment is about The Lowest of the Low (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

Thanks Bethany and Nigel for the likes. 😀

Comment is about A Golf Lesson (blog)

Original item by John Botterill

Thank you for the encouragement, Bethany. Uilleam - my mind still harbours a hope that this could happen. Sadly, indoctrination, at least on one side, makes it remote. But we should never give up hope, as you say.

Thanks to Rose, Adam, Rudyard, Holden, Brenda, Helène and K Lynn for the support.

Comment is about No More War! (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

Thanks Uilleam
Do think channel 5 might want to make it? 😂

Comment is about A Golf Lesson (blog)

Original item by John Botterill

Really great poem! I read it to my husband who grew up in the country & it spurred some interesting stories of death in nature; ie "Nature is not so sentimental." Loved the heartfelt ending of the poem!

Comment is about Day of Death (blog)

Original item by Tom

Yes, Uilleam, us Catholics are everywhere it seems! In adulthood, I became an unattached spiritual explorer, & then about 20 years ago joined a little neighborhood Protestant church after my semi-wild teenage son started going there (wanted to support his efforts to walk the straight & narrow!). When my deeply Catholic grandmother (owner of the black rosary beads) was in a wheelchair, I brought her to the Protestant service for an outing, & when my deeply Catholic uncle complained about this, she told him sternly, "God is everywhere!"

Comment is about Her Prayer Beads (blog)

Original item by Hélène

Really lovely! Just this morning I thought of my mom (passed away 10 years ago) as I poured my coffee in a cup that belonged to her. Thank you for capturing a sad/happy feeling for those we miss so much.

I love the line: "These keepsakes of them alight in my thoughts and find purchase in a smile"

Btw, I live in Southern Calif., so WOL has a few Californians sharing poetry w/ alot of UKers! I second Rose's post in another comment that WOL is a daily pleasure of sharing poems. Thanks to all who share; keep on writing I say!

Comment is about Pictures in Frames (blog)

Original item by Mike McPeek

holy moly! or should I say unholy moly according to the way sick society is going.

Sad to say but of the times I have heard a lot of elderly people saying that they will be glad to be out of it

I have lost count!




Rose 😢

Comment is about SURVIVAL (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

You put that very well.

If you'll excuse me, it sounds very much like:
The Serenity Prayer.
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference

I struggle daily to follow that advice.

Comment is about Prayer (blog)

Original item by Hélène

They hug their foes and swap their hopes

I feel terribly sad at the moment.
Yet Hope is our duty, for the sake of those who come after us.
Hope Hope Hope Hope Hope.
💐

Comment is about No More War! (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

"The sun is simmering against the clouds"

I love that line.

Comment is about Hint Of Skullduggery (blog)

Original item by julie callaghan

As I get on in years, the thought occurs to me what that might be like.

"yet , full of love & warmth ,"

Thank you.

Comment is about every night (blog)

Original item by jezzalee

I wandered lonely as a cloud,
Then Ouch! 😐

Comment is about Country Life (blog)

Original item by Adam Whitworth

I love the concept of serendipity.

It's often portrayed as "I'VE found something", yet here, it's "SHE has found me".

I love your last verse.💐

Comment is about Serendipity. (blog)

Original item by Clare

"Today the things I carry were light as a feather
Yesterday they made my back ache and my steps falter"

Life isn't perfect,
Don't buy the lie,
Don't buy the Googgles,
Live your truthful life.

Comment is about The Things I Carry (blog)

Original item by Key Snow

The big freeze will fill
The hospitals.

And now the Tories are "gaslighting" the public.
They're threatening to send in the army to deal with the chaos they have -deliberately-created...to distract from the fact that it is THEY who have put the NHS on its knees.

Comment is about SURVIVAL (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

You tell the truth.
Much of what we see on TV adverts, from politicians to social pundits is nothing but lies.

The TV advert for those "virtual reality" goggles sums it up.

it basically says:
"Are you unhappy with Real Life?-then buy this".

In other words "live a lie".

Comment is about Perfect (blog)

Original item by JustKelvinMasilela

John Botterill meets Joyce Grenfell.

You got it spot on.
I think you should do a video series!😄

Comment is about A Golf Lesson (blog)

Original item by John Botterill

Lovely story, Uilleam. Cute!! And thanks M. C. for seeing the humour. John Botterill meets Joyce Grenfell is what I was going for! 😂

Comment is about A Golf Lesson (blog)

Original item by John Botterill

Thanks John (Botterill) and Stephen (Gospage) perhaps we all go through awkward life episodes and are able to survive it and see the good that eventually comes of it. 🌷

Comment is about baggage claim delay (blog)

Original item by Red Brick Keshner

Definitely felt like this before...& so I turn to prayer.

Comment is about Prayer (blog)

Original item by Hélène

When I worked at Grimethorpe, Uilleam, we reckoned that half the houses there were wired into the street lighting!

Comment is about FAIRY LIGHTS (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Thank you for your lengthy and detailed explanation of your poetry and that of the reader relating to what is written rather than trying to interpret the text. This had not occurred to me before and has opened a new vista in my understanding and future approach to poetry. I shall be on the lookout for more of your work with interest. Thank you again
Keith

Comment is about Irretrievably lost (blog)

Original item by Alita Moore

Many thanks as always for all your likes, folks. Excuse me if I don't mention you all at the moment!

Thank you John. Very nice comment.

Got it in one, Uilleam....

Comment is about FALSE WIDOW - THE SEQUEL (blog)

Original item by ray pool

To me Jamal this is a tell it like it is poem and as the previous comments point out requires repetitive readings. Thank you.

Comment is about Critical (blog)

Original item by Jamal Buchanan

Is there an end in sight Tommy-take your time to think!
Thank you.

Comment is about Complainers Complaint (blog)

Original item by Tommy Carroll

Yes Stephen keep adding to your necessary reminding collection
lest we forget. Thank you Sir!

Comment is about No More War! (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

Thank you.

Comment is about Young Dan (blog)

Original item by Kevin Vose

A wonderful, concise painting of a picture, Julie.

Comment is about Crimson Leaves (blog)

Original item by julie callaghan

Glad to hear that something good came from it, Frederick.

Comment is about baggage claim delay (blog)

Original item by Red Brick Keshner

Some lovely turns of phrase here, Mike. 'Crashing the gate at my life's own party' is so close to what so many must have felt. As for scuffing an open goal, the pros in Qatar seem quite good at that.

Comment is about Wrong Spaces (blog)

Original item by mike booth

Thanks for the likes and comments. Yes sorry about leaving the speaker sign, I’d probably have done the same 😁. Hope you enjoyed your walk John.

Comment is about Crimson Leaves (blog)

Original item by julie callaghan

A welcome addition to the tradition of ascerbic humour that has
somehow fallen out of fashion.

Comment is about A Golf Lesson (blog)

Original item by John Botterill

Our 3 n a bit found her mum's feather duster the other day, she was wielding it like a sabre...I sustained a severe dusting to the nose.

Comment is about A Golf Lesson (blog)

Original item by John Botterill

pity me not them
they're all to blame!

As The Daily Bile and its so-called "journalists" continue to pump out same old poisonous dog-whistling sewage.

Comment is about Complainers Complaint (blog)

Original item by Tommy Carroll