K. Lynn and Ghazala, thank you for your likes. Graham, thank you for your supportive and liberating comment. It was not an easy poem to write but one waiting to be hatched for some time. I grew up in a home with my parents and two siblings. We were well clothed, well fed and sent to school. Never once was I hugged or kissed or valued. I was put down permanently and endured an awful childhood. It was the event which I describe in the poem which was my first encounter of another's love and it did not come soon enough. Thank you for reading this
Keith
Comment is about Starved of Love (blog)
Original item by keith jeffries
My goodness this is a tirade and please feel free to add . I am with you all the way. The opening stanza is the daily cry of most people as we turn on our tv's. Written with passion. A damn good poem. Go for it K Lynn.
Thank you indeed for this
Keith
Comment is about Bad Thoughts (blog)
Original item by K. Lynn
Thanks Rasa, for your truly amazing comment. I shall treasure it! 😀
Comment is about Footsteps on the Stairs (blog)
Original item by John Botterill
No one should ever be starved of love in any form, as long as it is requited and peaceful.
A wonderful journey described well here Keith. Good work!
Comment is about Starved of Love (blog)
Original item by keith jeffries
Turn off this devil music that wants your soul to burn all pain away.
Comment is about Lacrimosa (blog)
Original item by Your Royal Poetess
I liked the idea of being happy and placed in happy shells❤
Comment is about Freedom (blog)
Original item by Sunshine
Oh, John! I love this poem so much. Thank you for writing it. So earnest and playful and mystical and true. A wonderful piece pf writing. So much wisdom.
My best wishes,
Rasa
Comment is about Footsteps on the Stairs (blog)
Original item by John Botterill
Glad to see you back Linda your story shows the strong faith in yourself never left you.😀
Comment is about ‘I now help many people find their own pleasure in writing. You can't put a price on that' (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
<Deleted User> (33719)
Tue 9th Aug 2022 23:41
How lovely and so beautifully expressed Matt. 💗
Comment is about talking eyelids (blog)
Original item by Matt Foster
<Deleted User> (33719)
Tue 9th Aug 2022 23:35
Poignantly expressed Mike. There's no easy answer. Grief is a journey all of its' own.😞
Comment is about What's The Answer? (blog)
Original item by Mike Bartram
Thanks so much for the likes Carol, Julie, Holden, K,. Lynn, Nigel, Stephen A and Stephen G. It means a lot.
Rasa's suggested a poetry challenge. I proposed: 'Advice to my younger self.' This is my response.
Please have a go yourselves, if you feel moved to do so. 😀
Comment is about Footsteps on the Stairs (blog)
Original item by John Botterill
John B - thanks for the generous comment. It's sad that the last few years of Larkin's life were so barren, but he had just run out of steam, it seems. It's interesting that illness and infirmity did not stop Benjamin Britten composing great music in his final years. Something else must have been at work with Larkin.
John M - thanks for the fascinating comment. It is impossible to know where genius comes from or how great ideas manifest themselves. If they come from a another level, then artist, however imperfect they may be personally, can still produce great work. Wagner is arguably a different case, as his own prejudices are transparently in evidence in his operas, although musically these are works of genius. So one has to rationalise one's admiration of Wagner in some other way.
Thanks again to everyone- don't forget the BBC4 programmes, as Greg says, especially the episode of 'Monitor' with John Betjeman.
Comment is about Late Larkin (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
Thanks for the likes and kind comment Stephen G.
Comment is about RIP Dame Olivia Newton John (blog)
Original item by julie callaghan
Stephen, you've engaged with an important distinction here, often raised in discussion of the sublime music of Wagner, the anti-Semitic darling of the Nazis. I think the artist is merely the conduit through which art - painting, music, poetry et al - is created. The intention of the writer does not matter, it is the work of art that matters, and, if it's anything like good it'll pass the test of time.
“I'm terrified of the thought of time passing (or whatever is meant by that phrase) whether I 'do' anything or not. In a way I may believe, deep down, that doing nothing acts as a brake on 'time's - it doesn't of course. It merely adds the torment of having done nothing, when the time comes when it really doesn't matter if you've done anything or not.”
Philip Larkin: Letters to Monica
Comment is about Late Larkin (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
Just to mention that there are four programmes on Larkin on BBC4 tonight (Tues 9 August), starting at 10pm
Comment is about Late Larkin (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
Superb analysis of his work, Stephen. Like Carol, I enjoyed your tunneling metaphor, which seems to sum Larkin up, in a way.
Loved it, as a fan of his poetry, if not his politics
Comment is about Late Larkin (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
Just to say that I am very grateful to Poetry Performance for including my poems and I wish all concerned every success with this venture, which is in such a worthy cause.
Comment is about Open-mic poetry group launches Ukraine anthology (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
A lovely tribute, Julie.
Comment is about RIP Dame Olivia Newton John (blog)
Original item by julie callaghan
Thank you for comments, Graham, Greg and Carol.
I can imagine that devotion to Mrs T might dim one's inspiration, Greg. From what I understand, he became depressed by his increasing deafness and the feeling of being 'old', although he was only around sixty. So your idea that he knew that death was close is very plausible. As you say, the Simon Armitage series looks very good.
Certainly a decent chap in his poetry, Graham. He managed, mostly, to keep his objectionable private views away from his verse. I tend to think he played up his sour, gloomy side, just as his "hermit of Hull" image didn't really square with his extensive (domestic) travel.
I am so pleased you enjoyed it, Carol. Who knows where these phrases come from?
And thanks to Nigel, Julie, Stephen, Holden and K Lynn for liking.
Comment is about Late Larkin (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
Thanks for the likes for this little ditty
Comment is about Who Knew? (blog)
Original item by julie callaghan
Laughter wrapped
giggles open up
warm golden wishes
flowers of love.
Comment is about With love (blog)
Original item by Sunshine
Thank you Julie, Stephen, & Carol for your lovely comments. Always appreciated 🌈
And for those who took time to read & Like 🌷🌷
Comment is about Blossom (blog)
Original item by Stephen W Atkinson
<Deleted User> (33719)
Mon 8th Aug 2022 23:51
Well written Stephen! I particularly liked ~
'A network of exits and entrances,
Into tunnels, weaving beneath a maze.'
Comment is about Late Larkin (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
Perhaps his racism, as revealed in his letters, and his devotion to Margaret Thatcher, killed his inspiration. And I say that as a great fan of Larkin the poet. Or perhaps - and this really is idle speculation - he felt death was getting too close, and that he could no longer write about it. His dread of it was too great. PS Do give a listen to Simon Armitage on Philip Larkin on BBC Radio 4 this week https://www.writeoutloud.net/public/blogentry.php?blogentryid=124271
Comment is about Late Larkin (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
I have never read much Larkin. Indeed I am poorly read per se. however I have read quite a bit about the man. A decent chap turned sour perhaps?
A very keen observation Stephen. We’ll crafted we’ll done.
Comment is about Late Larkin (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
Thanks to Steve, Holden, Hugh and K Lynn.
Comment is about Heaven's Gates (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
I've just listened to the first episode, which includes the thoughts of Ian McMillan and Sinead Morrissey, and would thoroughly recommend it.
Comment is about Simon Armitage reflects on 10 Philip Larkin poems to mark centenary (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
A topical lament of sad truth. This can be overcome by buying a one way ticket to Calais and taking a dinghy for the return trip. On arrival claim to be Albanian or whoever and you will never have to worry about being cold again. The immense generosity of the British taxpayer will accommodate you in a good hotel where it is warm, with three meals a day and £40 quid a week for spending money. As you languish in such comfort you will receive medical, dental and optical treatment free of any charge. If you decide to integrate then it might be worth considering befriending a native and inviting him or her into your warmth for a meal and a few hours out of the cold.
Thank you for this.
Keith
Comment is about Eat or Heat !!! (blog)
Original item by hugh
Please post a poem so I can read something of your work.
Thank you
Keith
Comment is about Beccy Golding (poet profile)
Original item by Beccy Golding
A great deal can be taken from this brief poem as it lends itself to a myriad of thoughts. The word appreciation comes into my mind along with a certain realisation of how we should live.
A good piece of work.
Thank you for this
Keith
Comment is about in/out (blog)
Original item by LordBlackheart
Verily a poem befitting the month of November. All Souls Day and Remembrance Sunday are on the horizon of our souls, not only those that are past but ours to come also.
Another great John,
Thank you
Keith
Comment is about WAITING FOR NOVEMBER (blog)
Original item by John E Marks
Exquisitely written
Thank you
Keith
Comment is about Анна Ахматова (blog)
Original item by John E Marks
<Deleted User> (33719)
Sun 7th Aug 2022 23:10
Many thanks for your thoughts, Greg and Stephen. I am aware that it is a lot easier to be disdainful of Mammon when you’ve got some. As the great philosopher Benny Hill said “Have you noticed how all the people in favour of birth control have already been born?”.
And for the Likes, Frederick, Stephen A and Holden.
Comment is about CV (WORK IS JUST A FOUR LETTER WORD) (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
A fine, uplifting poem, Stephen.
Comment is about Blossom (blog)
Original item by Stephen W Atkinson
One of your best, John. It's amazing that, even well beyond retirement, one can earn eye-watering sums from consulting work. Bill those minutes and the hours will look after themselves!
Comment is about CV (WORK IS JUST A FOUR LETTER WORD) (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
Good on you, John! Making use of another fine tune from the maestro.
Comment is about CV (WORK IS JUST A FOUR LETTER WORD) (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
Hi Rasa. Good to hear from you again!
Any ideas for the poetry challenge? I wondered about 'Advice to my younger self!?' Whadda think?
Comment is about Rasa Kabaila (poet profile)
Original item by Rasa Kabaila
Thank you Stephen. America, to me, is, sadly, starting to implode.
And thanks for the likes
Nigel, Keith, Julie, Holden, Frederick, Ghazala, John & K.L 🌈
Comment is about I had a dream (blog)
Original item by Stephen W Atkinson
Thanks for the likes Frederick, Clare, K. Lynn, Holden, Julie, Stephen A .,Stephen G,and Carol
Comment is about For the Present... (blog)
Original item by John Botterill
A considerable achievement K. Lynn. Every morning we wake up to read all about it, don't we?
Comment is about Bad Thoughts (blog)
Original item by K. Lynn
Cheers John and Greg. Thanks for the kind comments. On the Sandy Hook shootings, yes, his description of grieving parents as 'crisis actors' was just sick, on a par with the 'staged event' allegation concerning the bodies in Bucha.
We have to keep pushing the facts.
And thanks to Nigel, Holden, Frederick, K Lynn and Carol for the likes.
Comment is about Facts (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
Thank you Keith, Ghazala, and Stephen.
This one is actually a re-post.
I was the fourteen year old boy.
And yes our careers master was corrupt.
Not long after I left school he was in court for fraud. Ironically he escaped a prison sentence because of all the good work he'd done helping children with their careers.
To this day I still blame him for the bad decisions I was forced into back then.
Comment is about Army Factory or Pit (blog)
Original item by kJ Walker
Dancing across the galaxy of stars
Moon Queen powers the past
into a universal black hole❤
Comment is about Sunshine (poet profile)
Original item by Sunshine
Greg Freeman
Wed 10th Aug 2022 10:03
A beautiful poem, Keith.
Comment is about Starved of Love (blog)
Original item by keith jeffries