Thank you JD.
I would like to think that all that suffering was not in vain.....

Comment is about He Marches Home. (blog)

Original item by JD Russell

Yes! The quill 🪶 is such a magnificent image; thanks @Uilleam Ó Caellaigh 🌷🕊🙏🏻

Comment is about the marrow of the moment (blog)

Original item by Red Brick Keshner

Thanks @Martin Elder 🌷🕊🙏🏻 That stanza does have some personal value to me 🌷🕊🙏🏻

Comment is about the marrow of the moment (blog)

Original item by Red Brick Keshner

A very difficult read so it must have been a tough write too.
Often poetry/prose has a way of untangling things. At least it does for me.

Comment is about "Journal entry #3: feel those big feelings so you can get on with your day" (blog)

Original item by Laura Bray

Clouds……those endless resources of inspiration well captured here!

Comment is about Watching the clouds roll by (blog)

Original item by Maureen

That's wonderful, Maureen.

Comment is about Watching the clouds roll by (blog)

Original item by Maureen

Thank you, Martin! So happy the last lines landed for you

Comment is about La Gioconda (blog)

Original item by Yanma Hidayah

"Aye Uilleam, maybe Alexa's just playing hard to get—she knows a Lancashire lad's got poetry in his soul and she's not ready for that kind of commitment!" 😄

Comment is about Thou Art Not, Yet All To Me (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

Wow so much poured out on to the pager flowing beautifully. Almost a life time. I can relate to some of this. A beautiful poem

Comment is about Going Home. (blog)

Original item by Clare

I was immediately caught by the title. Marvellous

Comment is about The Skin I'm In (blog)

Original item by Marla Joy

I particularly like the line 'The hand moves in quiet rebellion'

Comment is about the marrow of the moment (blog)

Original item by Red Brick Keshner

self recrimination can be a real problem but I like the way you rounded it off Bob

Comment is about Aching Memory Holes (blog)

Original item by Robert C Gaulke

I love this particularly the way it is rounded off with those last two lines

Comment is about La Gioconda (blog)

Original item by Yanma Hidayah

Thank you, Uilleam

Comment is about Memories (blog)

Original item by Yanma Hidayah

Alexa down the pub’s a right stand-offish so and so. All these years she’s known me, but she still pretends she can’t understand a Lancashire accent; when I say “Love, Love Me Do”, she just blanks me. No fool like an old fool I suppose!😍

Comment is about Thou Art Not, Yet All To Me (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

I'm not on twitter.💐

Comment is about A Bird on a Branch (blog)

Original item by Hélène

Lovely.

Comment is about Memories (blog)

Original item by Yanma Hidayah

I like the image of a quill; very reminiscent of some cloud patterns; mares' tale clouds?

Comment is about the marrow of the moment (blog)

Original item by Red Brick Keshner

Sounds familiar😏

Comment is about Aching Memory Holes (blog)

Original item by Robert C Gaulke

Thank you for your comment, Rolph.
And thanks for your likes:

Holden Moncrieff
David RL Moore
Yanma Hidayah
Rolph David

At this very minute, UK millionaire "Great British News" barons are busy spreading vile Islamophic, racist and homophobic messages with complete impunity.

By contrast in the UK, those who have always pursued peace, such as Gary Lineker, protesting against genocide and injustice on behalf of the likes of Hind Rajab are hounded out of their employment and vilified.

Comment is about For the sake of Hind Rami Iyad Rajab and the Many Millions رجب‬ ‫ایاد‬ ‫رامي‬ ‫ھند (blog)

Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh

Those old imposters yin and yang!

Comment is about Into Silence (blog)

Original item by David RL Moore

We have blackbirds around here, and their song is absolutely delightful.

Comment is about Blackbird (blog)

Original item by Manish

Thank you for those words, David.
Into Silence is a lovely piece. A good way to start the day.

Comment is about Into Silence (blog)

Original item by David RL Moore

Today is the 27th of May.
The day when we say “Hurry”!
And we celebrate Lora's day.
Better to say, her birthday.

Larisa is the one who loves peace,
Her name was born in Greece.
Larisa is a seagull, It's a nice bird.
Do you know this fantastic word?

She is so beautiful and so smart
She's the one who breaks your heart.
She keeps her word and is so modest.
Now she is the one to be the coolest.

I wish her to live many years,
On this day, we would say, "Cheers!"
The seagull will always be proud.
She will fly away and never doubt.

The 27th of May is a holiday.
We watch the marvelous ray,
We swim in a nice blue bay,
We want someone to stay...

May your life be always easy,
And the days are always busy.
The time has already passed,
But I hope that it's not the last.

©Larisa Rzhepishevska

Comment is about Her Name Was Born In Greece (blog)

Original item by Larisa Rzhepishevska

Hey, David,

Thanks for the comment. It is a brilliant work. I showed some of it to a group of my English students and they seemed entranced--that speaks volumes to me about its relevance.

I probably shouldn't go on, but I guess I'm gonna anyways...

It's Memorial Day here in the States.

Some odd days ago I happened to catch a woman on TV talking about men and women who have given their lives on the battlefield or otherwise in service of country--she made the statement that any of them would gladly do it again.

All I could think was, "are you sure?"

And it struck me that from the time we're born in this country--maybe other countries too--for good or evil, we're fed these lines about sacrifice, be it somebody dying for freedom or somebody dying for sins.

And then, something else struck me...

Decades ago I personally witnessed a young woman in training throw her own body over a live mortar which had undergone unexpected impact because she thought it might explode and harm those around her. Yet, many of the people who talk the loudest about jesus and patriotism wouldn't sacrifice one red cent to pay for her healthcare without crying that the US was turning to communism.

There are people for whom I wouldn't think twice about giving my life, but neither Joe Biden nor Donald Trump are on the list. And, the days are gone when I would "serve my country" without sharing a piece of my mind about the propaganda machine.

Well, I suppose that's enough outta me. I don't need anyone here thinking I could use a friend just because I'm not real proud of the fact that the selfless are in the same boat with a lot of selfish, narrow-minded, and reckless people.

Thanks again for commenting 🌷

Comment is about flashlight (blog)

Original item by Landi Cruz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m57gzA2JCcM

David RL Moore

Comment is about Moses meets Mo (blog)

Original item by David RL Moore

For secrets

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ud4gq3WmXpM

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=628003684

Comment is about Into Silence (blog)

Original item by David RL Moore

I'm glad the line resonated with you, Uilleam.

I believe we all have light that is divine within--it's really too bad that so many of us sell ourselves short.

Comment is about flashlight (blog)

Original item by Landi Cruz

We live in a world that is becoming increasingly difficult to navigate and societies which are becoming increasingly punitive for the sake of a so-called civility shaped by officials and private interests who hide themselves away.

That's what I see.

More later...

Comment is about flashlight (blog)

Original item by Landi Cruz

Beautifully written Clare.

Comment is about Going Home. (blog)

Original item by Clare

Thank you Rolph. We all suffer the deaths of loved ones - in my case parents, brother, son - but facing up to suicide has its own peculiar difficulties. The waste of a life and the shock of a death linger in our hearts and minds. Thanks for taking the trouble to write. John

Comment is about FORGET-ME-NOT BLUE (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

A remarkable, memorable poem, Clare. Everything is transient in life, I suppose, except its beginning and end.

Comment is about Going Home. (blog)

Original item by Clare

Thank you very much, Greg. Yes, it is about ageing as well as cricket, and about the intersection of the young and old at communal events, illustrating the huge spread of experience and memory.

Thanks once again to all who liked this poem.

Comment is about The Oval, 1965 (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

That's an inspiring story Uilleam. Thank you so much for sharing it. You're right. We must not lose hope, especially for the sake of our future generations. Your experience walking through that transformed wasteland is a perfect example of what's possible when people unite with a shared vision.
Thank you.

Comment is about BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (blog)

Original item by Naomi

Good morning Clare,
Going Home is a beautifully honest poem that blends the physical with the emotional, the domestic with the existential. You speak for anyone who has felt unmoored by life’s spaces—who has realised, perhaps painfully, that home isn't where the heart is, but what the heart is.

It’s a moving and courageous piece—elegantly written, sharply felt, and quietly defiant. I love every single line of it.
Kind regards,
Rolph

Comment is about Going Home. (blog)

Original item by Clare

Good morning Uilleam,
Thank you for your marvellous tongue-in-cheek, playful, sarcastic, and irony-laced remark. Rest assured, your allusion to Othello did not go unnoticed—“Thereby hangs a tale” indeed (or should that be tail?). And as for buffalo / buffalos / buffali—your deliberate plural confusion was a masterstroke of comic indecision. I see what you did there. Comments like these are exactly my cup of tea—clever, layered, and just the right amount of mischief. Keep them coming!

😉

Comment is about Penguins Shit Back (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

There’s an old expression that I’ve just made up saying ‘it’s not what you’ve got, it’s what you are’.
Recent events with both an elderly neighbour and my mother in law dying have reinforced that to me.
Stuff is stuff wherever you are!

Comment is about Going Home. (blog)

Original item by Clare

Comment is about Going Home. (blog)

Original item by Clare

Dear Rolph,
Reading your comment truly warmed my heart—thank you. To be honest, it was your poem "Farewell to the Presence" that stayed with me long after I first read it. The imagery you used struck something deep within me. After that, I felt an urge to try writing a piece with strong imagery too, and I realized that memories might be the most honest place to begin.
Thank you for the inspiration, and for seeing something tender in my words.
Warmly,
Yanma

Comment is about Memories (blog)

Original item by Yanma Hidayah

Thanks @Rolph David 🌷 I will have to be more thoughtful of what I write and post. 😜 but this is such a beautiful review sharing the journey - what came across is gold: beauty in spite of the ache. Thank you for according it time and pilgrimage. 🕊️🙏🏻

Comment is about flight in blinding light (blog)

Original item by Red Brick Keshner

Larisa,
The moment the crows come in — everything changes, reminding us how messy freedom can be! I love how they shift the tone from light and airy to something more ironic, even quietly wise. It’s such a clever turn: these critters in the tree, so free and unbothered, even rude — while the speaker is sitting below, trying to make sense of it all, getting literally dumped on! That final question — “Should I cry or be glad?” — is deceptively simple, but so resonant. It captures that odd space between joy and frustration, foolishness and insight. A funny, touching little poem that says more than it first lets on.
Take care,
Rolph

Comment is about Should I Сry Or Be Glad? (blog)

Original item by Larisa Rzhepishevska

Why blame the penguins? I reckon it's all the fault of those pesky buffalo / buffalos / buffali.
Good job they were wiped out - all those piles of dung everywhere - disgusting! 😫
Thereby hangs a tale (pun intended).

Comment is about Penguins Shit Back (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

Yanma,
Your poem is gentle and mournful in the most tender way. I felt the quiet power in your imagery—the black loafers, the dust, the weight of time settling like sediment. You’ve captured how memory can become both a presence and an absence, especially when someone we’ve lost still lives so vividly within us. The final line struck me hardest: simple, truthful, and deeply human. Thank you for this delicate reflection on remembrance and love that endures beyond understanding.
Regards,
Rolph

Comment is about Memories (blog)

Original item by Yanma Hidayah

Red, your poem held me still for a moment. There’s such a quiet ache beneath the surface—this longing for what’s slipped into memory, contrasted with the stark reality of the now. The image of tendrils reaching for slivered sunlight felt especially poignant, like hope that hasn’t quite given up, even as time keeps shifting beneath it. And those final cranes—so luminous and unreachable—leave a lasting impression of beauty trying to rise through sorrow or uncertainty. Thank you for writing something so delicate yet resonant.

—Rolph

Comment is about flight in blinding light (blog)

Original item by Red Brick Keshner

John, thank you for sharing such a deeply moving tribute to your friend Chris. Losing someone so close is a wound that time never fully heals, but your words remind us that love and memory continue to bloom, even in the hardest winters. I hope you find some peace in knowing Chris’s spirit lives on in your poem and in the hearts of those who remember him.
Regards,
Rolph

Comment is about FORGET-ME-NOT BLUE (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

Thank you, Uilleam, for sharing such a powerful and uncompromising poem. Your words cut straight to the heart of the injustice and hypocrisy that fuel this ongoing tragedy. I’m struck by how clearly you expose the cowardice of those who remain silent or complicit while innocent lives are destroyed. The way you give voice to the fallen and the countless millions demanding freedom is both moving and urgent. Your poem is a vital reminder that silence is not an option—and that accountability is essential. I appreciate your courage and conviction in speaking truth to power.
Regards,
Rolph

Comment is about For the sake of Hind Rami Iyad Rajab and the Many Millions رجب‬ ‫ایاد‬ ‫رامي‬ ‫ھند (blog)

Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh

I’m really grateful to Nigel, Red, Keshner, hugh, Uilleam, Stephen, Reggie’s Ghost, and Yanma for liking Nothing Embarrasses This Man. Your support keeps the fire alive and means more than words can say. Thanks for standing with the poem.

—Rolph

Comment is about Nothing Embarrasses This Man (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

Thank you Uilleam for your comment and for highlighting the troubling media coverage. It’s disheartening but unsurprising how deeply the narrative is twisted and weaponised. Your point about the persistence of such poisonous rhetoric in the UK media is an important reminder of the broader context that allows figures like this to thrive.

Stephen,
Thank you for your sharp observations and kind words. I’m glad the poem captured the absurdity and recklessness of that moment. The image of Trump in "delusion’s tank" feels sadly fitting. And yes, the way he reacted differently to various figures only adds to the spectacle—and the tragedy. I completely agree: world leaders enabling this kind of behaviour only prolong the damage.

I appreciate both of you taking the time to read and reflect on the poem.

—Rolph

Comment is about Nothing Embarrasses This Man (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

Thank you Yanma Hidayah, Aisha Suleman, Red Brick Keshner, hugh, Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh, and Stephen Gospage for liking No Land For Peace. I really appreciate your support and encouragement.

—Rolph

Comment is about No Land For Peace (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

Thank you, Uilleam, for your insightful and powerful response. You’ve captured the deep and painful history that continues to shape this tragedy. It’s heartbreaking how long the suffering has endured and how entangled it is with colonial legacies and political failures. Your words remind us that this conflict is about much more than recent events—it’s about justice, truth, and the urgent need for genuine change. I appreciate your reflection and solidarity.

—Rolph

Comment is about No Land For Peace (blog)

Original item by Rolph David