Hi Cynthia
You may recall we met at the recent sixties themed event in Stockport; our daughter ran you and your husband to the station as it was chucking it down with rain! Your husband dropped one of his gloves in her car, and I have kept it safely for you, but since I'm not planning to visit Sale WOL in the immediate future, I cannot personally pass it back to you. However, if you'd like to let me have your address (is this allowed on WOL site?), I will gladly post it back to you. I'm just glad it's not freezing cold or his tiny hand would indeed be frozen! Thanks - Dorinda (WOL Stockport)

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Helloooo :) and thank you for y'note on Mothering Sunday. You'd think once they're gone, you'd be done with it all, but it seems not. At least, not yet, anyway.

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Hello Cynthia! I really enjoyed listening to you on Saturday! Our eldest daughter gave you a lift to the station afterwards; your husband left a glove in her car. I will pass it to Martin, one of our 'Stockport lot' next month so that perhaps he can pass it to you when he next visits Sale WOL - hopefully with warmer weather he won't miss it in the meantime!
Love from Dorinda x

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Aaargh! Will amend, thank you for pointing that one out. Hope you had a lovely Easter break x

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wifey very much enjoyed 'mythology' and quite agrees, huge lessons to be learnt that are often ignored.

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Hi Cynthia, thank you for your comments on my profile, and for missing me!

I agree that there are a lot of good poems on WOL, also that we can never be 'all things to all men'. We are all different and appreciate varying things, but the main thing is to respect those differences, as I'm sure you agree.

I like 'Girl in a lake' very much, and I'm honoured you like 'Teardrops in my Coffee'.

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Thanks so much for your comment on Synaethesia - I'm so pleased you liked it xx

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Many thanks for your note on Inappropriate, Cynthia :) Glad you liked it.

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Glad you liked Mendeleyev Cynthia.

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RE: re: moist air-Hi Cynthia.Firstly,let me put your mind at ease by assuring you that I would never consider you to be a rude person,in fact quite the opposite,kindly and helpful.With regards to the poem in question,it is fortunate that I didn't actually mention 'drops' had I done so,then I would certainly have agreed with your views.My intention was to induce an image of 'bedewing mist' building up on the window until it could no longer cling to the glass,and consequently started 'crying' down the pane.If you live/have lived in old property,I'm sure you would have 'experienced' seeing pools of condensation on the sill.Those gatherings of 'tears.' Hope this explanation is sufficient.Thank you.Jemima.

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Yup got it in one, however whom is the one? re ' Moving closer' Tommy

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Hi Cynthia
Your appreciation is much appreciated.
Whether I will have the mental energy to update 'Referendum' on a regular basis, but who knows

Thanks again

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I'm pleased that you have picked up on Touchdown, Cynthia, and especially that you havn't sought fit to invade its contents! I know you often bristle with ideas, and I feel quite happy to try to give an account if I can of my intentions. As to its cleverness, perhaps it doesn't really open itself up, but is frozen in a world of weirdness, and maybe that is its strength. I wanted to indicate the vulnerability and also the invasive naivety of the explorer mentality as against the enormity of arriving on Mars with its laying of flags which justifies the act itself. This account sounds grandiose, I'm sorry, but I had dismissed any chance of it appealing to anybody! I do try to present a view of things that often lay outside the norm, shall we say.
Thanks a lot for your interest.

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I love your work, Cynthia. You are incredibly talented. The imagery in some of these poems is breathtaking. I am especially loving 'Lines on Pablo Picasso’s ‘Aperitif’' and 'Girl in the Lake'.

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Wow! Thanks for the kind words, Cynthia. I do think Martial Music is better 'bunched' and have tweaked it slightly since. As for the rest, what will be will be.

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Hi Cynthia
I typed in Stars for a poetry assignment to see what had been written by people on here and came across yours that way. I don't believe I know your daughter but how wonderful to get comments so close together on the same poem...which,I'll say again,is beautiful and has inspired one within me which I may post soon ..you have an amazing talent !

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Hi Cynthia This versian of Martial Music maybe tidier:

ODE TO MARTIAL MUSIC

It’s always grounded in the two four beat
of boot soles tramping across a field,
the plod of units across terrain
a general stakes his name on.

Holding the line, the kettle pounds
its rhythms of mutual fear. Embroidered
with fifes, the snares are brash,
their prattle false as speeches
on recruitment day. Add some chimes
and majorettes, high stepping,
winsome, their hoopla brings to life
old dogs leering.

When, half-blind, Kutuzov squints
and Bonaparte can’t see for smoke
the squares their blues and reds
are on, a bugle squealing on the flank
proclaims which side has won.

A ram’s horn summons
mountain tribes once it’s time
to lay aside their unseemly feuds,
beset by greater storms.
In freedom’s name the hoplites
trudge, singing solemn odes.

The pibroch wails its fierce lament,
a dirge for hopeless causes:
Hittites, Mayans, Jebusites,
their freaklish pipes and drums
buried now in a ditch
with their tongues and palaces.

The self-righteous blare of brass
has toppled walls into dust.
Sweethearts and crooners
will give your boys an edge.
Subvert the enemy. Psych him out.
Symphonic morse transmits
the victor’s cryptic riff.

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Hi Cynthia Thanks for comments on 'Martial Music'. I have in fact bunched it up into longer lines since posting this version.

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Ah yes, engagement does reduce the navel gazing, and I could do with more "discourse" I think!

Thank you for your comment on The Silencer. I think it hit a nerve for my source material and gentleman friend (as intended...)

Katy

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You're too kind, Cynthia and WOL is a great platform with it's combination of text and visuals.

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Howdy Cynth

Thanks for reading and commenting so insightfully, as per usual!

The 'bather' was my mother, it was me beside the bath, called in. You may remember we had a 'difficult' relationship. She was in one of her depressed times and seeking emotional comfort from me. Excruciatingly uncomfortable for me. I've not been able to bleach it out of my mind so thought I would throw it down on the page, try that. Interesting that you sense a 'missing element' - you've seen my attempted distancing/separation, both at the time, and now.

Hehe - yes, I did like that finish to your Wind from my Window poem :)

Thanks again :)

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I agree totally. I distance myself as much as possible and try to be a critical friend to my own poetical alter ego! I do find it a bit surreal though and most of the time can't quite believe I come out with the things I do. It's like its been written by someone else.

I don't think it's narcissism. All creatives have to be a little self indulgent to get the words onto paper, but most (and I include myself in this - are a little in denial of or play down their passion......)

I would love to have the confidence to join a writing group, but this forum is perfect as I can engage and not worry about facing anyone in "reality" : ) wouldn't you agree?

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Thanks, belatedly, for the kind words on Ode to Cobalt, Cynthia. I've been in Dubai for a month and away from the computer.

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Thank you for your ongoing feedback Cynthia, it is really appreciated. I enjoyed writing that one and it still makes me smile when I read it : )

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Thank you Cynthia : )

Taking on board your comment, have posted a re-draft of The Temptation of St Anthony to try and de-mystify it a little!

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Hi Cynthia, thanks for your very kind comment on Ad Infinitum- I feel very flattered :)

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Hi Cynthia

Just a short note to let you know how much I have enjoyed reading your sample poems.

In particular I like "The Dream-footer". It conjures up such strong images. The joy of the bare-footed dance and its release made me nod and smile.

I'm looking forward to reading more of your work, both past and future. There are so many good poets on this site!

:-)

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Thank you for sharing your poem with me. It's short but powerful. I very much enjoyed it. I'd like to have it tucked somewhere inside of a book to re-read countless times. :)

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Hi Cynthia, I live just north of Sydney, so Christmas is always a hot time, but I love it, very relaxed, summer holidays for the children etc. A lot of restaurants do 'Christmas in July' which is a great time to enjoy the traditional pudding and food which is all a bit much in the heat. Needless to say, we don't get a white Christmas (or even a white winter in most places) but still sing all the traditional songs anyway. I love the idea of a white Christmas, it looks so pretty, but I'm sure the reality of the cold would be quite a shock to my system :)

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Hi Cynthia
Would appreciate the feedback - I'm thinking I have been a little too obscure!! x

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Hi Cynthia, thanks for commenting on 'shut up...'
I really like the way you pointed out the three separate ideas/possibilities in it - I think I will work on that at some point (always think I'm going to magically find more time). It's great to hear what others see/ think, particularly if I've written something when caught up in the emotion of it - gives me some distance and another perspective - always a good thing. Hope all is well with you x

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thanks very much for commenting on Black Christmas - really pleased that you liked it. I always understand what you're saying Cynthia - you hold a much respected place amongst the 'commentators' on WOL and I always feel I've learned from your insights.Apologies for not responding sooner - I really must get my act together in 2016. Cheers
Ian

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Happy jingle berry
Merry cherry
X-mas mistle
Holly jolly time
Tinkle tinkle
Snowflake sprinkle
Yuletide drinkle -tommy

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I grew up in the United Church of Canada, a merger of the Protestant Presbyterian and Methodist disciplines, presumably a valiant effort to offset the intense and often vitriolic bickering between the two denominations. The UCC allowed, even encouraged, unbiassed Biblical scholarship among the laity as well as clergy. At eighteen I seriously considered the ministry as my 'calling'. But I soon discovered that very few people really 'wanted to think'; most wished only 'to be told what to think.' And that squashed any desire to become a 'preacher girl'.

I stayed deeply connected to the Church for many years, studying and singing. I began to sing in a choir at age six, and continued both in church and concert hall until quite recently. The musical heritage of the Christian Faith is simply beautiful, in every genre, historically, and perhaps most especially at Christmas.

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...are you asking me to dance Cynthia? :-)

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Cynthia, thank you for your comment and suggestion on Some Nights. You are always so kind and helpful. I truly appreciate it. I hope you have a Christmas season filled with love, laughter, and so many smiles :)

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Hi Cynthia, Thanks for your comment on Anticlimax. I'm always so pleased that you've bothered to read my stuff, so I don't think you're comment is dopey, and am just glad you enjoyed it.

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Hi Cynthia, your observations are bang on, as usual. This is a poem I wrote 20 years ago and found in a notebook on the weekend. A very different Katy back then....

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What comeback Cynthia?

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Cyn the foto is of Roisin and myself :-)

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Tommy is thinking:

why do posters

refer to themselves in the third person.

I have tried to,

so has himself.

When both are speaking
in the third person,

he himself, finds,
that they are himself,

asking themself why?

Can two people converse
in the third person?

Tommy finds it difficult

to quote directly from

a third person's point of view

while speaking to the third-person

themselves.

We wonder if one's first-person

obligates the second-person's

directly attributed pro-noun.

I myself think that we should

-Tommy is speaking directly
here-

avoid all confusion
in such matters

by using the first-person

when writing or speaking
to the reader,

as one will find that
he or she wonders

if they themselves
are also confused.

Yours (or is it ones)


Tommy Carroll (himself).

words foto and himself

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Hi Cynthia,
Thanks for popping by and leaving your comments on Leisure. The original by W.H.Davies is one of my all time favourites too-many a time those are the words which spring to my lips when stood in a wild and windy place. And his first book,Diary of a Supertramp has been an influence on how I've led my life since first reading it forty odd years ago. But 'massacre'? That was not the intention and I believe that Davies would've approved.

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Cynthia thanks for the response. I sometimes write in the first, second and third person in a piece when I wish to engage then disengage the reader. I am aware of this and its limitations and of the frustration that can ensue. The third person being unannounced. An example of a form would be "Tommy Carroll (himself)" simple but twisting. However I do have some but I would have to read again with greater attention ( I have just finished rereading (skimming) all 300 ( approximately) of my pieces...
I try and flip those pebbles into the pond Cy ;-)

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thanks once again for your kind comments on '...the monkey's paw' Cynthia - I rather liked this one, but - as you say - it would seem not many others did. The Monkey's Paw was a chilling tale that whoever held it had 3 wishes but, of course, those wishes didn't turn out exactly as their 'wishees' thought they would. Quite a good analogy with George Osbourne's defeat in the Commons I thought - ah well
Ian

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Thank you so much Cynthia! Really appreciate your ongoing support. : ) x

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Hi Cynthia, thanks for commenting on So I Let it Take Me. You know, I have at least 4 hibiscus bushes in my yard, but actually had to check myself whether they open and close or whether I'd imagined it :) - turns out the flowers close at night time - but the image was from a dream. I know what you mean about balking at the pulsing psychedelic hibiscus, I'm not comfortable with it either. I forced myself to leave it in there because there's some sense of shame around it for me, and I won't let shame silence me, at least I think that's what it is, still thinking.
Thanks again, I love your comments both on mine and other's poems -always engaging, curious, and respectful.

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Re Deeply Breathing

Cynthia hi, I'm afraid I was having a "moment" of cerebral disconnect - as I was trying to write "cerebral" six goes at it. Cheers for your comment, l came back just now to check. (cerebral disconnect had nothing to do with the drink by the way) Cheers Tommy

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Cynthia thank you for taking the time to both read and comment so extensively on Row A Seat 1.

I was daydreaming about people from my past and how I'll never have the opportunity to see their faces again.

The theatre metaphor dropped in like a bombshell but seemed to work.

One is never fully happy ( I think) with a finished product and this one in particular may see another airing.

Anyway, lovely to hear your comments.

Graham

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Hi Cynthia, just read through some of the comments you've made on here today and wanted to say thank you. You are a very kind and generous soul. Always a pleasure to read how you've reviewed the work posted on here, and I always learn something from you. Thank you x

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Hi Cynthia, Thank you for your in depth comments and review of my work. You make me feel special.
Much, much appreciated!
Preeti

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