Hello John..thank you for your comments on within four walls..you are quite right about the last line..i have removed it..thnx Rosalind x

Miranda sounds intriguing, John. Amazing who you bump into on the net. I've gone back to the Sandy Denny poem because I wasn't happy with it and am trying to improve it, to do her a bit more justice. Haven't managed to work in the one- night stand with Hendrix yet, though. Greg

Hi, thanks for your comment on ' the nine'. I have to admit it was kind of just thrown together though i think at the time it felt sort of right. It's about Slipknot. I was listening at the time and thats just how it was then. Tautological - i had to look that one up! You are right though - it is! ;)

Ha Ha! I have to say that it's very rare i don't get what i want!

Thank you very very much John for the comment on the poem.We do still love 'em don't we? If it's any consolation, I cried writing it too.Rachelxxx

Charlie Mingus? ha ha

Re your problems finding a rhyming word for 'cunnilingus'- have just been musing on it - I like to muse...How about:- love lost lingers, gun slingers, aer lingus, sticky fingers, dead ringers, nasty mingers, sexy singers, pads with wingers, anal clingers.. have I exhausted the possibilities? Look forward to see how you are getting on. x

Hey John,

Really liked the piece Martin. Lovely slice of nostalgia with the slightly dark humour at the end. I love the way the actions and the sherbet breath is described too - I always find actions hard to write out clearly in poetry but I could imagine the cast very clearly. Still trying to get to grips with the site, so will be happy to read more of your work in the blog :D

Susie

Thanks for commenting on Bathtime! I guess I wanted to emphasise the general slipperyness of the whole thing! But I do see what you mean. I guess the soap could slide. As to colour, that doesn't bother me, and those dratted mango stones do remind me of soap, or vice versa! xx

Hi John! Thank you for your comment and if you want to learn Russian following the steps of your grandma- I am a person to help:))

Hi John... thanks for the extra info. You know, when I read things I try not to assume anything. In the case of this one I did NOT assume that 1) these were real life events 2) there were 2 boys or a boy and a girl involved. Try looking at it from a strangers point of view and thinking there IS a girl and a boy. Quite a different take I am sure yu wil agree. Win x

Ah! So his gran ran the local sweetshop! That's why you fell in love! It is all clear now! ;-) xx

I guess looking back over the poem there were clues - but the humour in the poem tended to obscure them. I had planned to look up the word eutectic but never got round to it... like many things in my life!
A good read - hope the course is going well. x

Hi John - yes, I sometimes feel that I often just say "I really liked this" in my comments, and it is good to get more complex reactions, and I have been lucky so far. Maybe like me, many feel "if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all" which really makes the comments nothing but a back-slapping excercise. For me, two things. 1) I am not an experienced critic and feel that commenting negatively is not my place. I've only been writing for a short time, maybe I'll get more confident about this, but I am sure that is how others feel too. 2) A lot of us use poetry to tell the world (or at least WOL!) our innermost feelings/experiences, and this is quite brave for some people (though it doesn't bother me really). And so some of us are delicate little flowers, and may well get upset by comments. It is a hard one! xx

Glad you enjoyed it John. I can do short and concise, but that one is my personal favourite because it's so long-winded and it gives the substance some personification. Your work is good, I like :) S x

Hi John - re music for funerals! It's problematic choosing music for someone elses funeral. I had to make this choice, and of course it was at a time when you're in a state anyway. "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" seemed perfect, indeed it was, the result is I can probably never listen to it again. Also, cos of the words, we had "The Whole of the Moon" by the Waterboys. I had no idea if M liked that song, but the words summed him up, for me anyway. He was probably up there looking down and tutting! I think I'd like "I can see clearly now" by Johnny Nash, as it is so cheerful. But some bastards have recently used it in an advert, which is off-putting! I could go classical and have A Lark Ascending, bit of a cliche, but it is lovely. Re Nick Drake, it's another load of songs that I haven't been able to listen to for a couple of years, but I remember particularly loving Northern Sky. xx

Thanks John, what a lovely thing to say. I'm glad you liked the poem, I'm trying outsome new techniques at the mo, they don't always work so well and it's great to get feedback.
This is a bit of a hijack by the way but in response to Chris's comment below this, about liking things that make you cry.... I do that exact thing with Elgar's cello Concerto and Paul Gallico's book "the Snow Goose"

Thanks muchly
Rachel
x

Hi John,
Thanks for your kind remarks about my requiem, and 'Close' - much appreciated. I have to say my favourite is the lachrymosa from Mozart's requiem - always moves me (yes - to tears!). Though I like the Fauré too.
Is it a bit barmy to like something that makes you cry? .....probably. Hey ho.
Cx

John,
it's good to know people who like music-still more to know someone whose actually heard of a bands I'm writing about. Actually I keep writing about bands I've seen.

Hey up Our John... me poem is laid in a bi lateral form insofar as it helps me perform ican quickly scan the page to breathe, pause, emphasis, burp..whatever.
However, thats not to say that your suggested edit is not an improvemnt ... because poem to page I think it is, but I would take my version to the open mike...I;ll read and record both versions an try an prove a point, in the New Year, little sense will come from until I have made a fool of myself at the bells.
Have a gud'yun, by the way hope yer bum is on the mend.

Gus

Awww - you're a sweetie - I've never been called beautiful before. This is one of the rare facial photos I'd bother to put up - am just not photogenic. In fact, I have to look that way cos my nose is crooked if I go the other! Glad you approve though and I hope you won't miss the ankles too much - they were never mine...xx

John, thanks for your very encouraging comments on cycling home (no hands), it actually had nine verses but I edited it down, if a poem gets too long I get a nosebleed.

cheers

John

Thanks John for your comment. I'm not sure I'm brave so much as ludicrously confessional. I'm setting myself the task for new year of writing about things not feelings...I hate this time of year so if I write about feelings, it'll all get horribly depressing.
Big thanks for reading and commenting,
Rachel
x

Only slightly cynical? I do love reading your comments John - you always have me reaching for the dictionary - curmudgeon indeed...I think you are an old charmer at heart - even Augusta seems to be warming to you - though not too sure what that bum comment means. Glad to hear that you enjoy the site - it is important to very many, I think. I love the variety of characters you get on here - they make me laugh. Happy Christmas anyway. x

I do believe it John , please, please have a very merry Christmas. and I hope all goes well for the New Year and what ever follows.

PS I hope ypur Bum gets better soon !...
Augusta xx

Thanks for taking a look at Big Fish and The English Teacher, John. What a coincidence that you fished at Masvingo Lake. Were you in Zimbabwe for just a holiday or an extended spell? I did think of making it a tigerfish but it seems they don't grow that big, and I suppose it doesn't matter kind of fish it is. The size is everything

Trenchant - moi? I can sometimes be persuaded out of a position...
Have really scaled down my commentary of late - nothing personal at all - just blog overload and the demands of my home life.
Was never head girl cos we weren't that posh at my school. Was sent to represent the school when the queen visited though so I must have been an honorary one. Remember it vividly cos my mum bought me a new jumper - a rare ocurrence.
Thanks for your lovely comment - I feel like putting my arms around that dog and giving him a big sloppy kiss. x

Thanks very much for taking the time to have a lok at and comment on my stuff. It's very much appreciated.
Cheers
Rachel
x

Thanks for the comment on my poem.

I've decided to start a campaign to bring 'gambol' back into common usage.

I'm gambolling off now.

Thanks for your comment John. The soundscape is my son's work and he happened to do it at the same time I wrote the poem and I thought they might go well together. They do, in part, but I think I need a rewrite of the words and he'll take my vox sample and do something a bit better then my poor attempt.

Not sure about gamble instead of gambol - is it really archaic? Perhaps my alleged obsession with sheep has something to do with it :(

John thanks for your more than amusing blog on ' The Enigma of Perception' Far from getting up my arse, I thought your constructive suggestions quite acceptable, in fact if I write a peice like that again, I will structure it in the way you suggest. By the way you missed out super symmetry, 'The Anthropic Solution' and most importantly 'The Grand Unified Theory'. But you knew that didn't you ? ha ha Cheers TC

Hi John,

Hope all is well with you and thanks for the heads up. If you ever want to get in touch, my email is: jtt@downeshouse.freeserve.co.uk (but don't tell everyone, I fear I may currently be the subject of a fatwa, especially having such misguided opinions - or even ANY opinion!) Although I have never been published, won any competitions or prestigious awards (unsurprisingly, since I've never submitted anything for publication or entered a competition) at least I am happy in the knowledge that I may have at least something in common with a Nobel Laureate!

Yours (certified 100% anger free and happy in my pompous, passive-aggressive, elitist nonsense)
With regards,

A.E.

Hi John, Glad you appreciated my haiku in the blogs 'On Mondays I fall in Love' You are right of course that they are neither either easy nor are they vacuous if good. for me it is not enough for the poem to be called a haiku, rather it should bea good (Hopefully, lol) poem first and foremost. I have resisted the nonesence in the discussions area (Although tempted) and instead let my work speak for itself as you have seen. Thank you Winston

I have never written a Dear John letter but here goes

,Dear John,

Please be aware that this is a POEM please except that as read and written.

I understand from previous posts and comments that you have just completed your 2nd poem, and are coming hard and fast on the rails to catch up to your third not withstanding that you have undertaken an OU course on Poetry no less where they advise you to omit adjectives and avoid purple patches. Sounds good to me,

Good luck with your third.

Once again many thanks for your comments.

Augusta x

Hi John Thx for the heads up on 'Final Inspection' as you say it still is a good poem, and as valid today as when it was first written, but this site is about reviewing new work, so I have removed it. Cheers TC

Hello John,

Firstly please let me begin by reiterating a comment made by Isobel which alluded to drivel that is posted on this site, she is so right, much of what I read on this site in both poetry and discussion amounts to exactly that – drivel.

There are indeed many poets on this site that are worthwhile and excellent wordsmiths there are fewer with a unique and rare talent to conjure words to an almost unbelievable level of wonderment, and it may well surprise you that I for one am confident to include myself among that number. In the event that you choose to disagree then read my poetry thus far posted and if you are not convinced then read it again.

.Fear and anxiety, arousal and guilt are repetitious it sweeps through a woman in waves so much so that it makes you giddy and sick, if you noticed the repetition in my poem then I am happy that at least you read it, the fact that you failed to understand is sad. As to my being tendentious, well I saddened, for I would count myself as being a woman of open , nay, wide open views and liberation and was endeavouring, albeit in a graphic sense to portray the horror which most woman experience at sometime in their lives in one form or another.. You also describe my poem as gauche; well this form of voyeuristic commentary might well lack slick rhyme and sophistication, once again it was intended.

I am pleased you did not included in your plethora of adjectives heaped upon me ‘gratuitous’…because then I may well have been annoyed with you , the poem highlights fear, danger, and the predicament and the frustration of weakness together with the inability to take control of a possible life changing moment.

Your comments alluding to crap and Jesus I find offensive.

Augusta X

Thanks John, for your comments about 'Confetti' & 'Solace'. Yes, I think you're probably right about a lot of people on here mourning lost love, and, like me, many of them are wearing rose tinted glasses. Thanks for reading.
Cx

Thank you for the comment on 'Forever Eve.'
Glad you enjoyed it.

Hi John, thank you for commenting upon 'After', it was actually my entry for one of those challenges to write a poem including a phrase (After the love), which struck a chord with my muse :)

I found reading your 'Grandmothers Gentleman Caller' rather charming - nicely balanced with that touch of humour!

Best wishes

Dave

thanks very much for your input John. I have settled on 'tumescent' its several meanings work for me in that context.

thanks again

John

Hello John, thanks for taking the time to comment on my poem 'letter to a genius'. It was a bit of an experiment for me. If you look at my other stuff most of it is fairly transparent. It was primarily the sound of the words I was after and hopefully it works on that level. 'Copulant' is not actually a recognised word, unless I have just invented it! Now considering whether I will replace it although I rarely revise anything once its's finished. I haven't had time to look at your stuff properly yet, I only have access at work, hence this early message before the boss gets in!

cheers
John

PS I was born in St Albans although I have been in the north most of my life, my brother still lives there

'Dear John' ( I love that - reminds me of that programme of the agony uncle).

Thanks for responding, and thank you for the inspiration. I enjoy a little sparring on comments, did think your comment was a little 'philistine' though at the time, none of it was meant to be personal, but the written language can be misinterpreted many times. I didn't think you would take offence as you have been quite vocal on the discussion threads, and at the same time as responding to the comment I had inputted into your poem on the poetry review 'there's a heart somewhere....' ( sorry cut and paste was beyond me there, and I didn't have the time to write it out. I teach English, creative writing and asylum seekers and refugees, not ICT :-) I was quite shocked to be reprimanded for bad language and told I was negative in my comments of your poetry, ( which I haven't been, I gave you praise, for your poem that you put up on the review).

If I ever publish ( one can dream - I will thank you for the inspiration in print ). I've only been writing again since August after a 17 year break, but I can take a little criticism. By the new hoo-ha, I think someone has took my defensive place - I shall watch and read. I am quite impulsive, but I don't think I shall put my oversized size 5 in the big pile of dogpoop ( how ladylike of me) this time.

Great to hear from you. Appreciate your comments. Ps. Did you like the poem?

Take care, nicky :-) x

Hi john, I hope you did not take offence at my response to your 'philistine' comment, last night. I had understood by your many contributions to the discussion threads that you could handle a little criticism about what you had said ( and not your poetry, as the management of the site has taken this to mean ) if I caused offence I apologise, but it was purely in defence of other users of the site that I thought your comment would offend. However, I have been reprimanded by the management for my straight talking and free speach, oh and for my language - funny, where did I get that word from? lol.

Good luck and take care.

nicky :-)

Hi John,

thanks for taking the time to read and make comment on my work

steve x

John, as near as I can figure, the definition of what is poetry is now very broad, and your work so far posted certainly qualifies. You definitely have 'the feel'.

I do think attention to the entire background of poetic skills is essential, the same points which came up in your GCSE courses: a wide vocabulary for selective diction, the varied methods for acquiring vivid imagery and of sound, the colours of mood, and the overall effect of tone. If you don't know where you're going with a poem - stop. Or, if you digress - stop - and go back and find your direction again. Perhaps you need another poem, or six. Don't waffle. It's not fair to your reader.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, look it up. It's really important if you are really sincere.

Alvin's comment is excellent: it follows through with what I think is your intent: exclusivity.

It is a poem
Here is my attempt at a road sign poem
There's a heart somewhere that's twinned with mine
And on the road there is a sign
'This heart has priority over oncoming vehicles’

PS. Please please do comment on my poem. Honestly...I need it... I really have no idea whether anything I write has any literary merit whatsoever. The poem did make the recipient cry...but then it would...'cos it's about us...and she will forgive my cack handed metre and maudlin sentimentality and obscure references to stuff only we know about....but...is it a poem?

Jx

Aah, just beginning to get the hand of this website, which is organised very differently to any I have ever visited before. If I may be forgiven for the observation that it is very idiosyncratic...threads all arse about face...e-
mail alerts all a bit random etc. ( I never got Isobel's). Tell me I wasn't a prick to Chris...I'm sure he's a spoof...or worse.

: )

Thanks for calling...I hope to be able to learn alot from here...and contribute too. I really am an OK guy...well, my family think so. :)

Jx

I know St Albans well - a very busy place on a Saturday. Welcome to the site. Apparently only poems on profiles are looked at for POM - and not a lot of people know that.... So if you want to be considered on a regular basis, you need to update your profile with fresh stuff every month - putting it into blogs isn't enough. Good luck - I suggest you make your next one on bestiality or necrophilia...

Troilism? Are you thinking of going for POTM? Welcome aboard, I look forward to reading more of your work John! (and yes, I did have to google what troilism is!)