Biography
Hi, thank you for your interest in my work. I have always enjoyed being creative simply for my own pleasure, writing short stories, poems, plays, a little drawing, even a stab at a novel, but have had about 10 years off to raise four lovely children who have now decided that my period of servitude is at an end and I may once again persue my own interests. It may interest you to know that I am a teacher and am based about half way between Bolton and Wigan and can therefore claim dual citizenship. I am quite resilient and invite honest criticism of my work as I just show it to my Mum if I need someone to say it's lovely:)
I have a modest presence at neilwest.blogspot.com if you would like to share more of my work.
Samples
Dignum Laude Virum Musa Vetat Mori*
The first rays of light crept hopefully about
Casting their prying fingers in and out
Of long night time shadows, forcing them
To slink like nocturnal beasts revealed
Into remote corners and crevices unseen
As day followed night the light fell full length
Upon a dusty window pane shut tight
Made grimy by neglect and marching time
It struggled and yet finally did pass through
To cut the dusty gloom inside a house
No better than its neighbours and no worse
The cheerful light laid bare with no remorse
The shabby living room of this small house
A patterned woollen carpet, faded in the sun
The patchy threads had been much walked upon
And battered furniture antique in style
Old newspapers left yellowing in a pile
Upon the mantelpiece a clock had ceased
To count the passing hours long ago
An ashtray was the only souvenir
To indicate this house was still a home
It lay full gorged upon the butts and ash
Explaining why the peeling walls were stained
And in that sealed room the air was stale
A fine layer of dust had settled gently upon
The back of an old armchair, its back to the door
Still looming in the fast receding shadows
A gnarled hand grips each arm tightly
Wrinkled brown skin, chipped black nails
Paler than the palest ivory
The whites of eyes that can no longer see
Staring from his face quite peacefully
A face much lined with wrinkled age and care
Though crowned with white his head is mostly bare
In life he had been poor and lived alone
In the dignity of death this was undone
And so we must retire from this poignant scene
Back out onto the streets from whence we came
And up above those rooftops all the same
To watch the bloated sunset's fading rays.
* The man worthy of praise the Muse forbids to die. Horace
The Mask of Unity
The Mask of Anarchy rides out once more
And leads his troops to clear the killing floor
His crocodile tears are shed from glassy screens
And fall like neon gemstones, subtly guided
To dash out the brains of fleeing refugees
'We are the agents of peace!' twisted words are cried
'This action will not cease!' bombs fall from the sky
In this slaughter of the innocents who must die
In order that a greater evil be destroyed?
A lapdog's face twists grins into concern
His earnest words and waving hands express
Distaste at the way this war has turned
Yet gnaws upon the bones that have been burned
By Anarchy's stealth forces and then tossed
Down from that higher table to his pet
As payment earned for loyalty unquestioned
But this war cannot offer glory, blood or gold
Just mass graves, empty cities, barren landscapes
Silent
Cold
All poems are copyright of the originating author. Permission must be obtained before using or performing others' poems.
Last blog entry
Posted on Thursday 5th November 2009 5:55 pm
While making a cup of tea
And looking at the kettle
I was led to dwell on the magic of electricity
Factory farmed lightning
Caged in a flex
And remembered the advice
My mother always gave
To never stand under a tree
During a thunderstorm
With hindsight
I tend to think
She could have offered some advice
That would have been more useful
On a day to day basis
On the other hand
I’ve never been struck by lightning
Not even once
So perhaps
My mother was right
Now that’s a shocker
Previous: The Ballade of David Keller
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Ron Scowcroft
Tue 10th Nov 2009 18:46
Hi Neil - Thanks for the comments on 'Age Concern'. I have the suit in my wardrobe but I'll keep the location of the charity shop a secret!