Over-Eating. Brian Wins the Challenge

Preamble

This weeks theme 'over-eating' was set by Brian.  What chance did I have?

I'm afraid I've a confession to make

I've done no preparation for this theme

I should have been gorging myself all the week

I've gone let down my Rhymers Team

It's OK for Brian to set theme

He had plenty of left-over pud

And there's phea...

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Sisters are a Funny Mix

Preamble

This week's theme is sisters.  Here is my contribution.

I'm struggling hard with this one

Whatever I write down

Seems so bland, so lifeless

Hardly a poet's crown

So thought at least I'd go put

Some sparkle to my pome

And add a little youtube clip

'Siblings while at home'

Don Matthews December 2018

https:/...

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Preamble: for this week's Saturday Rhymers theme of "moving", just for FUN repeat FUN, here is my first attempt at a... well, you'll see.

Gotta keep on moving ‘cos it hurts to stand still.

Gotta weep in proving that my work’s not landfill,

Gotta seek to be outrageous ‘cos this weakness is contagious,

Gotta be a freak to speak out and break out of all these cages.

Gotta kee...

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We're Clever Down Here In Australia

Preamble

This weeks Rhymers Club theme is moving.  Here is my contribution.  Pic shows current work in progress on Great Australian Chairlift Project

Down here in Australia we're clever

We've thought of a good way to beat

A problem which gets most people fuming

The unavoidable peak traffic heat

It's simple when you go think ab...

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Preamble: for this week's Rhymers theme "first", here is my first attempt at a villanelle.

My son, it fell to you to be born first

You turned a couple into Mum and Dad

You sometimes had the best, sometimes the worst

You changed our lives when into them you burst,

And for that day I ever shall be glad,

My son, it fell to you to be born first.

Our parenting was w...

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12.01 All Done, All Said

Preamble

This weeks Rhymer's Club theme is 'first'.  Here is my contribution inspired by my intrepid fellow rhymer.

Brian's first to post on Sat

Poor wifeys left in bed

At 12.01am on dot

(I gotta go, 'nuf said)

I could be done for something though

Accusing Brian leave wifey

While he sits up till Big Ben strikes

I could get in big str...

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Preamble: my contribution to this week's Rhymers' theme "fire".

Wouldn’t it be easier to recognise a liar

If caught telling porkies, their pants really caught fire?

As a warped form of justice, it would be rather fun

To see a guilty con man get singed around the bum.

The value of honesty would rapidly be learned

If every untruth told led to buttocks getting burned.

P...

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Losing It

Preamble

This week's Rhymer Club theme is fire.  Here is my contribution.

I'm losing my spark and my fire

Cos comments are few and quite far

Do you think I am coming 'cross serious ?

Or coming 'cross with some hoo-ha ?

Don Matthews  November 2018

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Preamble: my contribution to this week's Saturday Rhymers theme - with apologies to anyone called Jack.

Men called Jack must always complain

About their name being taken in vain.

In language, literature, songs and nursery rhymes

The name “Jack” crops up time after time.

Whenever a male figure is expected

Chances are a character called “Jack” will be selected.

What have th...

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Mary and Jack

Preamble

This is a little-known story about Little Jack Horner and Contrary Mary. It has not been published in any kiddies book as far as I'm aware.  I was fortunate in  already having written about Little Jack when this was assigned as our Rhymer Club theme for this week.  It was written last year when I was still learning the art of rhyme and only felt comfortable with t...

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For this week's Saturday Rhymers theme: Leaving Home.

When I go back and stay at my Dad’s place,

It’s great, but it’s no longer home.

I struggle to get my own kids off to sleep

In the room that I once called my own.

They watch cartoons, just as I did

Two sofas, three tellys ago.

So much is the same, yet so much has changed,

Though I try hard to not let i...

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Preamble

This weeks Saturday Rymers Club theme is leaving home.  Here is my contribution

Leaving Home

The giant oak grew alongside us

A green majestic dome

When autumn came it did it's thing

And went and leaved our home

Don Matthews November 2018

https://youtu.be/OKrzcwZjuYY

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For a poem about motivation

I find myself lacking real inspiration.

After a period of procrastination

It’s become a source of great frustration.

Is this real artistic creation

Or just intellectual masturbation?

But following quiet contemplation

I had a sudden revelation:

What I am lacking is

The title.

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The Trouble Is the Clubbers

Our Clubber's theme for this week is

Getting motivated

I'm having lots of trouble here

I'm getting so frustrated

You see my problem's different

From what you might expect

I want to motivate myself

To lazy and neglect

The trouble is the Clubbers

Won't let me motivate

Myself to where I want to be

Lazy and prostrate

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I like my music ANGRY. My favourite types of song

Are those that call for change, to try to right some wrongs.

I’ll take lyrics about war or peace or duty socially bound,

Over any heartfelt soulful dirge about love lost or found.

But it seems my favourite protest songs have limited success,

Judging by the fact the world is still in such a mess.

The answers blowing in the win...

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We Hear Your Protest Poet

What's the use of protest

In my poetry

It won't make any difference

I'm not naïve, you see

People have their minds set

On what they want to do

My verse it will not change them

Neither will yours too

They might consider what we

Think before they act

But change their minds we hope to?

We're wasting time. A fact.

Tak...

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The Angel of Death was dancing 

in a veil of gossamer grey,

close by her side the Grim Reaper pressed

as night faded into day.

He grinned through his hood like a gentleman should

while her wings caught the light of the moon;

like shattered glass in a ravaged dawn

they sparkled then faded away.

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Preamble: for this Saturday's theme of DANCE.

I hear music. The beat begins.

It taps gently at my consciousness and slowly enters in.

It slides through my skull like the lift of warm caffeine

Raising pulse, slowing thoughts, it’s as if I’m in a dream…

Step by step I’m vanquished, it takes over my brain

It numbs my higher functions, until nothing remains

But the essence of...

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Learning to Jive with Gina

Preamble

This week's theme is dancing so thought I'd take some lessons from Gina, my cloned sis for Tina, whom Brian created.  He started this whole thing off. There is no excuse.  I lay all the blame fully at his feet.

I wanna get up on the dance floor

I wanna get up, groove and jive

So thought I'd go take me some lessons

In order me not to d...

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Preamble: I wrote this shortly after my wedding 2 years ago, but never found the chance to perform it. I've revived it for today's Rhymers' theme of "weddings". It is a slam so it looks strange on paper, so I also made this video.

https://youtu.be/3jjfTqm7PyM

I have so many thanks to give for this special day!

First, the weather: my eternal gratitude to whichever Supreme Being or natural...

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Preamble 

This Saturday's Rhymers Club theme  is about weddings.  Brian is otherwise engaged so I have agreed to rent him some space.

My Very Disjointed Theme Contribution (by Don Matthews)

This week's theme is weddings

Cos weddings in the air

Which sorta gives me problems

Forgotten I was there

Now do not get me wrong

I'm married, still attached

It's just ...

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They say it’s class warfare, they say the rich have won

They don’t understand the hurly burly’s not done

Their smug sense of victory will be somewhat misplaced

It’s hard to be elite when the planet’s laid to waste

They plunder and they pillage and they take more than they need

They’re selling all our futures just to feed their selfish greed

They think they’re sitting pretty,...

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Lower the Pass Mark - Sorted

Preamble

Rhymers Club theme this week is on winning and losing. Here is my attempt

Education standards are falling, due I feel, to a gradual lowering of pass marks. Correct me if I'm wrong but school funding depends on the number of successful students passing through. No students, no funding. Lowering pass marks ensures successful student flow retained h...

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Naughtiness Unnoticed

Preamble

I have been asked to write a poem on children.  Here is my contribution.

How can I write a poem

About a naughty boy ?

When I was good, so helpful

My mother's pride and joy

It seems I have inherited

My mother's be-nice genes

Transferred them to my daughters

No naughtiness have I seen
 

I coasted along quite nonchalantly

N...

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Preamble: In honour of this week's Rhymers' theme "children", here is a poem written in collaboration with my 7-year-old son.

Some people say they don’t like children

But they are wrong.

We aren’t the ones dropping the bombs.

We aren’t the ones firing the guns.

Children don’t kill other children.

The guy on the ground, he’s just doing as he’s told

The job that he’s paid f...

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I walk up from the bus stop at the end of each weekday,

I know I’ll cause a ruckus, every step along the way.

One hundred yards, four houses, four front gardens, four closed gates,

Behind each one a canine sentinel does lie in wait.

To take this path I have to steel my nerves, or ears at least,

And take care not to get a scare from these four furry beasts.

Am I always to be hound...

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Is That The Problem ?

Preamble

I have been asked to write a canine piece.  Here is my contribution

Are you not happy with my dog?

Is that the problem, is it?

I'm happy to lock you in another room

When you come round and visit

Don Matthews September 2018

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Just for fun...

From the moment they first met, they got on rather well,

They soon became an item, and deep in love they fell,

Were made for each other, as far as they could tell,

Pretty soon they were hearing the sound of wedding bells.

They set up home together, and things were going well

Until they took a shower, then broken was the spell

As it turned out he used soap,...

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Regret

Preamble

I have been asked to write a piece relating to soap.  Here is my contribution:

Consider if you will

Times spent in your life

Ones which you regret

Ones which brought you strife

Now consider times

Ones you may yet get

Ones spent blowing bubbles

You never will regret

Don Matthews September 2018

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