Great newsletter - thank you!

Since Day One at Stockport Write Out Loud

I've been enthused: a better crowd you'll never see

Encouraging creativity

Without them, it is clear to me

My writing would the poorer be

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Great newsletter - thank you!

Since Day One at Stockport Write Out Loud

I've been enthused: a better crowd you'll never see

Encouraging creativity

Without them, it is clear to me

My writing would the poorer be

Read and leave comments (0)

He Knows

He knows.

I can see it in his eyes.

He’s eight years old;

It says so on the caption.

It’s a gift to the photographer:

all emotion is there.

This eight year old boy, he’s sitting at the kitchen table.

He’s eating a burger,

a donation from the local burger bar.

Mum’s got no money.

She says she’s not hungry.

He knows she’s lying.

But he’s hung...

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He Knows

He knows.

I can see it in his eyes.

He’s eight years old;

It says so on the caption.

It’s a gift to the photographer:

all emotion is there.

This eight year old boy, he’s sitting at the kitchen table.

He’s eating a burger,

a donation from the local burger bar.

Mum’s got no money.

She says she’s not hungry.

He knows she’s lying.

But he’s hung...

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I thought that in these trying times, when so much is doom and gloom, a little taste of something light and wholesome might be a good idea! I hope it comes across as quaint - and not sickly-sweet!

The Walled Garden

I played within a walled garden;

The sun shone on the honeysuckles and the lilacs and the tea roses.

And it shone on me.

I’d been dressed in my lemon organza dr...

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Noticed two little kids playing in the park.

One child was black, one child was white.

They were happy; totally engrossed in their play.

They hadn't learned how to hate.

Lovely to see. It gave me hope.

And I wondered:

What could we learn from them?

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Art Gallery, Stockport – A Tribute

It’s almost hallowed, the ambience

within your lofty halls

A kindly air of learning,

of knowledge sought and gained,

of shared imaginations

It is a place where creativity is celebrated,

where a passion for the arts

and a love of the written word

find their being

A serene birthing place

It is a treasur...

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Hi All

I have written something which I hope is uplifting, and a silly haiku. They're attached. Hope you like them!

A Gift

I have a word to say to you

to bless, and to uplift.

There is no charge for what I say,

because it is a gift.

When hard times come, and come they will,

and right now springs to mind,

my heavenly Father waits for you,

His ear to you incli...

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Grace

At end of day, man on his knees,

Cried out to God “Lord, help me please!

My sins are dark, that much is plain –

How can you pardon me again?”

And, like God’s kiss upon his face,

He heard “I am the God of grace”

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Old Man's Communion with a Young Man

We talked, you and me:

you in the spring of your life;

mine almost fully drained,

yet it’s dregs, sweet still –

Always hope, eternal, they say: that is mine.

Is it misplaced? I cannot tell –

yet I cling to it. It is mine, that hope.

Embrace your young days, young man, I say;

they will not come again.

I reach the end:...

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Another Day (Write Out Loud 1-4-2018) – Foolishness

Another Day

The clattering on the cobbles

of clogs, now fade away

and dark November dawn brings

another bitter day

of making do; attempting

to keep all her kids fed,

determined they should never

again, go starved to bed

And, as for her, her hand shakes

as she fills up the pot:

a cup of tea: ...

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Please would you re-send this for me? - I was a little hasty in sending when there was an error in there! My sincere apologies! - Dorinda

Spring – A Sonnet

Oh bitter wind of winter, never may

Your chilling hostile grip invade the soul

Which is my essence, longs for warmer day

Forbid it be it was my hope you stole

Your predecessor, russet autumn breeze,

Fortellin...

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Spring – A Sonnet

Oh bitter wind of winter, never may

Your chilling hostile grip invade the soul

Which is my essence, longs for warmer day

Forbid it be it was my hope you stole

Your predecessor, russet autumn breeze,

Fortelling your harsh entrance, deeply grim,

Both overtaking summer’s breath, allied,

Conspire together to sing nature’s hymn

Most ...

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Shamed

I’m hard-up, poor

I look it

So I keep my head down

And shuffle, carefully not touching

Beautiful, clever people:
They must be

Beautiful and clever

To be so rich

Thank God – - -

Is there one? – - -

I’m not yet about to

Sit outside McDonalds

With an open cap

And a dog

Summer’s good: nice and warm.

Winter’s better.

I’m shamed.

...

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Two Boys

The first small boy,

quite full of joy,

got answers from

his good Grand-Mum:

She did not look awry

when he asked “Grandma, why?” –

but answered truthfully:

a happy boy was he!

The second boy was sad;

a very tearful lad –

and, hearing such a crier,

people would stop to enquire:

“Small boy, why do you cry?”…

Each time, the sad reply:

“N...

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Nice July 2016

France, I salute you

You should never witness

such barbarity

You are beautiful:

every boulevard,

every humble, small, rue,

every field, every square,

every grande avenue

speak the beauty that’s you –

France, I stand with you:

with your people.

They are strong,

will withstand

vile attacks on your land

Your spirit of joie de vie

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My "Why?" is rather different to the recent entry bearing the same title.....

WHY?

I wrote ‘Why?’ with a humble spirit, with a dim yet acute awareness of how Jewish people have suffered for so long, at the hands of so many, in so many senseless, cruel ways. I cannot possibly understand their suffering, but I can empathise: this was written not to offend all those whose suffering will mark th...

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Baby otters are wonderful creatures

So I've often heard it said

They brush their teeth without demur

Before they go to bed

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Paris, 13 November 2015

I weep for you, Paris,

Every beautiful boulevard,

Every humble street

Whose pavements so often have welcomed my feet –

Every drop of blood shed;

Every beating heart dead;

Every au revoir said –

Your heart-beat is mine, too:

Paris, I weep for you –

And WE say to hate: you will never destroy

Good. And we SHALL sing for joy ...

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Having been denied a day in Marsden last Sunday, I sat at home and nursed my cold, the cause of my non-appearance there, and read some Hilaire Belloc: wonderful! I was thus inspired to write the following (no literary merit at all, but I had great fun scribbling!) Hope you enjoy:

Firstly:

Baby otters are wonderful creatures,

I've often heard it said.

They brush their teeth without demu...

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Why Is It?

Why is it always on a Tuesday

I fancy egg fried rice?

Or chicken with cashew nuts?

When sweet and sour sounds nice?

When fish and chips don’t grab me,

Nor sausages and mash,

Not baked spud with a salad,

Nor good old corned beef hash?

It’s really quite frustrating

And quite the cruellest cut:

It’s always on a Tuesday

Our Chinese chi...

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Hi Maggie, John and Nigel

A palindrome is "a word or phrase that reads the same backwards as forwards, eg: madam".

William Ross Wallace 1819 - 1881 (Wallace was my Mum's maiden name so maybe I have some sort of illustrious ancestor?!) wrote "The Hand That Rocks The Cradle Rules The World". I've just printed it off as it really is rather beautiful (and John, it rhymes!!!)

Last of all...

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Upside Down in the Sink

Once again this week, I espied a wonderful notice,

this time in a Stockport café

which was an absolute delight to read….

It was along these lines (more or less as it was written):

“All staff to rinse out tea pots

and stand upside-down in the sink”

Well! A poem begging to be written

and here it is:

W...

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PARKING

As the bus I was travelling on slowed down on the A6, I noticed a sign outside an antique dealers shop which read “Antique Customer Parking” with an arrow pointing to the back of the shop. It just begged to be developed into a poem, and this is it, for your delectation! - - -

That sign read “Antique Customer Parking”

With an arrow to say

Park you...

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“Praise His Name With Dancing”

Thomas went a-dancing

One sunny Sunday morn,

All up and down the hall, for

They did not have a lawn

Quite like the Vicar had, which

Was grand, and never trod

Upon by dancing children.

Or young-at-heart – or God…..

And Thomas kept on dancing

Until he heard the call:

“It’s time for church, so Thomas...

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EE LOVE…..

“Ee, love, what a sad time to meet –

You could have knocked me right off me feet

When I heard about your Stan –

Such a lovely, lovely, man…

He was all but in his prime –

Well, we all must go sometime –

Ee, love, now, don’t take on so:

Here’s a clean hanky: now bear up, you know

Time will heal…..Eh, your Stan –

Such a kind, lov...

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Christmas Tree

It’s blurred, that big, bright red bauble

On my Christmas tree:

It’s reflected in the frame

Which holds your photograph

In pride of place

On my window sill………

I think

How its outline should be

Crisp and clear

And so it is

When I look closely at it;

So it’s not my tears

That are making it blurred…..

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New Beginnings

She looked, longingly, up that steep hill:

It was summer still –

Favoured summer smiled on her:

Her heart joined forces with her will –

She knew, sure as the summer sun

Shone bright that day,

All the world – it was hers –

She held all in her sway –

Brave beginnings! – ah, well! –

That glorious day beckoned,

...

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ME AND MY NANA

Me and my Nana

Go to the park

And make daisy chains

-          When it’s spring

Me and my Nana

Run very fast and jump up

And try to catch

The sunbeams from the sky

-          When it’s summer

Me and my Nana

Walk down our lane

Add kick up all the golden leaves

-          When it’s autumn

Me...

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I feel so strongly about the possible closure of the Art Gallery and its effect upon all of us, I wrote the following: a little harsh, perhaps, for me? - but 'to myself I must be true'......!....

Hammer down the lid, lads! -

Give it a good clout! -

Make sure timeless words and

Culture don't get out!

Dorinda

I will give the response form some thought and...

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It was cold in Grandma's attic:

Like the chill of her last rest -

How I loved her! - and her dying

Left me sad, alone, depressed -

And the key that she left for me

To her wooden, japanned, chest

Now unlocked what was my portion:

Now, could my soul find its rest?....

In that chest, a vast profusion

Of many a gorgeous evening gown,

And the silke...

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The day was clear, and still,

Summer was almost gone,

From my window, I saw

How bright the sun shone

Upon this small, fair boy

Walking along the way;

And in his hand, a lead,

Holding his dog at bay -

The boy looked poor: his clothes,

Poor too - his trainers worn -

But when I saw his face,

It was not sad, forlorn...

And right then...

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Sweet lies, promise of spring;

Seductive skies of blue -

My mind so full of you...

Love lost, on angels' wing...

How soft my heart would sing

When love was vibrant, new -

My all I brought to you -

Now, tears my offering -

I shall not greet you, spring:

I shall not heed your call -

For pain is all you bring -

And I have lost my all......

...

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Billy Brown, you're a rogue

With your wandering eyes

And your soft, lilting brogue

And your plausible sighs....

Billy Brown, there's no doubt

This I know, certain, sure

How I've felt many a clout

And I've dodged many more

From your big, heavy fist

When the drink made you mad -

Next day, sorry, you kissed

Me, repentant and sad

...

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“To Thine Own Self”

(Hamlet: Shakespeare)

No offence to the Bard,

But I found it quite hard

When composing a sonnet

My face had a frown on it….

His iambic pentameter

Could not have been sweeter –

Mine should have been neater….

His verse flowed like sweet wine,

Every word quite divine –

Rough and ready, was mine!

...

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The Boy on the Beach

The boy sat cross-legged on the sands;

His bony knees held in his hands,

His hair, all tousled by the breeze

Which blew in from the open seas.

His countenance was not of joy;

Quite the reverse, for this small boy

Looked rather sad. He heaved a sigh

And rubbed at his now leaking eye.

The sun was very bright th...

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The Woman at the Corner Shop

The woman at the corner shop

By name of Bella Blenkinsop -

A stout and sturdy woman, who

Sold Pegrams tea and dolly blue -

And firelighters and penny chews

And copies of the Evening News

And Woodbines, packs of five, and Twink

Home perms, to make the men-folk wink

In short, she sold most everything

From a mop...

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 Persecuting Pensioners plc

Persecuting Pensioners plc:

Our unofficial name, you see –

For actually we find it fun

To persecute most everyone –

But pensioners are best of all:

They think that we must know it all –

Whereas many a younger client might

Retaliate, put up a fight.

So many ways to persecute

Those old folk, and increase our loot

...

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I Hated Being Outdated

They said our library was outdated

So now we’ve gone all automated - - -

Well, I don’t like it: sounds absurd! –

Once, I enjoyed a civil word

With the librarian at the counter:

Such a pleasant, nice encounter! –

All that’s gone! – and, dearie me,

We’ve gone all high-tech and IT –

And poor old Martha Plumton-Scot...

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Proud as a Peacock

On Sat’day, went to the market –

And stopped for some tea and a bun –

I sat in the old market café –

Glad all of the shopping was done.

The day was all drizzly and dreary

With nothing much lovely to see

When this young man strolled to the counter:

And how everyone stared – even me!

He was dressed, head to toe, in black gar...

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I wrote this following a writing workshop in Stockport. It was prompted when we were asked at break time if we would like a cup of tea.

Muriel and Me

A cuppa tea?

- For Muriel and me?

- Make it G&T…

And if it’s no trouble,

Please make it a double….

These writing classes are superb:

We learn about the written word –

...

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Hope

Hope springs eternal, or so they say –

Sometimes I wonder, as each new day

Brings unseen headaches. If I could see

Them onward winging, then I would be

Ready, and armoured; equipped for the fight –

But they are devious, and I take flight

From all their torment, all unannounced

Knocking me backwards, nastily pounced

For new attack,...

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 I Thought I was Different

Mum’s lined face,

Slightly smiling

Thus betrays

Inner feelings;

Buried rage.

Never, I swore,

Never for me

The pain, the torment –

Long shadows I see

Casting dark clouds of loathing

Over every last reach

Of faint hopes of

A calmer, brighter day.

I thought I’d escaped

Those hurtf...

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The Two Sides of Pride

Church tells us all “pride is a sin”,

And so it is, when from within,

We think more than perhaps we ought

He paused. He looked bewildered

Outside the pawn shop door –

His shabby jacket threadbare –

His boots all cracked, and poor.

At outstretched palm ...

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A Little Touch of Heaven

They bring their priceless tokens

Of fondest love, for me –

A smile, a tear, a flower:

What greater gift could be?

I do not seek expensive,

Vast gifts, for all to see:

Those two young boys’ affection

Is worth the world to me!

Far greater is their giving:

What greater love could be? –

When, breathl...

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