Biography

Yet another poet from the Colne Valley!! (it must be something in the water). I have written words, poems and short stories in my teens, twenties and my fifties. I recited around West Yorkshire and Manchester in late 1970s and early eighties. I have now come back to it in last couple of years. Like others I took an interest in WOL from the performances by members at Marsden Jazz Festival 2013.

Samples

Recited at Marsden WOL 21st May 2014 All words by Dave Booth A selection of short lines that take you on a walk around a graveyard!! Snowflakes cover my soul Freeze within my memory Thoughts that should be there. Ones body is a vessel To contain, sustain And entertain ones mind. O butterfly, so white, so frail, Thou flutter about, as if a veil, So wonderful, Such sight behold, But lost delight by a child’s hold, So fly away, Ride on the wind, Angelic thee, Thou hast not sinned, O butterfly, so white, so frail, Thou ride the sky as if a sail, O butterfly. Dearest Family, friends and lovers, Do not weep as you gaze down at my stone, In life I could look at you all and smile, In death I can think of you forever. I climb the clouds to view the blue horizon, to become I Who walks there upon my grave And disturbs my gentle slumber? From Seamus Heaney God please listen to what we say, Humbly now as this day we pray. Now you have taken our green man, You know for why within your plan. One of our best, Is thought by all, One of our best, He answers your call. Now at the gate he answers you, Now at your door to join you there, Accept and love him and also care. From My Father’s soul So his soul came into the world, To comprehend what life is for, To judge himself in balance, And select his dreams for eternity. He stood up proud and square shouldered, And marched out tall into time. A selection of short love poems Try the first line as: "The ewes and eyes of life" Then you will get the idea!! The Yous and Is of life, The Wes The Hes and Shes Us, The Thems The Hims and Hers The togethers We will find together, The One. I can’t stop the wind Blow across your face. I can’t help the rain Or guide it From your head. I can’t make the snow Flake or float As only you like it. I can’t stop the boats That bob in your seas, Even though I try, Or wish. I can’t think clouds Be as blue, As silent as you need. But I can try. I can’t make flowers Grow in your field. I can’t make time smile, But I can help. I watch you now, As you sleep, I need you now, As you sleep, I hold you, Hold me, I see you now, So deep, You make me sigh And grow, You make me smile And know, I need you, Need me, I need you, Do you? A poem for the child within us Monday, Monday was always Monday, Christopher Robin went to school, That he said was the rule. He went to school, So Pooh was told, Because he simply was quite old. School’s a happy place, With lots of toys and lots of space, So every morning as the clock struck eight The pandemonium, the fuss, you’re late! But Pooh alas at home must stay, No chance of school, no chance of play Until Christopher Robin at sums is able, Until Christopher Robin knows his two times table, “One plus one I know is two, One plus two is more, One plus three is quite a lot, And as for one plus four?” But that didn’t sound quite right Thought Pooh quite wisely, And didn’t think he’d ever go to school. Recited at Marsden WOL 16th April 2014 All words by Dave Booth My raincoat helps to wash the Rain into the ground, It tells me when I’m out, It wrinkles in the heat And shades me from the snow, …………. My friend. It carries my arms, my head, It tells all about of my character, It is me like a leg, It is me when a button falls off, It is me as it lies on the ground Or shrugs at an answer not found, It walks away to search ………….. Or escape Words after re-reading Shelley, The mask of anarchy Should I pluck out from within my soul The thoughts, the prayers that console? Should I take the words that teach And sound them out aloud and preach? Maybe when the words have blown Across the World and so have shown Why fallen men passed on this road So burdened down with heavy load. Should I pluck out from within my soul The thoughts of a child that did cajole? Should I take the words that teach Or stay fastened to faith as if a leach? Maybe when the words have blown Or until a stronger man has grown, When fallen men I’ve passed along this road Until lightly float as man with feather load. Should I pluck out from within my soul The words in time that will mean parole? Should I take the words that teach And unto this virgined World unleash? Maybe when the words have blown And higher Man deserves the crown, When fallen men I’ve passed along this road Can grow and re-stand the burden load. From within my soul I’ve plucked out The thoughts, the prayers that were about, Now I’ve taken the words that taught And the ideas, new faith I’ve caught, The drifted words all around have blown As autumn leaf is blown when rustic brown And fallen men huddled around as boulders lie, So as was fabled, Mortal men pass by. Should I pluck out from within my soul The thoughts, the prayers that console, The thoughts of a child that did cajole, The words in time that will mean parole? From within my soul I’ve plucked out The memories of days when as a child I saw the World and saw it mild, Words I took and believed their worth, Words accepted, I’ve believed since birth, Should I pluck out from within my soul?

All poems are copyright of the originating author. Permission must be obtained before using or performing others' poems.