Biography
I like to perform me stuff in places where poetry is a bit alien to the punters. I used to write novels but find poetry more meaty. Have been a preacher, amateur actor, pastor, a deeply unfaithful enthusiastic lover of women and lone father of huge family. I'm not knowingly included in any anthologies. I've won no prizes. Entered no competitions.
Samples
This is a poem I wrote recently: "Tea With Anushka" I was invited, Or summoned really, To tea with Anushka Anushka haunts Antiquarian bookshops Liberating volumes of Art Philosophy Music and poetry From their dusty shelves To fill those Of her private ‘bibliotheque' Then she gets found out And the police are called And a discreet anonymous Van despatched The books depart And she has shelves to fill...again So she takes a cab to a new town Where she's not known Browsing shops of books and curios For replacement volumes Art Philosophy Music and poetry. I took a bottle of vodka, Stolichnaya. To her maisonette - her dacha A rusting sign “L'Hermitage” Hanging half off the wall Hints at Romanoff ancestry She wraps in shrouds of mystery. A perished rubber Marigold glove Shook my hand Soapy water splashed my cuff. Anushka muttered It was the cleaner's day off And she had to do it all herself And what did I think of her shiny bust Of Thomas Paine Resplendent On the sparkling new vitrine? And did I mind Popping to the corner Spar For Mr Kipling petit fours And tea bags And long life milk And Marigolds And put them on her tab? I sighed and said “No worries, I'll pay” And cleared her slate...again. We drank tea from china cups And with solid silver cutlery Spread Laughing Cow Cheese triangles on our bread And polished off the fancies Displayed on the repro lazy Susan A second glass of wine? Perhaps a cigarette? She offered me, Reverently Her next to next to last Sobranie Lit by a candle burning On a reproduction gilt torchère. Smoke haloed her greying golden hair Her face shone Radiant, Fleetingly Evoking a memory Of Rublov's Icon of the Trinity. And as an ominous van Prowling discreetly Nosed into the street The frozen tear drop lodged In her nylon ‘natural look' lashes Melted. I brushed the trickle from her cheek
All poems are copyright of the originating author. Permission must be obtained before using or performing others' poems.
Blog entries by Rick Gammon
A Tower In Silence (17/06/2017)
Inconsequential Death of a Hermit (14/06/2017)
About A Motorway. (04/06/2017)
About an Owl (20/05/2017)
Bird Fly Away (18/05/2017)
From Across The Street (16/05/2017)
Shirley Died Today (06/05/2017)
Moyshe (04/05/2017)
We Live in Hope But (18/04/2017)
Ashes to Ashes (16/04/2017)
Photos
moi as Oscar Fingal O'Flaherty...
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Making me position clear.
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about to leap into unsuspecting hushed audience.
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Comments
Frances Macaulay Forde
Mon 3rd Apr 2017 02:38
I hope you don't mind, Rick, I've mentioned you on my blog: https://francesmacaulayforde.wordpress.com/2017/04/03/village-scene-lincolnshire-write-out-loud/
and added you to my Poetic People Pinterest Board: https://au.pinterest.com/FrancesMacForde/writing-poetic-people/?eq=poetic&etslf=7807
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Frances Macaulay Forde
Mon 3rd Apr 2017 01:51
G'day Rick, I loved your poem 'To Maria' today - and this one; 'Tea with Anushka'.
May I cheat and echo Cynthia's comments about value, structure, style etc. I couldn't have said it better.
The ability to make the reader feel you are speaking only to them, with a considered economy of words, placed just so... is a gift.
Now I need to read all of your poems posted on the blog...
'Tea with Anushka' is terrific.
I think you are an accomplished pragmatist with a soaring apogee of sensitivity, a bottomless pit of sensibility and an eye for the telling particular. Life experience embraced with self-pride does that.
Not to mention your command of language and literary structure.I totally agree with your comment about poetry being 'meaty', the mental drive to weigh each word for its value to the whole.
Your kids must find you amazing.
What exactly is a 'lone father of a huge family'?
I do look forward to reading more of your works. Welcome to WOL. I see you have already made a significant impact.
Kamaraj S
Tue 7th Jun 2016 05:26
nice post
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kJ Walker
Sat 20th May 2017 08:30
Hi Rick. I've read lots of your posts on this site, and am enjoying reading your book (which I took from the Doncaster Tap-- Thank you). I couldn't pick a single one out as a favourite, as they are all so good. but I must say, seeing them in writing doesn't compare to hearing you perform them. any chance of posting some recordings on here?
Cheers Kevin