This week congratulations are due to Darren J Beaney whose poem Anti-seagull is our Poem of the week!

Darren describes himself as an OAP – Old Age Punk, and his poetic influences tend towards the edgier side with the likes of John Cooper Clark, Attila the Stockbroker and John Hegley appearing in his favourites list.

Although he has written poetry on and off for 20 years or so, Darren has only ever performed in the odd slam (many years ago) and hadn’t submitted any of his work anywhere prior to his uploads on Write Out Loud this year.

We are delighted you found us Darren, many congratulations on this poem being chosen as our Poem of the Week and we look forward to reading plenty more work from you and your OAP perspective!

 

Anti-seagull  by Darren J Beaney

 

The anti-seagull

fishing line spreads

above, invisible from high.

Casting no shadow on low ground.

 

Suspended to deter.

To stop swooping

marauding, attacking gulls

from terrorising guests.

 

Yet, they are undeterred.

They entertain using parallel lines

as props, a playground.

The main stage, their circus ring.

 

They balance, walking the line.

A tightrope act – death defying.

Brimming with confidence enhanced

by no need for a safety net.

 

Clowning around

avoiding the added spikes.

They seek to amuse and 

distract through laughter

 

They juggle as they fly

by like avian Red Arrows, spinning

and diving, feeding 

off applause.

 

And as the side show distracts the

guests stand in ovation, other 

gulls simply walk in, pigeon toed

and claim the spoils.

 

Read more poems from Darren J Beaney here.