An engaging vignette of an everyday incident from the past, with its
characters and the setting springing to life before us in these words.
Hold very tight please! It's well worth the ride.

Comment is about AUBURN HAIR (blog)

Original item by ray pool

John - my point basically was that "poverty" has changed its meaning
from other days - when it was a killer - and even when it became
less so, it still saw kids without shoes here in the UK. My childhood
knew a milder form - when in postwar Britain, rationing still continued
for some years before the days of central heating and winter fuel
allowances et al. Out of interest I enquired about the "official"
current definition but failed to obtain to obtain an answer. I note
from a media report that it is seen as 60% of an average income
(then, of course, we have to ask what THAT is!). But there is no
doubt that poverty in its older sense is far removed from today's
version.

Comment is about A judgement of conscience (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

Loved this, I could listen to you read all day ?

Comment is about AUBURN HAIR (blog)

Original item by ray pool

Thanks Big Sal & poemagraphic. Your kind words are appreciated ?

Comment is about TO CHOOSE (blog)

Original item by Ciaran Cunningham

Thank you to Martin and David for reading! ?

Comment is about I. (blog)

Original item by ha'azinu

This article warms my heart and those young voices need to be applauded and encouraged. All of us, all poets need to write and speak out loud and confront injustice and pejudice.

A very interesting and enlightening article. Thank you

Keith Jeffries

Comment is about Meet Rwanda's Rising Young Poets (article)

Original item by Mike Took

Obviously as long as the poem fits the literal definition of a sonnet - it is in fact by definition - a sonnet.

Twisting it may make a new, unheard of type of sonnet however. Eventually someone will name it, and life will go on.

Honestly, they most likely endure through the ages because as a style, they are easy to learn, hard to master, and even a child could formulate one. As with other types of art, they are often the best and worst way to showcase the outer limits available on itself. Best being the fact that when done correctly they can be some of the best poetry to grace a page. When worse however, people overdo them, don't do them correctly, or never bother to perfect their current skill. The same as with fixing a car, lugging a nut, or anything else that requires mild thought and flexible fingers.

Comment is about The Enduring Appeal of the Sonnet Form (article)

Original item by Mike Took

The titles, the substance, the wordplay, you have some fucking excellent work on this.

Great job, it really is something else.?

Comment is about December musings (blog)

Original item by Mark Harris

Now I know why I keep seeing Poetry Foundation advertisements. Other than the blatant commercialism that is.?

Comment is about American Life in Poetry: The Girl From Panama (article)

Original item by Mike Took

"Never pay the piper unless his songs can make you cry."

- Micheal "Eyedea" Larsen


Great piece, Martin. The ruminations it brought forth from the quote above cannot be overstated. ?

Comment is about Pay (blog)

Original item by Martin Elder

Second to last stanza sticks out like a sore thumb. ?

Well done on another one with film-like descriptions.

I don't know why, but I got deja vu while reading this piece. Regardless, it is always a treat.?

Comment is about The Huntress (blog)

Original item by Taylor Crowshaw

Led across icy plateaus of white bedecked folly

I think this is my favourite line. Although it is hard to choose in this poem because there are so many which are nicely rounded off with


and no one thinks to ask


Nice one Keith . Love it

Comment is about The Non Event (blog)

Original item by keith jeffries

Through all you have said here I can understand your desire to be alone. This poem puts me in mind of Rodin's the thinker who seems to me is a person left on their own with time to enjoy their own thoughts.
Nice one

Comment is about Alone (blog)

Original item by Joey Nelson

I love the empty clarity of this poem. I fill my life with too much stuff and therefore admire others that don't. Sometimes there is a comfort in the silent nothingness that this provokes for me.

Nice one

Comment is about Standing in the crowd (blog)

Original item by David R Mellor

I like the fact that the sparseness of words offset in the type makes this work. Though Like David I am not absolutely sure what this is about

Comment is about I. (blog)

Original item by ha'azinu

Thank you Martin it is always encouraging to read your comments on my poetry. I appreciate them greatly..?
Jon, Hope is the one thing we cling to even in times of sadness. Although a spark of hope does sometimes bring feelings of guilt too..thank you for commenting your voice is always valued..?

Comment is about The Huntress (blog)

Original item by Taylor Crowshaw

David, thanks you for your comments.

There is no need for apologise. My ego likes to see 'likes' and 'comments', but I try to let that go. Not always successfully, I hasten to add. ?

Comment is about No Silence (blog)

Original item by Jon Stainsby

Wonderfully put John.
Nice one

Comment is about The Doors of Perception. (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

This brings up emotions of sadness and of hope in me. A lovely poem.

Comment is about The Huntress (blog)

Original item by Taylor Crowshaw

I like this a lot Taylor. I think your poetry is going from strength to strength not only in format but in choice of subject which you really seem to get to grips with here. None of us like to be hunted and I am guessing that for some who are more vulnerable it can be a nightmare.

Nice one

Comment is about The Huntress (blog)

Original item by Taylor Crowshaw

just the mention of the word Ceasar reminds of the thirties film 'Little Ceasar'. I also like the undercover of mechanical seasons


Nice one Adam

Comment is about Ballad Of The Secret Diary (blog)

Original item by Adam Whitworth

A truly fabulous poem Beno I am sorry to have missed this one before. There is a real vivid richness about this one which I think would go down really well performed live.

A well deserved POTW. Congratulations

Comment is about Our Poem of the Week is ‘Scooter Club and the Lost Boys’ by Beno (article)

Original item by steve pottinger

Hi David,
I really appreciate your comments. Human frailty, I too have been the hunter and hunted. Escape is possible.. Some relationships are just toxic, yet each of the participants with another partner can be perfectly normal and happy.
A lifetime of experiences has taught me that there is always hope. We are the masters of our own destiny..it is about choices.
Interesting take on the word spear...a subconscious message perhaps. ?

Comment is about The Huntress (blog)

Original item by Taylor Crowshaw

Thanks Mr. Keith.
Much appreciation from the other side...

Comment is about Don't Say Goodbye (blog)

Original item by Kporho Raphael Oyeke

My sleep pattern's a bit all over the place these days. Sometimes I wake up before I've even gone to bed! Take today for example...this is the earliest I've ever been late.

Comment is about Wake Up Brian. It's 7am (blog)

Original item by Don Matthews

Brian he likes to be on top
When giving Brian-like quips
I'm sure he want's to do this
And still maintain his grip

He'll need to think and put his
UK neurons in action
Coz I have had all day to put
My Aussie ones in traction ?

Comment is about Wake Up Brian. It's 7am (blog)

Original item by Don Matthews

I really enjoyed this David. I was born and brought up yards from the sea. I moved many years ago but always there is a yearning to return. ?

Comment is about NOT REALLY A STRANGER (blog)

Original item by David Subacchi

Beautiful Damon ?

Comment is about Midnight Cafe Dreams (blog)

Original item by Mikey V Kinsey

Like the poem D.K. but I am with Jennifer...not always the case..?

Comment is about The Longer You Live (blog)

Original item by d.knape

Interesting poem Keith like it a lot. Chasing a feeling of security and happiness with little understanding, but a good dollop of nostalgia..as always excellent poem.?

Comment is about The Non Event (blog)

Original item by keith jeffries

Too true Elle ?

Comment is about Be Careful What You Do For Love (blog)

Original item by Elle Shaine

Thanks guys as always. It was fun to try out the challenge of a new structure, but it's not quite there yet - I'm not happy with the ultimate message of the repeating lines. As you say Big Sal, I think these lines need to be really strong, and mine are not quite there. Like my Haiku, I'm still a beginner - but I'm really learning how practice makes...not perfect, but improvement at least!

Comment is about My first-born (blog)

Original item by Becky Who

Great poem - but not always true unfortunately. Italian drivers only stop at pedestrian crossings (sometimes) for old people, but always if you are pushing a pram! Safer to go around with an empty one.

Jennifer

Comment is about The Longer You Live (blog)

Original item by d.knape

Bluntly spoken but nicely done.?

Comment is about TO CHOOSE (blog)

Original item by Ciaran Cunningham

A storytelling heart.?

Comment is about Midnight Cafe Dreams (blog)

Original item by Mikey V Kinsey

Beautiful piece evoking nostalgia and soft remorse with a twinge of closure.

Very well done, Hazel, I appreciated the message within.?

Comment is about Ghost 3 (blog)

Original item by Hazel Connelly

Congratulations, Randy

Comment is about The Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Confessions’ by Randy Horton (article)

Original item by steve pottinger

You can find more of my work on Write Out Loud and also on line simply by searching for DAVID SUBACCHI POET.

My 6th collection WHERE IS WALES? will be out in early 2019.

Comment is about NOT REALLY A STRANGER (blog)

Original item by David Subacchi

Thank you Kevin, idonthave a beard myself but may grow one in the future to see what the fuss is about

Comment is about The truth about people with beards (haiku) (blog)

Original item by dazzer

Congratulations. Keith

Comment is about The Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Confessions’ by Randy Horton (article)

Original item by steve pottinger

Thank you Jon and Keith. MC methinks thou doth protest too much. Take a look around London. Contrast west with east. There were 4.1 million children living in poverty in the UK in 2016-17. That’s 30 per cent of children, or 9 in a classroom of 30.

London is the area with the highest rates of child poverty in the country. You can see child poverty rates by local area by visiting End Child Poverty.

When kids grow up poor they miss out – and so do the rest of us. They miss out on the things most children take for granted: warm clothes, school trips, having friends over for tea. They do less well at school and earn less as adults.

Comment is about A judgement of conscience (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

Well done, Becky. As I'm sure you could tell by now, people on WOL love structure in their poems, and a villanelle is a perfect showcase of that. The repeating line must always be more powerful than the entirety of a haiku, and as brief as one too.

You did well with this, you should practice them more.?

Comment is about My first-born (blog)

Original item by Becky Who

Thanks Brian. I'd never thought of that comparison, but I'll take that as a huge compliment..cheers ?

Comment is about TO CHOOSE (blog)

Original item by Ciaran Cunningham

Nicely done again, Randy.?

Comment is about The Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Confessions’ by Randy Horton (article)

Original item by steve pottinger

This is your first post Ciaran? It's a good 'un!

Comparisons with Kipling's IF are obvious.

BTW welcome to WOL

Comment is about TO CHOOSE (blog)

Original item by Ciaran Cunningham

Highly commendable in its spirit, The grubby overcoat is in fitting opposition to the highly elaborate concepts of the poem and grounds it. The idea of death on the physical level is always the last option in any spiritual considerations. The last two verses are spot on.

Ray

Comment is about Gods et. (blog)

Original item by Alan Travis Braddock

Oh, wow, Randy. Fabulous poem.

Well done on PotW!

Comment is about The Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Confessions’ by Randy Horton (article)

Original item by steve pottinger

Brilliant psychology sculpted with words underpinned with insight and humour. Deliciously over the top and yet grounded at the end with a sense of futility. I laughed spontaneously.

Ray

Comment is about The Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is ‘Confessions’ by Randy Horton (article)

Original item by steve pottinger

Completely agree Knapey...though the one exception is my wife.

Comment is about The Longer You Live (blog)

Original item by d.knape

Thanks Anya for being LIKE and appreciating my poetry.
? GBU

Comment is about Bless Me (blog)

Original item by Suko Waspodo