Again, just love the sparseness of the words, the leaving some of the work for the reader to do x

Comment is about Stolen (blog)

I agree with Graham, Nat, this is really good, I love that there's so little explanation, that I can ponder it over and over again x

Comment is about Killing Time (blog)

This is so full of beautiful and interesting imagery, it's lovely x

Comment is about Now (blog)

Original item by Marianne Daniels

Excellent stuff, Laura. I particularly like the "full-time weeks were drawn and quartered".
I can't bring myself to carp at the 36 thing, though. I'm ugly enough to remember Labour getting in with 37 and, of course, no government since we were born has got more than 50%.

Comment is about Majority (blog)

Original item by Laura Taylor

Very satisfying it is, Corr.
Equally I always enjoy pissing in any cracks in the urinal. I am conscious that someone has got to refill them and I like to think I am doing my bit for employment.

Comment is about Whats Better? (blog)

Original item by Corr Lens

The Forward prize winner Kei Miller has written an excellent blog about all this, in which he looks back at previous plagiarism cases - all reported on Write Out Loud at the time - as well http://underthesaltireflag.com/2015/05/15/plagiarism-in-poetry-looting-in-laventille-carelessness-in-the-caribbean/

Comment is about Poet apologises for 'appropriations' as poems are withdrawn and book is pulped (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Thank you Laura -you encourage me!I am trying to go in a different way to poetry -I am skirting around feelings I have not put a mouth to (as they say here).Was impressed by Thomas Transtromer's book.Of course ,I await yours ,which I will have to have.
Steve Smith

Comment is about Shore (blog)

Original item by stephen smith

You can find more of my poetry on line simply by searching on DAVID SUBACCHI

Comment is about NOT REALLY A STRANGER (blog)

Original item by David Subacchi

Hi Corr-what about sticking 'having' in front of 'just?'

and retitle-'which is better?'

promises to be a good poem dude,so 'crack on'....tee hee

(if you mean 'pissing away a shit stain'
IS going to be a new poem.)

Thank you.

Rose.x

Comment is about Whats Better? (blog)

Original item by Corr Lens

I suspect we have differing political views on many things, MC, but first and foremost I respect democracy. We seem to have an imperfect model of it at the moment; but it is the one we signed up to. If we don't like it now and want to change it to another form (more proportional perhaps) that's for the future.
Are you familiar with the tune (such as I sing it). It was by Hedgehoppers Anonymous (aka Jonathan King) entitled, unsurprisingly, "It's Good News Week".

Comment is about IT'S GOOD NEWS WEEK! (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

If a year's payment to the EU was instead re-directed to
the NHS, now THAT would put a smile on my face.

Comment is about Majority (blog)

Original item by Laura Taylor

How I'd love to hear the government has told the
EU that the next annual payment to that profligate
postulation of political preening is instead committed
to the NHS so the next patient with a rare disorder is not deprived of life-saving treatment on grounds of
"cost".

Comment is about IT'S GOOD NEWS WEEK! (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Hi Ian, the slave-trade 21st century fashion.

Comment is about The Song Of The Wandering (blog)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

I like this Natalie; the 'en' endings of each verse work well but I think it needs a little tightening up, only a little bit though.

Comment is about Stolen (blog)

'...the slowly dressing trees'. Nailed it, again

Comment is about sketch (blog)

Original item by jeremy young

Hi Preeti.You have honoured me by taking my advice(which isn't the spoken, I hasten to add!...;o)

YOUR changes work beautifully.

Thank you.
Rose.x

Comment is about Apple Carts and Upsets (blog)

This has a life, a motion, almost like the tide bringing the waves in and out, in and out. 'like a lip in the gloom' - great line, so intriguing. I love how you compare days to plates stacked away - they go so quickly don't they? 'Clean as answered questions' - gawd, you do know how to write them Steve.

Love the ending, leaving it spiralling up into the air :)

Comment is about Shore (blog)

Original item by stephen smith

Cheers Ian and Harry

Harry - TTIP is a very dangerous idea and if it does go through, well, we ain't seen nothin' yet, put it that way.

Comment is about Majority (blog)

Original item by Laura Taylor

Rose, thank you so much! I made some changes, tell me if they work.
Graham, any comment, praise or otherwise from you makes me ridiculously happy. It's as if the school principal has personally noticed your work or the coolest, hippest person has given a seal of approval...

Comment is about Apple Carts and Upsets (blog)

Thanks for your kind words Lynn Hamilton, it was an attempt to narrate a story of moon & his beloved night .. separated by the dawn-break ... hope i conveyed their emotions.. :)

Comment is about He too had a dark side (blog)

Original item by Juhi Gupte

Hi Juhi. Beautiful words - enjoyed reading immensely x

Comment is about He too had a dark side (blog)

Original item by Juhi Gupte

Again, beautiful words.

Comment is about roots (blog)

Original item by jeremy young

Glad I could be of assistance, Amanda.

Thank you & Keep Smiling

Comment is about THE BALLAD OF BOB THE BUN (blog)

Original item by THE PEN AND THE PAGE

hello there Nigel - good to see you are on form! : )

Comment is about Nigel Astell (poet profile)

Original item by Nigel Astell

I felt a little down today but after reading this I am feeling much better. It was cute and funny. Thank you for sharing.

Comment is about THE BALLAD OF BOB THE BUN (blog)

Original item by THE PEN AND THE PAGE

I would like to see this in a more standard verse type layout and with a few ands removed

Comment is about The Party (blog)

Original item by Twilbury Wist

You are developing into a serious observer Preeti. More like this please.

Comment is about Apple Carts and Upsets (blog)

Fascinating choices for words following killing time in each stanza. You could choose an altogether different set and the effect would still be as intriguing.

Clever idea Natalie,

Comment is about Killing Time (blog)

Hi

Comment is about Amanda Shelton (poet profile)

Original item by Amanda Shelton

Wow, is this a rant? I hope so.

It is a dreadful state of affairs. We should not lose words - especially in a youngsters' dictionary -but acquire more whilst retaining our heritage. It is not as if these are archaic terms. If we lose 'heron', who will then care if we lose herons?

Languages are disappearing at a phenomenal rate - over 3,000 on the endangered list. We need to keep our own language alive as well as helping retain others.

An important and fascinating piece, Frances. Thank you.

And thanks, Jeremy, for the Larkin interview, also fascinating.

Comment is about Poetry in a time of data: protecting acorns, adders, catkins and herons from language loss (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Laura,
The benefits or - otherwise -- of the proposed TTIP for either side are causing much hesitation.

However, at least Europe claims to be about more than economics only. (which reassures me a little)

This recently elected lot in Britain - who even moan about human rights - would, on their own, sell us all down the Swanee for a mess of human pottage.

Comment is about Majority (blog)

Original item by Laura Taylor

:) It's a great poem, I just read it through again.

Thanks for your note on Majority too - aye, had thought of a couple of the lines when I found out about the majority, and it bloody lashed it down all day. Then that 'blue collar' shit's all over the radio and they're banging on about job numbers being up when in reality it's just one job divvied up into 4 zero hours contract jobs. Spitting mad. Looking forward to the one that I can hear forming in your head ha :)

Comment is about Ian Whiteley (poet profile)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

WOW Preeti! no wonder 'whoever' aint better than you!
fantastic poem!

One tiny suggestion re the last line.

'Far more than the whole history of apple carts?'

Or something similar.Just feel this great poem deserves a much stronger punch line,and repeating 'upset' spoils it a little.

Thank you.
Rose.x

Comment is about Apple Carts and Upsets (blog)

Thanks Corr for appraising my work.Please accept my apologies in refusing your very kind 'offer'

Rose.x

Comment is about Corr Lens (poet profile)

Original item by Corr Lens

Excellent poem Jeremy.

Comment is about roots (blog)

Original item by jeremy young

Thank you for your compliment. I read your comments on people's works. You give meaningful advice, you appreciate, suggest changes and put so much time and effort. Thanks, again, much appreciated.

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

That's the nicest thing someone's said to me in a long tine ! Thank you :0

Comment is about The Mediocrity Curse (blog)

I know, time flies!

Comment is about Em (poet profile)

Original item by Em

Nearly a year.

Comment is about Em (poet profile)

Original item by Em

Oh Gooooooosh, Sheree gyul! You look for dat! Is t'ief you t'ief and now you tail in reeeeel trubble. Is licks like peas for you!

Comment is about Poet apologises for 'appropriations' as poems are withdrawn and book is pulped (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

really like this Laura - I can imagine that it will perform very well.
It's what a lot of us are thinking - and I wrote quite a bit of stuff up to the election but haven't been able to summon a good rant since the results yet - so good on you for getting in there :-)
Yes - 'blue collar' is one of the things getting on my tits too - as is 'for the working people' - investment bankers are 'working people' - don't try and muddy the phrase working people so idiots think 'working class'! most of the working class are either out of work or on zero hours contracts.
Oh no - I feel a rant coming on ;-)
Really good stuff
Ian

Comment is about Majority (blog)

Original item by Laura Taylor

Laura - you have SO 'got' 'Once Upon A Time' - it was literally me wandering from my home to the shops (in my head) on the street where I grew up. I kept it deliberately simply and 'moved' on to give the effect of fleetingly passing these places - so no time to really have a look at them - just impressions - and you picked that up quite brilliantly.
Thanks for commenting - pleased that you liked it :-)
Ian

Comment is about Laura Taylor (poet profile)

Original item by Laura Taylor

thanks for the kind comments on 'Once Upon A Time' Isobel. I like to visit nostalgia central once in a while - it sort of lightens my mood up a bit :-)
Pleased that you liked it
Ian

Comment is about Isobel (poet profile)

Original item by Isobel

Andy
thanks very much for commenting on 'Once Upon A Time' - a little whimsy and nostalgia - but I'm pleased that you liked it
Ian

Comment is about Andy N (poet profile)

Original item by Andy N

For the May of young lives, now deep in December,
Let us pay them their due - let us always REMEMBER!

Comment is about THE VICTORY DAY (blog)

Original item by Larisa Rzhepishevska

Thank you Patricia & Stefan. That paints a smile upon my own face.

Keep Smiling

Comment is about THE BALLAD OF BOB THE BUN (blog)

Original item by THE PEN AND THE PAGE

Brief and forceful.

Would you ever consider some words that are short-syllabled? Leaving others with more syllables to have a stronger 'voice' by contrast? Kind of like water over a brook full of uneven stones, causing the flow to make actual music. Do you have any idea what I'm talking about?

Comment is about The Struggle (blog)

Much to like in this, Martin. The passionate message rings true.

Sometimes, I just want to pull out words that, IMO, seem to slow down the strength of your lines. Because your work expresses such great ideas, bold and powerful. Maybe we could talk sometime.

See you at Sale.

Comment is about How dark (blog)

Original item by Martin Elder

I will make an effort to follow up on your work already here. I have a few hours to enjoy WOL this week.

Comment is about jeremy young (poet profile)

Original item by jeremy young

Excellent. 'the sky has a hungry air -' is superb.

Comment is about thirty years (blog)

Original item by jeremy young