Definitely, Julian. It'll be fun. And we'll get you working! Then Write Out Loud can cover all the other events I couldn't get to this year ...

Comment is about Liz Berry and Jonathan Edwards talk about winning prizes (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Nah, not advertising. Reviewing though, you do so well. More please!

Comment is about Hollie McNish in Manchester, 2015 (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

A grand review, Judy. I love the lines you choose to quote, but especially the ' little rescue rafts on an uncertain sea'.

There's poetry in your words of review, too: landscapes awash with colour and watery, windy atmospheres

Brilliantly done.

Comment is about Farewell to John Rylands library with readings full of illuminations (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Thanks for the kind comments on 'Something To Say' Steve - much appreciated - I was hoping to come and see you and Laura in Wigan on 16th May - and can't now because I've got a gig in Wakefield. May try to catch you in Chester on the 17th if I'm back in time.
Ian

Comment is about steve pottinger (poet profile)

Original item by steve pottinger

Jo, not generous, just the truth. I was reading your canal poems before I turned in at the end of a long, hard, but of course immensely enjoyable day at Wenlock. I love 'em.

Comment is about Let's hear it for the canal laureate: Jo Bell fans whoop it up (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Just say that Jo's lock gates poem is immediately overlooked by a window of the Red and Green Club - a historic socialist club - where we run the Write Out Loud Risk a Verse each month.

Comment is about Let's hear it for the canal laureate: Jo Bell fans whoop it up (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Thanks Greg, a generous write-up and glad to know you were there. I hope you joined in the singing too ;)

Comment is about Let's hear it for the canal laureate: Jo Bell fans whoop it up (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Lovely write up, Greg, and a couple of laugh-out-louds. it sounds fab. Maybe next year?

Comment is about Liz Berry and Jonathan Edwards talk about winning prizes (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Thanks chaps for your comments and glad you enjoyed the review :)

'Racy enthusiasm' Harry? Heh - liking that ;) I don't think I'm really cut out for the advertising world though. I can only 'sell' what I seriously enjoy ;)

If you get the chance to see her - just go.

Comment is about Hollie McNish in Manchester, 2015 (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

I wish someone would put a little 'like' button on here. If they did you'd be getting lots of likes from me Natalie. This one is excellent,
best wishes, Steve

Comment is about Love Me; Let Me Be (blog)

Powerful stuff Preeti,
best wishes, Steve

Comment is about Obligatory (blog)

Cheers Martin re "is this what borders do". Tommy

Comment is about Martin Elder (poet profile)

Original item by Martin Elder

This is lovely Preeti.

Comment is about Trading places (blog)

Thanks for reading and your comments, Cynthia. I hadn't considered a series but I will do now. Thanks again

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

Great post! Thanks for taking the time to post about this. I'll be sure to check out your other posts and the rest of the site, regards.

https://dhctranslations.com

Comment is about Poetry Crowd translation wiki project beta (group profile)

Original item by Poetry Crowd translation wiki project beta

A big thx to Greg for putting this obituary up at such short notice - without it some of Glenys' friends would have missed the funeral. It meant a lot.

We are currently speaking to Glenys' friends at the folk club with the idea of putting on a poetry and music night in celebration of her life. When we have some details I shall post them here and email people.

It will be nice to do something positive in her memory; good too to see everyone in a way that she would have wanted, with poems, songs and smiles.

Comment is about Glenys Feeney: north-west poet and compere 'with sparkling wit' (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Hello again Cynthia,

Many thanks for the kind words on 'Revelation'. I'm glad you liked it.

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

You have covered a lot of ground here. Have you ever considered a 'series' in which you might develop one aspect at a time? The metaphor is excellent and well-constructed.

Comment is about Concrete Eyes (blog)

I'm sure your accent is lovely, Cynthia! I just put that one on WOL because I wanted to post poem and photo up as a link on my Facebook page. Glad you liked it.

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

Short and punchy, with a lot packed into a few words. 'You bore me' is probably the deadliest sentence one can ever say to a 'friend/lover'. Far worse than 'I don't love/like you anymore.'

Plus it is skillfully crafted.

Comment is about You Bore Me (blog)

Very much enjoyed. and I agree with Lea's line selection. Although 'felt his guts in his mouth' is a close second.

Comment is about sonnet of the hanged man (blog)

Original item by jeremy young

Enjoyed this, Preeti. Fine points well made.

Comment is about Trading places (blog)

There's always learning weather we want to or not :((((

Comment is about A Learning Love (blog)

There's always learning weather we want to or not :((((

Comment is about A Learning Love (blog)

I know exactly what you're feeling with this one

Comment is about You Bore Me (blog)

Hard world we're living in .....

Comment is about Concrete Eyes (blog)

So beautiful, but with a sense of loss for what you must have had once...

Comment is about You Bore Me (blog)

HI Nat, I love the honesty of this one, particularly 'You talk about...well worn window' - brought a little smile to my face xx

Comment is about You Bore Me (blog)

Love this Jeremy, favourite lines are 'the joylessness of the lightdwellers/ in their constant fear of darkness'.

Comment is about sonnet of the hanged man (blog)

Original item by jeremy young

Brilliant.

Comment is about sonnet of the hanged man (blog)

Original item by jeremy young

That's a great review of a wonderful poet, and makes me wish I'd been there.... Nice one, Laura!

Comment is about Hollie McNish in Manchester, 2015 (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Thanks Harry - as the blog mistress the feedback re the design is appreciated and keeps me smiling :)

Comment is about Shirley-Anne Kennedy (poet profile)

Original item by Shirley-Anne Kennedy

Thanks for your comments Shirley- Anne, Like Ian, I was
very impressed by the design of the poetry blog. (and also the number of female poet`s contributing on a war theme)

Comment is about Shirley-Anne Kennedy (poet profile)

Original item by Shirley-Anne Kennedy

I liked this Mike but I feel a little short-changed in the last two verses (only three lines each). The four liners scan much better. A gentle, if heartfelt piece.
Good work!

Graham

Comment is about Learning to live, without loving you (blog)

Laura,
I like the racy enthusiasm of this, and particularly the way you lead into your paragraphs. There seems to be
a career waiting ahead of you as some sort of advertising
writer (you certainly demonstrate how to `sell` what you
are writing about.) This makes me sorry I missed the gig.

Well done!

Comment is about Hollie McNish in Manchester, 2015 (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Chris,
On behalf of all of us poets who benefited so much from the efforts of the three of you, many thanks for your
praises of Glenys at her funeral service...it was an honour
to be there.

(and what a happy photo)

Comment is about Glenys Feeney: north-west poet and compere 'with sparkling wit' (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Thanks Natalie; welcome to the debate. I've not had this kind of response before, it's ace. It keeps me on my toes, and confirms the fact that frequently, I post in haste.

Comment is about A PENNY / LOST IN THOUGHT / THINK ON (blog)

Laura, this is a wonderful review of a wonderful event. Amongst many great observations, you point out that a poetry gig attracted 400 audience members on a Wednesday night. The popularity of this poet – and of poetry in general – is surely something that we should all share your delight about. As I'm sure you know, Hollie McNish's poem, 'Mathematics', has built up almost 2 million 'Likes' on Facebook (an astounding 1, 905, 688 the last time I looked!). I think her poem demonstrates the importance of poetry to our culture and society in a very special way: Hollie puts her poetic finger onto a bone of contention which affects so many of our lives. By directly challenging the simplistic view that each immigrant to the UK 'steals' a British worker's job, she articulates an argument that very many of us have had to make in the pub, in the street, on social media etc. She's given us peaceful ammunition for that battle and a secure point of identification for now and the future. Also, by answering that reductive view with the intricate imagery of her poem, she's given us one of the most perfect and pleasing examples of unified form, content, context – and political purpose. Thanks for helping to bring this to yet more readers' attention, Laura.

Comment is about Hollie McNish in Manchester, 2015 (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

OMG! my flabber has never been so ghasted!
my dis has never been so gusted!
my ap has never been palled!
my as has never been so tounded

as for my jealousy? I'm oozing it! having missed out on what must have been the exploding birth of a fantastic era.

Free love and all that jazz( and rock and roll)
Good 'un Mr Wilde.x

Comment is about 9teen6ties pill popping pussy hunter (blog)

Thanks for the comment John. I'm thinking of going teetotal after having a bad allergic reaction to some mild.

Comment is about Stout (blog)

Original item by Hazel Connelly

Thanks chaps :) It was a total pleasure to write this review - was so charged up with enthusiasm it just flew out of my fingers! :D

Comment is about Hollie McNish in Manchester, 2015 (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Okay gents, here's the latest version; if it's not to your liking, so be it. Colin, don't butt out - comment is the reason I'm here. Graham, thanks, but it's not melancholy I'm seeking to describe; rather it's annoyance at my own vacillation that i see as driving the poem. Keep it coming, though.

Comment is about A PENNY / LOST IN THOUGHT / THINK ON (blog)

I personally wouldn't change the original but as per the others comments this might work.

I think of you as resolute
I think of you as brave
my melancholy is absolute;
I’m flotsam on a wave.

Comment is about A PENNY / LOST IN THOUGHT / THINK ON (blog)

Thankyou Steve for taking the time to read my post " is this what borders do?" It's appreciated. Tommy

Comment is about steve pottinger (poet profile)

Original item by steve pottinger

How to turn a palaver into a poem? For every fifty pages of palavers one comes out good (eventually).

For me 'irresolute' looks back to 'resolute' in an easy opposite sort of way. But the next line is such a strong image I feel I want to change 'resolute' to something that carries me forward into 'I'm flotsam on a wave.' Lots of good rhymes for resolute (pollute springs to mind and links to flotsam) but there's other choices than mine.

But hey, this is your poem so I'll butt out. Must admit though, it's starting to grow on me. x

Comment is about A PENNY / LOST IN THOUGHT / THINK ON (blog)

Blimey, what a palaver. I think i'll keep all the 'thinks' in the first verse, but i think you're right about using the last two lines from version 2. In fact, the last 4 lines might shift over nicely. What's wrong with' irresolute'? It echoes 'resolute' and describes the feeling precisely, so unless you can persuade me otherwise, i'm keeping it. Thanks for taking the time Colin, much obliged.

Comment is about A PENNY / LOST IN THOUGHT / THINK ON (blog)

A really well-crafted and very readable review, that knocked me for six, Laura.

Comment is about Hollie McNish in Manchester, 2015 (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

I think you've thinked yourself into a corner Trav. I'm with Graham, prefer the orig but I'd ditch 3 'I thinks' from the first 4 lines and swap irresolute for something new. I'd also pinch the last 2 lines of the rewrite and work them into the last 4 of the orig. Looking forward to version 3 tomorrow. No pressure! x

Comment is about A PENNY / LOST IN THOUGHT / THINK ON (blog)

"Time's winged chariot", eh, MC?
There are certainly no wings on my feet these days.

Comment is about PASSING FEET (blog)

Original item by M.C. Newberry

Graham,you are an occifer and a gentleman! (as they say when having necked too much SC) As to where it all went wrong? I think it was round about the time I first heard the two dreaded words-I'm pregnant! If only I had owned a Sturmey Archer at that point in time! foiled again! drat! xx

Comment is about 9teen6ties pill popping pussy hunter (blog)