I thought the Beatles said there were eight days (in)a week Ian? so what happened to the eighth?

ah! I know!

The big feller came to realise that two Mondays didn't go down well with working people.

mmmm,working people,a dying breed methinks
and certainly without the slightest reference
to B(W)ankers.

Seriously though,Ian,an excellent poem.x

Comment is about The Project (blog)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

a sad cautionary tale Dave.
Enjoyed,nevertheless.x

Comment is about Never More To Shine (blog)

Original item by Dave Dunn

Talking Rhythm! takes place in a cavernous back room of the Amersham Arms pub opposite New Cross station in south-east London, with a proper stage, and deep, comfortable sofas that are difficult to get out of quickly - although probably not so difficult to fall asleep in, if you’ve had a long day. However, on Monday night there were plenty of good reasons to stay awake. Guest poet AF Harrold, artfully conveying the deceptive air of a shambling academic, set the tone for the quirky, eclectic nature of the evening with his keen wit, asking members of the audience to choose random numbers to help him select his poems. Any poet who adds to the jollity of life should be cherished. Guest compere Suzanna Fitzpatrick’s poems included a pregnancy sequence, three about birds, and three “eavesdropping” ones, taking in what she described as a “now infamous” haiku. Among the open micers Scottish actor and poet Alain English gave his all with a passionate declaration in praise of artistic creativity, no matter what the price, including lack of cash or fame - “Don’t fall back, fall forward” – and a dramatic rendition of Alfred Noyes’s The Highwayman, slumping back down in the sofa after his no-holds-barred performance. Write Out Loud’s own David Andrew calmed things down for a while with three thoughtful and wide-ranging poems written during a recent break on Scotland’s inspiring Summer Isles. There was more passion and philosophical protest and rage from another guest, David Lee Morgan, although singer and guitarist Sean Bennett’s low-key approach might have benefited from making use of the mic. Harry Man came on after a fairly late break, and thanked those who had stayed on “for the night shift”. Reading from a tablet, his set included one about the history of Earth as a Facebook timeline. You did need to know a bit about fb to really appreciate it. By now, time was unfortunately getting on and I felt unable to stay for the full whack. Apologies to those who performances I missed - and thanks to Bernadette Reed and Jazzman John Clarke for inviting us to this welcoming, all-embracing venue.

Review is about Talking Rhythm! Poetry and Music Open Mic on 24 Jun 2013 (event)

LOVE the feel of this poem Katy.

We wonder,using your style,
could you come up with a poem
for the '52 hertz'competition?

we think DEFO!
we think it would go to number one-
with a rocket!xx

Comment is about Our Berlin Wall (blog)

Original item by Katy Megan

this is fantastic, i wish i had a grasp on words like you do, di xx

Comment is about observations (blog)

Original item by Rachel Bond

Cheers Steve! Many thanks for taking the time to read and comment - keep scribbling :)

Comment is about Steve Higgins (poet profile)

Original item by Steve Higgins

Cheers for the comments, folks. Living Life on the Ledge was put to music originally but I could only think of two chords to go with it. It wasn't very good, but my good friend Stollemeyer also suggested that, so will ponder on it.

Comment is about Marksy (poet profile)

Original item by Marksy

We aren't half a set of shitty ingrates, aren't we?

Comment is about The Project (blog)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

Yes, there used to be notices to that effect in the "No Women Allowed" rooms of some of the rougher pubs round here 30 years ago.

Comment is about Loose Muse spreads the love: today Manchester, tomorrow?.. (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Thanks for reading my stuff. Have you put "Living Life on the Ledge" to music?

Comment is about Marksy (poet profile)

Original item by Marksy

Did this happen to you?
Nice poem. I sometimes wish I could write funny poems about bad things that happen to me.
Good to know your O.K.

Shirley

Comment is about OWOMW (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Hi, ta for taking a look at Richard Burton. Just had a quick look at your sample poem; not many of us left that remember Peter Glaze. Best wishes, Steve

Comment is about Marksy (poet profile)

Original item by Marksy

twas jocularity dear Izzy,dear Izzy,dear Izzy
twas jocularity dear Izzy
wot yew finally got!

awww! nice to know somebody thinks we are worth a berth in their salty praises-touche! haha.

Cheers for your comp.comparing.xx

Comment is about 52 Hertz - WOL Comp (blog)

Original item by Isobel

Be Northern and proud - Steve! Anyway, Richard Burton grew up in a poor Welsh mining village. And that voice was the result of 100 fags a day and a bottle (or three) of Scotch. High price to pay.

Comment is about Sounds Like Richard Burton (blog)

Original item by Steve Higgins

Short and sweet - literally!

Comment is about Dental Records (blog)

Original item by cbyrne

The Northern accent is perfect as it is. Like all things Northern, it comes from God :)

Comment is about Sounds Like Richard Burton (blog)

Original item by Steve Higgins

:) interesting poem - up my street, if that's where I live ;)

Comment is about Arriving (blog)

Original item by Dave Bradley

Ah it was! Well, we usually take a roll with us anyway to festies, just in case, and besides, there's always other people you can beg some from :)

I didn't even consider going 'wrong' if I'm honest - but it can and does happen and I've coped before so should be okay ;)

Cheers Is - enjoyed writing it :D

Comment is about Paperless at festival - but no complaints about the Ravenstonedale loos (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

You can never guess the outcome - people have such different taste in poetry Stefan - and due to the small numbers that vote - often just one or two can make such a difference to the outcome...

I am loving reading them all - such different interpretations and such different styles.

LOL - just got the two odd socks joke! - and I would never put you two last - you are the salt of our site - just to tie in with our marine theme!

xx

Comment is about 52 Hertz - WOL Comp (blog)

Original item by Isobel

Uplifting pillar
reminds me
of a
deadly torpedo
fired once
but unfortunately
got stuck
in the
U-bend.

Comment is about June Collage Poem (blog)

Original item by Stockport WoL

The dream
escape tunnel
built underneath
this wall.

One side
bricked up
the call
was why?

Comment is about Our Berlin Wall (blog)

Original item by Katy Megan

(if we were to have a bet on the side,
in predicting the outcome)

Harry'O'Neill& Rachel Bond in a photo finish
closely followed by everyone else
closely followed by...
a pigeon on our roof
next doors cat
the local lollipop lady
two odd socks(as in 'Wondering')
then.......us!

tee hee! xx

Comment is about 52 Hertz - WOL Comp (blog)

Original item by Isobel

Harry,
Entirely autobiographical, I'm afraid. It happened a week ago.
Luckily the only casualties were metal, plastic and money.

Comment is about OWOMW (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

John,
I hope this hasn`t just happened.

(If it has, trust you to go and make a poetical
Joke/song about it!...I remember the carp one)

Glad you both seem to be okay.

(And the rhymings neat)

Comment is about OWOMW (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Hello Harry,
Thanks for your thoughts on "Cradle - A Triolet". I think I may have done this at the Gondola when I came with Our Gert a couple of years ago.
The inspiration for it was Bernard Cornwell's excellent novel "Stonehenge" which starts of page 1 with the most powerful opener I've ever read.

Comment is about Harry O`N eill (poet profile)

Original item by Harry O`N eill

Love this line:

'Smoke sifts insidiously into the lungs.'

:D

Comment is about The Bath (blog)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

Hello Ian,
Thanks for your thoughts on "Cradle - A Triolet".
I confess my start point was to find two rhymes with lots of possibilities. The inspiration came from reading "Stonehenge" by Bernard Cornwell - a source of much of my limited knowledge of history.

Comment is about Ian Whiteley (poet profile)

Original item by Ian Whiteley

Hello Cynthia,
Thankyou for commenting on "Cradle - A Triolet". Sorry you couldn't stop a little while longer.

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

Thanks for the kind words, Simon.

Comment is about £10 million for this? (blog)

Original item by steve pottinger

Thank you.

Comment is about Give him a grid reference, for the love of god. (blog)

Original item by steve pottinger

Thanks, Simon!

btw...

Since Francine pointed out that Charles Saatchi isn't a Lord (that's his brother Maurice), I've tweaked the poem slightly....

Comment is about No means... yes, Charles? (blog)

Original item by steve pottinger

once again,its time to say-yum!yum!

thanks,young K.x

Comment is about Our Berlin Wall (blog)

Original item by Katy Megan

I think I'd probably see eye to eye with your wife - I'm just the same with my kids - though I might be fighting a losing battle with my youngest.

My grandmother was from the Serrrrffff so we were all brought up to speak correctly - don't know how my mum managed it really - she must have been forever correcting us. I love being amongst northern accents though - it makes me feel at home.

Comment is about Steve Higgins (poet profile)

Original item by Steve Higgins

Practical help - now that's what I need! Thanks Dave - the problem is that whatever drops down there starts to go mouldy - it's such a stupid design!

Comment is about Wondering (blog)

Original item by Isobel

Oh - I don't know whether I'm coming or going with this poem Dave! I guess it all has something to do with perception of time.

You'll have to let me arrive at my own conclusion at a more leisurely pace :)

Comment is about Arriving (blog)

Original item by Dave Bradley

Nice one Izz - I enjoyed it. Decent DIY stores will stock plastic wood in varying shades - worth a try

Comment is about Wondering (blog)

Original item by Isobel

Well, this certainly gives pause for thought!
I believe it makes sense to me that I have arrived at not arriving to arrive ;-)

Comment is about Arriving (blog)

Original item by Dave Bradley

Hey Josh, nice to hear from a fellow Mancs. Thanks for having a read of 'Richard Burton'. It wasn't totally serious though part of me is a proud northerner, another part wishes for a voice like Burton . .
Best Wishes, Steve

Comment is about Joshua Van-Cook (poet profile)

Original item by Joshua Van-Cook

Thanks for your comments Isobel. 'Bobby Kennedy'isn't quite right yet. Princess Diana's death was probably more immediate, more shocking but as an adult I could understand it and deal with it. Kennedys shooting was more difficult to comprehend for a 12 year old who thought the good guys always win.
Richard Burton was something I wrote as my partner is a fully paid up member of the Grammar Police. On one hand I'm proud to be a northerner and this is the way us Mancunians talk but I do have deep seated wish to be more well spoken. Richard Burton is probably a pretty good example as he was a miners son from the Welsh Valleys who cutivated that wonderful speaking voice after much -I suppose- training. Thanks for stopping by, best wishes, Steve

Comment is about Isobel (poet profile)

Original item by Isobel

You can access more of my poetry including some videos by searching on line for SUBACCHI+POET.

Comment is about BARDI REVISITED (blog)

Original item by David Subacchi

I`d love to go to one of those things (in fish-net tights, and exit stage left high-kicking and singing; `When it`s apple blossom time in orange banana you were a peach of a plum`)

Comment is about Humanist Funeral Rap (blog)

Thanks for the encouragement Harry. It's Thursday actually and I'm very much 3rd string. But it should be interesting. Hope you and Yvonne enjoy your holiday.

Comment is about Harry O`N eill (poet profile)

Original item by Harry O`N eill

Dave,
I heard that you are `on` at the Bluecoat (on wednesday?) Why did you do that the week that Yvonne and I are going down to the Isle of
Whyte? We`re a bit miffed at not being able to be there rooting,
Have a good read!

Comment is about Dave Bradley (poet profile)

Original item by Dave Bradley

John,
I noted this but had my nose to the poetic grindstone.

It minds me of reading somewhere that the real business of poetry is to re-awaken the feeling of myth (a pre-religous sort of reverential awe at the existence of mystery)

The lightly chanting repetitive form of this, coupled with the references to birth and death really do re-create that mythical atmosphere.

( and - for this one - the picture fits perfectly)

Comment is about Cradle - A Triolet (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Many thanks from the thesaurusly exhausted.

Ray,
You`re right about the ending to that long
bit...I`ll try and fix it anon.

Isobel,
The Hertz `scenery` (wide echoing ocean, hopeles love call` etc;) makes it a natural for love poetry (I just didn`t have one)

John,
And it comes out smellin` of daisies.

Thanks all.

Comment is about Passing (blog)

Original item by Harry O`N eill

haha Ray I think it is too long to make its way in right now! Maybe if it was sackly? It is actually what the caterpillar says in Alice in Wonderland. Thanks for commenting.
Thanks Steve, it is sackly about them, but I haven't given up, since the way I smoke is immensely but sporadically, don't think they suit me. Yes I imagine it is in certain cricles, just like toe nails and tea cakes. But these travel bongs. They make me feel like we are in a comedy about the future. x

Comment is about Greens (blog)

Original item by Cathy Crabb

A fine piece Harry. A little worried about some of your comments though.
Isobel, I'm going to have to think about constipated love poetry. Anyone got a pencil to help me work it out??

Comment is about Passing (blog)

Original item by Harry O`N eill

Hi Cynthia

Thank you so much for your comments on my poems. I will admit I had a tear in my eye when I read them. It has really given me a well needed confidence boost for my writing, as I'm struggling a bit at the mo! x

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

Hi Isobel

Yes - you are completely right, I'm changing it! Glad you liked, I do try and write some lighter poetry sometimes x

Comment is about Isobel (poet profile)

Original item by Isobel

This is an interesting one Steve and something that's quite topical. How can you expect anyone from a particular locality to speak differently from their peers and why should they feel the need to?

And yet, there's now an instruction from the education department that teachers should be speaking and teaching the queen's English. It's going to be a hard one to enforce in the North of England - cos very many don't.

Comment is about Sounds Like Richard Burton (blog)

Original item by Steve Higgins