Thanks to everyone who read my poem. I hope you liked it.

Comment is about SUSANNAH SELWYN (blog)

Original item by Martin Peacock

Thank you so much for liking my poem, dear friends!

Comment is about Shall We Meet December Soon? (blog)

Original item by Larisa Rzhepishevska

Thanks for your reading and comment uilleam.

I suspect the new King and Arch Bishop will continue to preach to the proles, whilst failing to apply christ like guidance to their own particular cults. Whenever it suits.

David

Comment is about Absolution (blog)

Original item by David RL Moore

Thank you Yanma for the like.

Comment is about The Lunatics are On the Move (blog)

Original item by Tobani / Nataiella

Thanks everyone and especial thanks to Auracle and Stephen.

“You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.”
― Pablo Neruda

Comment is about EVEN THE OLIVES WERE BLEEDING (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

Thank you, Graham. You mention some legends there. And thanks to Greg and Ray - there are already many countries where it is dangerous to be a proper journalist and who knows what will happen in the US once Trump's crowd get into office?

I wrote this because I am more and more convinced of the need for real, fact-based journalism, as distinct from the fact-free opinion and puff which is now everywhere. 'I get all my news from Facebook,' Oh yeah, what news exactly?
Attacks on journalists are attacks on our freedoms.

And thanks to everyone who read and liked this poem. I really appreciate it.

Comment is about Reporters (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

Also MC, do those “well-paid union members” of which you speak include the 130,000 members of the Police Federation of England and Wales, and if so, will you be objecting to their future pay-rises?

Comment is about Pensioners suffer a death sentence !!! (blog)

Original item by hugh

A beautiful, elegiac piece. The candles and glimpse of the ocean through the window guided you somewhere intriguing. It has the feel of a Hopper painting.

Comment is about Hotel Candles (blog)

Original item by Tom

Thank you M.C. & Ray - The Burning of the Leaves is a poem I remember being moved by at school and it is in an anthology I have had since then, although I don't know any other work by Laurence Binyon. I have re-read it since writing this and it was a big influence. I now need to read more Binyon.

Comment is about The leaves come down (blog)

Original item by R A Porter

Thanks David.
now in their palaces and churches,
they absolve him of his wrongs.

I'm turning over a new leaf in the New year: I'll be going to church to hear them preach the commandments "Thou shalt not kill", and "Thou shalt not steal".
I wonder what our newly-crowned Fidei Defensor ( Defender of Faith/s ) will have to say about those two!

Comment is about Absolution (blog)

Original item by David RL Moore

Thanks RBK, true love will conquer all.

Comment is about near or far of love (blog)

Original item by Red Brick Keshner

I've much to be grateful for Aisha.

Comment is about Living Life (blog)

Original item by Aisha Suleman

Thanks Tom, especially for the lovely last verse.

Comment is about Hotel Candles (blog)

Original item by Tom

MC, speaking of things ‘despicable’, the Tories, during their tenure, had neither A, the desire to ‘Stop the Boats’, B, to mend the asylum vetting system, or C, to provide safe routes.

It was in their interests, desperate as they were, to keep the xenophobic vote going.

Furthermore, the endless repetition of the accusatory term ‘illegal’, by the Thirty-Pee Lees of this world, and the motley assortment of muck-raking conspiracy theorists does not change the fact that asylum seekers are NOT ‘illegal’: I suggest you read up on the law as it applies to Asylum-seekers / Refugees.

And if, as you say, essential services, including the NHS, are at breaking point, that's disaster capitalism at its finest; the Tories had 14 years to redress the situation.

Comment is about Pensioners suffer a death sentence !!! (blog)

Original item by hugh

Thank you Aisha for the like

Comment is about The Lunatics are On the Move (blog)

Original item by Tobani / Nataiella

Enjoyed the poem very much.
behind the thin pane window -
window pane would be more usual, I'm curious about little details like that.

Comment is about Hotel Candles (blog)

Original item by Tom

Lovely Tom.

Art inspiring art is the artists greatest achievment and compliment.

David

Comment is about Hotel Candles (blog)

Original item by Tom

Thanks for your comment Ray and thanks also to Aisha and tobani for the likes.

Ray, it's a good question you ask regarding who this might be referencing. As you say, there are many candidates and I did have some specific ones in mind. However I decided to keep it open to interpretation so the reader can choose their own transgressor.

David

Comment is about Absolution (blog)

Original item by David RL Moore

Because poets can live from the wind&rain.

And somehow funny, that depression is not about money.

That love is not worth a dare, without the ability to share...

Comment is about Why Do Poets Ponder? (blog)

Original item by Marla Joy

Edited to change 'investors' to 'fat cats' - thank you Ray.

Complicated indeed, Uilleam. To mix metaphors horribly, there's quite a rabbit hole to explore where commentators argue whether it's a play within a play, within a play.

And thanks everyone else for your likes.

Comment is about Build a Better Mousetrap (blog)

Original item by Steve White

There is so much in this poem to like. I began to pick out pieces and had to stop, there were so many.
I’ll just cite the last two lines! Perfect

Comment is about Hotel Candles (blog)

Original item by Tom

My late eldest sister married an American WW2 army man and
spent her adult life thereafter in the USA. I recall her grief when her beloved son Mark - having survived service in
Vietnam - died in an industrial accident on his return home to
Louisiana, when vets. from that war were so poorly treated
in their own country. Truly, little changes for the soldiers
in our lives and that only exacerbates the grief and alienation
experienced by family and friends when they need support and
sympathy. Kipling knew his stuff.
"It's Tommy this and Tommy that - and Tommy go away,
But it's thank you Mr Atkins when the band begins to play!"

Comment is about ‘Grief never goes away …  it is almost as raw now as on the day it happened.’ A mother speaks about losing her son in Afghanistan (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

I saw the attached painting and thought it might inspire a poem. It did.

Comment is about Hotel Candles (blog)

Original item by Tom

One of the more distasteful aspects is how the media jump aboard the "wealthy pensioners" bandwagon to defend this
greedy takeaway by a political mindset that is only too ready
to put money into the pockets of its already well paid union
members and offer increased hotel accommodation to be paid for
by the ignored British/English taxpayer here in England on behalf
of illegal incursions into an already overpopulated land with
essential services at breaking point. Did I say distasteful? Upgrade that to "despicable"!

Comment is about Pensioners suffer a death sentence !!! (blog)

Original item by hugh

A modern reminder of the time of year - a fitting successor to
the fine Laurence Binyon poem "The Burning of the Leaves".

Comment is about The leaves come down (blog)

Original item by R A Porter

Nice one, Steve,
Both Shakespeare and Agatha Christie are famous for their advocacy of such devices; To this very day, Christie’s version is by far the most successful in London’s West End, indeed in the whole world. As for Shakespeare's, well that's a bit complicated...a play within a play...😉

Comment is about Build a Better Mousetrap (blog)

Original item by Steve White

Very good and very seasonal.
Men with grey faces and eyes set deep

Lie amongst leaves, longing for sleep

Haven't they already found sleep?

Comment is about The leaves come down (blog)

Original item by R A Porter

There must be many candidates, I wondered if the poem referred to anyone in particular. Last stanza is especially good.

Comment is about Absolution (blog)

Original item by David RL Moore

Thank you Stephen, Manish and Pragya for the likes

Comment is about Oh Happy Christmas Time (blog)

Original item by Tobani / Nataiella

Thanks And Welcome.

Comment is about Who Are You ? (blog)

Original item by Sourajit Nandi

Thank you Marla for the comment

Comment is about Oh Happy Christmas Time (blog)

Original item by Tobani / Nataiella

Thanks Ray (Miller) 🌷😃

Comment is about “Play It Again, Sam” (blog)

Original item by Red Brick Keshner

Yea exactly! Thank you

Comment is about Fantasy Football (blog)

Original item by Rick Varden

Sourajet, This is heartfelt and beautifully written

Comment is about Who Are You ? (blog)

Original item by Sourajit Nandi

Loved the truth telling, ( however, I am also a big fan of Christmas)

Comment is about Oh Happy Christmas Time (blog)

Original item by Tobani / Nataiella

Yes, and in other countries - Putin's Russia springs to mind - you're liable to be killed.

Comment is about Reporters (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

Thankyou, Stephen. A mature observation.

Comment is about IT AIN'T ME, BABE (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Cheers Ray! The poem might work even better if I replace 'investors' with 'fat cats'.

Comment is about Build a Better Mousetrap (blog)

Original item by Steve White

Yeah, dangerous business. I suppose in this country you're only likely to have phones and computers confiscated and spend a short time behind bars.

Comment is about Reporters (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

So play it again, Sam, don’t refrain,
Let the music erase the pain.

Nice lines

Comment is about “Play It Again, Sam” (blog)

Original item by Red Brick Keshner

I was expecting fat cats to turn up at the end, but then I've always been baffled by economics. Enjoyed the read.

Comment is about Build a Better Mousetrap (blog)

Original item by Steve White

Thanks, David, Stephen.

Comment is about Donkey Jacket (blog)

Original item by Ray

Thank you Tom M for the lovely comment

Comment is about Oh Happy Christmas Time (blog)

Original item by Tobani / Nataiella

Enjoyed this one a lot, Mike. Have messaged your inbox about it.

Comment is about Fog Over Liverpool 14/11/24 (blog)

Original item by Mike Bartram

Thanks for your point Ray. Thinking on it now the words just came to me, the idea to flee seems a suitable metaphor for the constant speed the idea of an escape more so than the insect itself which would be admittedly a bit farcical!

Yes Stephen, there is a lot to be said about the delivery culture as it spreads out and leaves behind the glory of footfall in malls.

Thanks all for your likes too: Tom, Hugh, Kevin, Larisa, David and Yanma.

Ray

Comment is about MEALS ON WHEELS (blog)

Original item by ray pool

Well done Rick!! The Fantasy Football was at Man C yesterday!!

Comment is about Fantasy Football (blog)

Original item by Rick Varden

Thank you so much for your hard work in composing what I find to be the the typical story of how many families deal with what should be a joyous time and as you rightly say in some cases can also be anything but.

Thanks so much Tobani. Look forward to your next posting

Comment is about Oh Happy Christmas Time (blog)

Original item by Tobani / Nataiella

I vividly remember John Pilger as one of the first (I think) really in-depth reporters! Some have lasted the test of time, Kate Adie springs to mind!

Comment is about Reporters (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

I think I'd give a like and a comment.

No even more than a like and a comment.

Just to read this poem.

Comment is about EVEN THE OLIVES WERE BLEEDING (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

Thanks David (RL Moore) so glad as always to have feedback come my way. Writing is fine enough but the reception part can get tricky and seems to always be the case. You are much appreciated. 😀🌷👍rbk

Comment is about ashes from your urn (blog)

Original item by Red Brick Keshner