I, too, miss the spark and sparkle provided by Jacob, David, Rachel, Devon et al. We must remember that David (Wolfgar) did not choose to leave, he was expelled because he refused to censor his own words. Not only was he expelled but every word he contributed to our site was expunged. a draconian punishment indeed. Devon, Rachel et al left as an act of protest and of solidarity. Their absence is a grievous loss to WOL, as Tom has noted.

“What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist.”
― Salman Rushdie

Comment is about Savaged Soul (blog)

Original item by Vautaw

Indeed R!! Sadness overloaded....seems bad luck keeps tracking n tracing footsteps all the while.

Hey Brian...soulmates are one n only not multiple pairs.

Donny dear, seems I'm already on a roller coaster.... Phew!!

Thank you all!!

Comment is about It's my final end!! (blog)

Where the sun isn't only sinking fast
Every night knows how long it's supposed to last
Where the time of our lives is all we have
And we get a chance to say
Before we ease away
For all the love you've left behind
You can have mine

X

Comment is about God Rays (blog)

Original item by Vautaw

Merry Christmas to All
to all this wish.

Comment is about Christmas Wish (blog)

Original item by d.knape

I have said - clearly I would have thought - that denial is incorrect.
I have no argument with the existence of climate change but
sought to introduce some rational thinking in the wider spectrum.
The absence of any detailed information on the effects of the ongoing natural phenomena that occurs around the globe OR the
undoubted major influence of solar activity on the atmosphere is noteworthy, when NASA reports solar flares "the size of Texas"
erupting from our planet's essential life-giver. As for the subject of
the ozone hole, anyone being around then would know that it was
the precursor of today's "climate change" crusade, so I do not
understand its easy dismissal as somehow irrelevant. Perhaps
is also no recall of "methane" being a problem either?!
Cleaning up our act was mentioned by me and I stand by that
observation, not least because it includes accepted restraint on
whatever is serving to accelerate harmful effects on the atmosphere whether that be fossil fuels or other noxious
substances. Is that clear enough?
Scientists are not gods. least of all when there is NOT a consensus. The late David Bellamy incurred righteous wrath
(and he wasn't alone) for his concerns in his own later lifetime.
I will wait for answers to my questions previously posed - but
"answers came there none" seems to be the response. The
subject is indeed important...too important to be the servant
of zealots of whatever stripe.

Comment is about I Was Wrong (blog)

Original item by Don Matthews

Rob...luckily for most people their one true love does indeed live just around the corner metaphorically. Wouldn't it be tragic if one lived in Worcester and their ideal match lived in Ballybunion and they never got to meet?

Comment is about It's my final end!! (blog)

I can suggest rollercoasters as good therapy.....

Comment is about It's my final end!! (blog)

Thanks Most Caring Newberry
for you long comments on "Mother's Lament".
What you state is also true.
Becoming the "other woman" is also hard.

Comment is about Mother's Lament (blog)

Original item by d.knape

Thanks Tom of the Sea,

I am flattered.

Comment is about Tom (poet profile)

Original item by Tom

Ah, that's lovely. Thank you Ruth, same to you too. Thanks for all your encouragement, comments and poems this year. Hope you have a great festive season ? Tom

Comment is about Ruth O'Reilly (poet profile)

Original item by Ruth O'Reilly

Thanks Ruth

Thanks M C

still waiting under the mistletoe!

Don tell Ethel and Bert still working it out myself!

Happy Christmas to you all!

Comment is about That Special Someone (blog)

Original item by Nigel Astell

People say 'he/she is the only one for for me, my soulmate'. Conveniently they lived just around the corner from each other and met in the local pub. They weren't soulmates at first...they grew into it. So it follows that a replacement soulmate is possible

Comment is about It's my final end!! (blog)

Ironic that the European interlopers were obsessed with their
religious superiority/faith and treated anyone not of that belief as
disposable ignorant fodder. There are still examples of that
attitude across the world in various guises. But some things have changed for the better along the way.

Comment is about To the Ghost-dancers of the Sioux (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

Wishing you a very Happy Christmas Tom, Enjoy yourself!

Comment is about Tom (poet profile)

Original item by Tom

Wishing you a very Happy Christmas Cynthia! Stay Blessed.

Comment is about Cynthia Buell Thomas (poet profile)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas Nigel, Enjoy yourself!

Comment is about Nigel Astell (poet profile)

Original item by Nigel Astell

Wishing you very Happy Christmas Don, Stay cool, Keep safe!

Comment is about Don Matthews (poet profile)

Original item by Don Matthews

Wishing You a Very Happy Christmas Hugh, Have fun and keep writing!

Comment is about hugh (poet profile)

Original item by hugh

M.C., if this weren’t such a serious issue your denial that you are in denial about climate change would be funny. You follow it up with a barely coherent ramble where you try to change the subject to CFCs and the ozone hole, which I’m sure you are intelligent enough to know has nothing to do with climate change, and then you cast aspersions on a courageous 16 year old girl. You should be ashamed. If you are not in denial, acknowledge what is going on around you - most visibly in Australia at the moment - and what is the consensus opinion of all the world’s leading climate scientists: that the world’s climate is rapidly heating up and the principal cause is the burning of fossil fuels.

Comment is about I Was Wrong (blog)

Original item by Don Matthews

I don't usually go for introspective poems but this rhyming piece took me in.

Many poets specialise in these, or perhaps they just get stuck in the groove. Either way it would be good to see the occasional breakout.

Comment is about The Voices (blog)

Original item by Dominique Lucas

Thankyou Ruth and Brian for your comments ......yawn

Thanks to Ethel and Bert for your well-thought out comments.......

Comment is about I've Just Got a Shock About Santa (blog)

Original item by Don Matthews

We'd never be untraditional in Aus Ruth
Santa in little red shorts?
Reindeer a no no in our clime
But remove the hot beard, it abort


Just read about the Tesco sweat shop story......

Comment is about I've Just Got a Shock About Santa (blog)

Original item by Don Matthews

Eth?......

Yes luv?

He should watch where he puts his toe. He should put his glasses on......

Perhaps you should tell Ruth that.....

Good idea Eth.....Mr and Mrs Snowman would then have a happy Christmas and live happily ever after........

They can't both be he Bert. And snow melts. No happy ever afters here pet .....

You would know Eth....Miss Bethel just taught us baby Jesus......

(I take no responsibility for comments made by Ethel and Bert. They have a right to their opinion, as do we all)

?

Comment is about Mistletoe Mistakes (blog)

Original item by Ruth O'Reilly

I think it is just worth reminding ourselves that all the countries of the Americas (with the possible exception of Bolivia) were built upon the genocide of the indigenous peoples and the arrogant dismissal of the value of their civilizations (Inca, Aztec, Navajo, Sioux et al) which had taught the indigenous people to respect nature in all its manifestations. These civilizations were not perfect but the Europeans had a lot to learn from them: they learnt nothing. This mindless destruction of civilizations they neither respected nor understood, meted out by the European colonists, puts me in mind of a wireless programme I listened to recently which discussed the rampant extinction of plant species, occurring now, which have never been investigated for their possible medicinal properties. So stupid.

Comment is about To the Ghost-dancers of the Sioux (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

Woke up this morning Nigel and eyes doing this funny constant back and forth zig-zag thing. You will appreciate problem at breakfast. Optician narrowed it down to your pome. Janet did some fancy remote auto-correct for me to straighten things up but it's now upside down. But she tries poor girl No probs though Nige - I stand on my head.

Eff? Why doesn't he turn the 'puter upside down....

That is a very good suggestion coming from you Bert. Even I didn't think of it.......

(I take no responsibility for comments of Ethel and Bert. They have a right to their opinion, as do we all)

?

Comment is about That Special Someone (blog)

Original item by Nigel Astell

Thank you so much and Merry Christmas to you as well! May your season shine bright.

Comment is about My Red Chrysanthemum (blog)

Original item by Dominique Lucas

Lovely and thoughtful (as ever)

Comment is about Mother's Lament (blog)

Original item by d.knape

Their fatal failure was tribal wafare allied to an inability to assess
the danger posed by the the move west from the Atlantic covering over a century or more. The wisest among them - such as Chief Joseph - did see but it was too late by then as the likes of Sitting Bull
adjusted to a life in show business that imitated the reality that had
gone forever..

Comment is about To the Ghost-dancers of the Sioux (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

This is an exciting way of formatting a poem Nigel! I liked the line 'love wrapped without strings' for it's clever use of language.

Comment is about That Special Someone (blog)

Original item by Nigel Astell

As a film director might remark: "That's a wrap!"

Comment is about That Special Someone (blog)

Original item by Nigel Astell

I bet the santas in Austrailia are sweating dressed up in all their gear...or do Austrailian Santas wear little red shorts? Speaking of sweat...did you head about the Tesco Christmas card sweat shop news story Don?

Comment is about I've Just Got a Shock About Santa (blog)

Original item by Don Matthews

There must be a part of almost all mothers that feels the same way.
But the real love is in knowing when to let go; to settle for being "the other woman" in her son's life. yet knowing she had the power to
form the character and values her offspring possesses to see him through that life. Perhaps the most logical interpretation of that old saying telling us of the woman behind every successful man.

Comment is about Mother's Lament (blog)

Original item by d.knape

all mother's lament their child's leaving home.

Comment is about Mother's Lament (blog)

Original item by d.knape

Thank you Po! Those lines took me quite a few hours of thinking but I think they’re my favourite. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to yourself. Thank you for your constant words of encouragement ☺️

Comment is about Ghosts Passing in the Night (blog)

Original item by Cait Abbott

Unfortunately their time will not come again...the new settlers have the whip hand. And the native Americans live in government housing on reservations where they are often overweight and unemployed. Not a very poetic picture but unfortunately true.

Comment is about To the Ghost-dancers of the Sioux (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

Cheers Don
for your comment on
"thinking sideways"
Tommy

Comment is about Don Matthews (poet profile)

Original item by Don Matthews

Cheers Martin
for your comment on
"thinking sideways"
Tommy

Comment is about Martin Elder (poet profile)

Original item by Martin Elder

Warm Christmas wishes
to all
and hope Krampus
on you
does not call.

Comment is about Stockport WoL (group profile)

Original item by Stockport WoL

Eye tester for sure thanks Don

Comment is about That Special Someone (blog)

Original item by Nigel Astell

Nice Nigel.....(serious comment)

Also provided horizontal exercise for my eyes......(also serious comment)

?

Comment is about That Special Someone (blog)

Original item by Nigel Astell

Kporho, take no notice of us. We know little about the finer side of poetry .

Brian is obviously unaware that a fan waves when it is waved, Hence wavy fanny.

My Bert likes your poem cos you mentioned his favourite kindy teacher Miss Bethel...

(no offence intended as you will no doubt be aware....).

Comment is about Home (blog)

Original item by Kporho Raphael Oyeke

Wavy fanny???!!!

Comment is about Home (blog)

Original item by Kporho Raphael Oyeke

Note -
The EU (masquerading as "Europe") likes to flex its political muscles
It's merely a question of whether you want the UK run by Brussels?

Comment is about The Ballad of Brexit (blog)

Original item by mike booth

Denial is incorrect. Ironically, Australia is a primary exporter of
coal. But I'm old enough to remember the initial reports of this
ongoing crusade, starting with the reports of the "expanding"
ozone hole above the Antarctic, about as distant from the effect
of human industry as can be imagined - blamed on CFCs from
refrigerators. No reference to the extensive volcanic emissions in the area or elsewhere, or their presence beneath and above the sea across the world. Things have gathered pace since with the
global media involved - always keen to extend its reach and
influence. Its current fascination with young Greta Thunberg is a
good example: note the total absence of any information about
just who is funding her travels and her absences from school as
spreads the word. That omission can only engender questions in
balanced thinking. And that brings to mind a warning of yesteryear
- to follow the money. When billions are earmarked for the
"fight", it is rational to enquire about the hows, whys and whos.
By all means let us do ALL we can to clean up our act - wherever
we live - but let us keep our heads. By the way, the ozone hole
above the Antarctic has shrunk again - says NASA. The how and
why aren't explained. .
Happy New Year to us all !

Comment is about I Was Wrong (blog)

Original item by Don Matthews

Thanks Danny and Jeannot for the likes ?

Comment is about The Truth Is Sadness (blog)

Original item by Tom

The Electric Chair - Thanks for looking in Don - no - not the neckline of the pretty dental nurse - the poem of course - mind you …. ?

Comment is about Don Matthews (poet profile)

Original item by Don Matthews

Eff?... Trevor suggests I go in the local Christmas panto. It might help me lose some weight.

Good suggestion Trevor. It never occurred to me. I need to wake him up and get him out of his lounger first.

Wouldn't you know. He's gone back to sleep again...

Snore......

?

Comment is about Irresolution (blog)

Original item by Trevor Alexander

Yawn's the word!

Comment is about I've Just Got a Shock About Santa (blog)

Original item by Don Matthews

Thale?

Yes Don?

It's Santa Graham again!

They've been telling me fibs. And he is a him.

Thankyou for restoring my belief system Graham......


Eff?.....

Yes luv?.....

That Graham has true Christmas spirit.......

WOLers are like that luv......

Is that sleigh bells I can hear?.....

No, it's the rollercoaster next door.....

I wish I could join them.......

Have you checked Tesco for anti-rollercoaster sickness pills yet luv....

No, it's an effort. Yawn.....

Comment is about I've Just Got a Shock About Santa (blog)

Original item by Don Matthews

Sheesh! you sound in a bad way over there Mike.....

You don't mention cappuccino's off the menu. Thalia (my Muse of Mirth) drinks Earl Grey (sips ladylike from a china teacup). How British can you get? Seems she's safe. My coffee could be on the iffy list.....

We wait and see what comes out in the wash.....

?

Comment is about The Ballad of Brexit (blog)

Original item by mike booth