As you know already Don this is one of my favourites of yours. I love trees, It's exactly what I'd love instead of a headstone. Happy to see you post this.

Comment is about The Oak (blog)

Original item by Don Matthews

May God accept your prayers and fulfills your every dream
May God bless you with ample means to create a land of your dreams

Beautifully penned!!

Comment is about If I wrote a note to God (blog)

Original item by Zhar2020

I have a dream!
To build a land
Where purity flows
From door to door
Where love flows
From heart to heart
Where peace flows
From soul to soul
Bringing happiness
Laughter and joy for all
The poor, lame, weak and old
Building a land
Where happiness flows!!!

Comment is about If I wrote a note to God (blog)

Original item by Zhar2020

You have a way with words, Eric! Thanks for sharing! ?

Comment is about Eric Berard (poet profile)

Original item by Eric Berard

send flowers.

Comment is about Black Friday (blog)

Original item by d.knape

Oh Caroline..hmmmm.....now i know where your heart goes, meeting her for physiotherapy.... Don will be Don.?

Comment is about Hither-Thither Rehab (blog)

Original item by Don Matthews

I only fell off a ladder and fractured my pelvis so I could be molly coddled by nurse Caroline. She missed me when I left. Thalia also says men will be men....

?

Comment is about Hither-Thither Rehab (blog)

Original item by Don Matthews

Definitely the same for Prime Minister. I hope you're installed in your rightful place soon. ? cheers.

Comment is about How to Start a Revolution (blog)

Original item by Randy Horton

Hey Po, i read your poem, it is amazingly deep as always. Coincidences just happen or was it destined (winks n smiles)

Thank you dear Po? n yes this poem is dedicated to you.

Comment is about An elated tree!! (blog)

Thank you Robert.?

Comment is about An elated tree!! (blog)

What a strong write!! Was quite heavy for my mind....is everything ok Jason? Just felt so damned.....left me Wondering why why why?

Comment is about Damned (blog)

Original item by Jason Bayliss

Now i know why Don goes to rehab so often
It's not a mental problem that you have
It's for those lovely nurses that's why you booked a bed
Phew!!! Men will be men....?

Comment is about Hither-Thither Rehab (blog)

Original item by Don Matthews

I ain't really able to connect with the past development of this piece.
But i must say tree n orchards are growing fast in Wol.....afforestation work in progress...
Bu the underlying theme is what makes this poem a masterpiece.... Conveyed deep n meaningful verses.

Comment is about The Oak (blog)

Original item by Don Matthews

Cheers Brian, mine too mate, mine too.

J. x

Comment is about The Bones Of Winter (blog)

Original item by Jason Bayliss

Thanks Po, wasn't sure where I was going with this, narratively, but then I just let it draw to its own natural conclusion, I think. Hope it was ok.

J. x

Comment is about Damned (blog)

Original item by Jason Bayliss

Yes I remember this Don, it was a genuinely beautiful piece and deeply appreciated. The concept of a living headstone, i.e. a tree has become such a meaningful one to me that I've decided that that's what I want for my funeral too. J. x

Comment is about The Oak (blog)

Original item by Don Matthews

I do agree brightside.....small things do matter, but they only appear small.
Stay happy n blessed!!

Comment is about Pain (blog)

Original item by Zhar2020

giving is better than receiving
in the long run
what you acquire does not make you happy
what you give to others
does.

Comment is about M.C. Newberry (poet profile)

Original item by M.C. Newberry

Do.RoThy I'm grateful for the blessings I have in my life no matter how big or small! Sometimes it's the small simple things that generally have the biggest impact. But thank you for your comments.

Robert never a true word said. Strength through suffering. What dont kill you only makes you stronger.

And Po

That's what I'm trying to show, that I'm a average human. Who felt like the worlds ended yet I'm still here alive and embracing life!!

Comment is about Pain (blog)

Original item by Zhar2020

The whole honours system is a crock of shit much of which is paid for by allegiances support or plain donation.
Greg is right. Poets should have a poetry medal, sportsmen/women a sports award etc. make them relevant!

Comment is about George the Poet: 'Why I turned down an MBE' (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

I like everything about this Robert. The short lines and stanzas.

Po's comments I also like......

Comment is about forward reflection (blog)

Original item by Robert C Gaulke

The key words in your second comment, MC, are "arguably" and "was". The rest is extremely hypothetical. My point remains. Like it or not, yearn for it as you may, the British Empire does not exist any more. People do need to be reminded of that fact, perhaps today more than ever. It's time for a new label, surely?

Comment is about George the Poet: 'Why I turned down an MBE' (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

I 'discovered' Pete Atkin in the early 70's, saw a few of his gigs, and bought his albums. It took me a while to realise that Clive wrote the high quality lyrics. Clive has been on borrowed time for years, but a sad loss nevertheless.

I can recommend the albums.

Comment is about Clive James, who turned to poetry to 'start saying goodbye', dies aged 80 (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Do.RoThy I was blinded to the negatives for a long time till it consumed my every through.

It sent me down a bad path, but then life is funny like that.

When things look bad something blindsides you and everything just balances out. Sort of like an equilibrium.

It takes a better man to forgive the wrong doing that's been done to him. I couldn't have been more happier

Comment is about Vengeance (blog)

Original item by Zhar2020

Thanks for your lengthy comment Po. You cover a lot of ground and you believe some interesting things.
On at least one thing we agree, life after death has nothing to do with religion.

Life after death and life before death are gifts from The Living God, giver and sustainer of all life. It is given to us once to live (this life) and then comes judgement. God will justly judge who will spend eternity with Him and who will spend eternity separated from Him.
When The Lord Jesus said that in his Father's house were many mansions and the he was going to prepare a place for them, he was speaking to his disciples. He followed on to say that no one comes to the Father except by him.

For me poetry (in fact all art) is principally about communication. The most important thing about communication is the content. Someone may sing a song very sweetly but what does the song say and is what it is saying true? So let me be clear about The Enemy.
The man who has entered into the jaws of death and whose blood has doused death's sting is Jesus Christ the Son of God.

We can only surely know those things about life after death that God has told us. All else is at best speculation, at worst fabrication.
The Lord Jesus, praying to the Father, said, “This is life eternal that they may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
In him and him only is there victory over the enemy.
Go well
><>

Comment is about The Enemy (blog)

Original item by afishamongmany

Thanks John. I just discovered her and am now on a blues binge!

Comment is about Go Fish (blog)

Original item by Vautaw

One of a kind in his ability to combine humour and a perceptive
human warmth in his personality and his writing. I recall his TV
shows with affection, a fitting and, in many ways, a life enhancing personification of the interviewer/chat show host. His writing was
to be a fine farewell to a life in the public eye - one that now sees his name take its place in the public memory for as long as the
written word exists. I think he would have settled for that !

Comment is about Clive James, who turned to poetry to 'start saying goodbye', dies aged 80 (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Hi Don -
May you have recourse to your rehab bed as often as you need it.
It sounds like a medically approved version of a small attentive hotel.

Comment is about Hither-Thither Rehab (blog)

Original item by Don Matthews

Good positive stuff cogently expressed.
If I might bring another oldster's view - suitably adapted:
For what we are about to leave
May the Lord make us truly grateful.

Comment is about What I Am Thankful For (blog)

Original item by d.knape

This nominee might do well to consider the following in context..
The history of humanity has been littered with "empires" going back
thousands of years. The British Empire was certainly widespread
and arguably the most benevolent of all of them. It should be
remembered that it was the wall against which Hitler and his allies
banged their collective heads in their efforts to bring the "abyss" to
the free world. Had they succeeded, places like Africa would have
become sources of disposable human resource - fodder for the
slave labour/death camps perfected by the Third Reich and the
Japanese. This nominee would not exist to be able to say no to
a medal that includes its "British Empire" reference.

Comment is about George the Poet: 'Why I turned down an MBE' (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

What a way to finish Emma. Bravo!

I get the impression that there areother enmotions deperate to get out. Was there reluntance??

Let's have some more.
Raj

Comment is about Inside a house (blog)

Original item by Emma-Jane Stradling

Hi Brian -always a good to hear from you. The basic premise of the NHS being free for patient access is its most valuable and
prized quality. Problems have arisen that have their likely cause
in an increase in patient demand (more needy people!!) and a
political failure to "keep up" - with front ;line staff seeming to take
second place to the administration/executive brigade - hardly in
the "sharp end" interest of patient care!! Thanks also for your
comment on Animal Farm 2019.
P and DM - thanks for your comments - always appreciated.

Comment is about NHS STRESS KILLS (blog)

Original item by M.C. Newberry

Breathless read!! Painful reality....unconditional love flows romantically..... May you be blessed with an extremely loving partner till eternity. Everything has an end, so does pain, much has been endured, just a little remains, after which god will change the game, happiness shall trace you faster than the pain, love will grip you more than pain, happy tears will blurr your vision and nothing else will ever stand between them. It's just a few miles left, keep going right, don't ever turn left. The angel is standing with you till eternity. Smile and just love. N be happy!!!

Comment is about Pain (blog)

Original item by Zhar2020

Ah, Po. I keep well hid that I am secretly a right clever sod!

Comment is about THE FOUR-DAY WORKING WEEK (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Great poem, Vautaw and excellent video of Fish.

Comment is about Go Fish (blog)

Original item by Vautaw

What a splendid response. I'm never sure when I've pushed reader tolerance too far. But I always rationalize; we are all thinkers, or we wouldn't 'write'.

Good point 'fish', although it 'shifts' the word order.

I was actually considering 'stand' as metaphor as well, as in 'where do you place yourself' in any situation, physical, social or mental/intellectual.

Comment is about Rules! What Rules? (blog)

Original item by Cynthia Buell Thomas

Jason - my own bones are feeling decidedly wintry just now!

Comment is about The Bones Of Winter (blog)

Original item by Jason Bayliss

Thanks Tom. And thanks for the “Likes” Adam and Vautaw.

Comment is about THE OLDER I GET THE BETTER I WAS (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Thank you again, Vautaw.

Comment is about Unattainable you (blog)

Original item by Jon Stainsby

Thank you, Vautaw.

Comment is about Sorry, I missed me (blog)

Original item by Jon Stainsby

Brilliant poem Jon. ?

Comment is about Sorry, I missed me (blog)

Original item by Jon Stainsby

“The waves bowed down”... love this one Jon❣️

Comment is about Unattainable you (blog)

Original item by Jon Stainsby

Many thanks to you both for these generous words. I truly appreciate them.

Best wishes,

Chris

Comment is about Everything Must Go (blog)

Original item by Chris Hubbard

Love this John, both the poem and your reading of it. Excellent stuff.

Comment is about THE OLDER I GET THE BETTER I WAS (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Thanks, Brian. The saying seems to be credited to several sources, including the golfer Lee Trevino.

Comment is about THE OLDER I GET THE BETTER I WAS (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Well done John. As I read it I was reminded of a Max Boyce song/poem back in the 70's...god knows what it was. Perhaps "I know, because I was there".

Comment is about THE OLDER I GET THE BETTER I WAS (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

When I googled this for an accompanying picture I found this video by Big Joe Shelton and the Black Prairie Blues Ambassadors which certainly puts my little piece to shame.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAKhscn_7nk

Comment is about THE OLDER I GET THE BETTER I WAS (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Thank you Po for your constant support!!?

Comment is about Steps followed! (blog)

If followed can change the world...for the change begins within first...well written!!

Comment is about Proportions (blog)

Original item by Jason Bayliss

Keep us updated Sarah, sounds tense! ><>

Comment is about Keep Office Sue onside (blog)

Original item by Sarah Louise mcnee