Warning: contains references to suicide. As I sank into the depths of alcoholismdepression and despair not a soul around me seemed to careexcept the man who stood next to me on the tubewhose angry eyes seemed to say ‘how dare you stand so close to me?’Perhaps I didn’t smell too good: Sorry mate, did I spoil... Continue Reading →
Sometimes frustration gets the better of mebecause I’m stuck doing geography in a language I don’t fully understandinstead of writing poetry. Sometimes I write poetry in the bathroom.Sometimes I long to be alone a little while, with no demands on me.I wonder why the children are climbing the walls, running round the housein circles, spiralling, spillingtoys... Continue Reading →
This week's challenge was to write a pantoum poem, which reads like a poetic waterfall. We have had another fantastic response to this challenge and I'm sure our judge and last week's winner, Nick Reeves had an unenviable task. Here is Nick, in his own words: Judge's Comments Oh, Pantoum! The word has been rolling... Continue Reading →
Seven Sisters road runs fromsomewhere intersecting thesweep of Holloway Road andslightly seedily on toSouth Tottenham, travellingSouth West to North East: neverspeak of starlight, City blind. Written for dVerse Poetics: Stars that count. Laura is hosting tonight and has asked us to write a 'Pleiades poem.' I found this incredibly hard, but had to try. I... Continue Reading →
It is the winter of this strangest yearwhen closeness equalled danger and aloneconsidered safe, we faced the fear of life in dull dejected isolation. Or else, locked down inside the lion’s denwe found ourselves imprisoned, desperate for some source of escape, a hand, a friendwe hoped for help, but help arrived too late. For what shall we... Continue Reading →
G'day readers! More madcap mayhem with a serious twist from the mind of Aussie poet Don Matthews today. If you like this, you'll love Don's very own website, The Flippant, Comic, and Serious. If you're lucky you may even get to meet Priscilla, the Cat of Many Colours (featured in one of her many guises... Continue Reading →
Your crystal waters plummet from their sourceat Slap Savica: powerful, rainbow-paintinghere at the origin, you find your voiceand down into the valley, let it sing silently, reflectively at firstin limpid pools and under boulders, whispersecrets to serenely sleeping Earthand those who would disturb her quiet slumber not out of ignorance, to aggravatebut hoping to hear... Continue Reading →
Happy Birthday to you:I hope you’re not unhappywith all the lives we’ve put you throughfrom the Northlands of Englandto the Capital, onto Spain-Barcelona, to Malaga, down then back up to Sloveniawhere to go next?I hope you’re preparedbut it’s so much to ask of an 8-year-old boywho’s experienced so muchthat it fills me with joy:how you rose to the task.So... Continue Reading →
Like an affair with a half-remembered loverI wouldn’t say I’m happy that it’s over; but rather thatI no longer need you: my heart is light. Frank hosts at dVerse tonight, and he has asked us to write a Jisei, or death poem, celebrating the onset of the northern winter. I wouldn't say I'm ever happy to see the end... Continue Reading →
The pantoum is a poetic form which originated in Malaysia, where it was developed from the form pantun berkait, a series of quatrain stanzas within which the lines are intricately woven. I discovered this form for myself by reading poetry on WordPress, and it immediately appealed to me because of its lyrical nature, and its... Continue Reading →
