Heather Moulson

Poetry Dinner Party

Hello Poetry Lovers,

Now I usually have a bit of a block with dinner parties – meaning I avoid them like the plague!

However, not this one, I’d be breaking down the door to attend, and I wouldn’t be fashionably late either! I’d be the first in the queue.

Clever poet Trisha Broomfield has created an ideal poetry dinner party which everyone in town would dream of being invited to. An equivalent to Truman Capote’s Black & White Balls in Manhattan. What a great piece, Trisha, thank you so much

Dinner Party Verse

Begin with simple couplets,

(You don’t want to overwhelm your guests).

Serve a sparkling Villanelle (shows a knowledge of form)

place bowls of acrostic around the table

Offer a choice of meaty sestina or light cinquain,

season with vowels (a and e only)

this course is best accompanied with a light lyric,

or a more full bodied pantoum, one glass per guest.

Make allowances for any guest who may have haiku,

and those who require a triolet break.

Nonets will calm digestion,

you may include free verse for those rhyme sensitive.

Dessert, serve softened sonnets.

For a bit of sauce, spoon over senryu.

Limericks to finish and a selection of epigrams.

And all will be well.

©TB

Wasn’t that a great dinner party, PL’s?!

Certainly the talk of the town! Fantastic Trisha, please host another one sooon!!

Now, I would like to see some of Your poetry table concoctions, PL’s. Follow Trisha’s good example and get that recipe to me Now!!

Thanks for tuning in, we’ll be back real sooon…..

Poetry Soup

Hello Poetry Lovers

Well, I keep hearing the words Poetry Soup lately and I couldn’t resist sharing my family poetry recipes. All out of my dog eared poetry cookbook, natch. I hope this piece inspires some great poetry meals…..

Poetry Soup

Put in some vowels

Cook on a low heat

until they grow

Then throw in some rhymes

and a drizzling of syllables

before pouring in some humour

Cook till there is genuine warmth

and interpretation

At the least you’ll be simmering

a nice juicy triolet

At the most an alphabet form.

Left to mature they could become

a duplex or a chant

Tuck in and enjoy

Alternatively fry 17 syllables with some nature

and creative oil for a haiku. Or 11 words

for a tasty Elfchen. Avoid limericks if you can.

Skinny poems go on a more medium heat but beware of lines 2, 6 and 10. Do not over season.

Or just throw some ideas in a big pan haphazardly for a free form piece.

For a Trimeric broth, or a Golden Shovel stew, see page 17

For the more ambitious who want to make a

villanelle or sestina, use your slow cooker for

several hours.

For an epic poem simmer overnight.

Be wary that the dactylic hexameters and stressed syllables don’t over cook.

I hope you jotted these recipes down, PL’s, because I want to see the finished products. I know you’ll brew up a fine concoction. A Ghazal pie perhaps? Or a couplet soufflé? The possibilities are endless.

Thanks for tuning in, PL’s. We’ll be back with more poetry action real soon….

Skinny Corner

Sigh! If only this was true, Poetry Lovers. However, if I’m not skinny, my poem today definitely is. I love the structure of the skinny poem and here is my own effort.

Mirrors have always been a bit eerie and wicked stepmother-ish and bottomless. I feel the one in this piece is no exception. I hope you like it.

Skinny Mirror

My face in the mirror

Bored

Flawed

Crabby

Shabby

Bored

Tainted

Painted

Forlorn

Bored

The mirror on my face

H Moulson 2023

Now I know without even asking you that you have a skinny poem in you. Send in on a postcard please…….

Thanks for tuning in, PL’s. Stay tuned for more poetry action real soon…..

To Carla

Hello Poetry Lovers

We were all shocked and saddened at the sudden passing of Carla Scarano. Not only a talented poet but a beautiful human being.

A big part of my amazing poetry journey, Carla was supportive every step of the way. A prolific writer with her reviews and stunning poetry, Carla also kept up a busy and absorbing website. I couldn’t stop being impressed by Carla and her beautiful work.

We, at Poetry Performance, had the honour of Carla reading for us on Sunday 5th March (2023). So my memory of her is very recent indeed.

Carla was so vibrant, looking lovely and reading beautifully, translating English into Italian. The whole room was impressed.

In the interval, me and my friend Mary sat down with Carla and had a lovely deep talk about Italy and her background. I’m so happy we did that. Such a lovely memory of a lovely person.

Talking of memories, at the Lightbox in Woking some years ago, Carla on her recent return from visiting Canada, put out lovely and intricate cards on the tables. Each one had a Margaret Atwood poem. Along with some chocolates. That’s the kind of generous person Carla was. Chocolate long gone, but I still have one of those beautiful cards.

Also, on my last very recent visit to the Lightbox, Carla gave out chocolate heart sweets to us. Such a lovely gesture.

Carla will be so sadly missed. As my ‘regulars’ know, I had the honour of interviewing Carla in June last year. (Link below). I also reviewed her two talented collections

Adoring these personal collections both, I will post one from Carla’s current book Workwear. It was hard to choose but I’ve selected Good Friday. There are many personal classy poems in this collection but this piece truly reflected Carla’s Italian roots and her new life in England.

Good Friday

I was surprised to see you at church

on Good Friday,

the day of betrayal and killing,

when we kiss the naked body on the cross

and cry for all our losses.

You were there with your deaf mother,

I was there with mine and her elderly friends.

We quickly caught up fifteen years,

my move to England, the new job,

my son’s wedding, graduations,

my father’s death and my mum living happily.

You were just the same, unmarried,

helping old relatives

organizing their lives and yours,

travelling alone mostly,

your sister pulling out.

Everything looked under control,

neat words ordering a life.

Carla Scarano D’Antonio 2022

We will never forget you, Carla.

Here is the link to Carla’s interview if you would like to have a look.

https://heathermoulsonpoet.com/2022/06/13/interview-19/

Thank you for dropping by and sharing this sad occasion, PL’s. Stay tuned….

No No Nonet!

Hello Poetry Lovers

Welcome to the Nonet section.

Inspired by the fabulous Sharron Green and Trisha Broomfield at the Poetry Party workshop at Solar Sisters Cafe this Wednesday, I got my head down and tackled this fascinating form.

You won’t be surprised to see that the piece is nostalgic. Didn’t we all dread the end of school holidays?!

Do read on…

The betraying spring that sprung my sorrows

Only Meant going back to school

The end of my late bedtimes

And going to the shops

For chocolate bars

A dreadful hand

To be Dealt

Out by

Life

H Moulson 2023

I hope you enjoyed that, PL’s. As you see for yourself, the first line is 9 syllables, then 8…… and I know you have a nonet in you, so on a postcard please to the usual address.

Thanks for tuning in, Poetry Lovers. We’ll be back with more poetry action real soon. Don’t touch that dial!

A Golden Shovel

Hello Poetry Lovers

Now you know how I love to try new poetry forms.

When I came across The Golden Shovel, I was mightily confused by the term, but I came across this version/form.

Getting a quote from another’s poem with at least 10 words, and moving the relevant word in every following line sounded easy but I found it a struggle. Hopefully it paid off.

Many many thanks to Annie Havell who kindly gave permission for me to use a line from her lovely piece Silence from the recent anthology Poems for the Ukraine.

I’m not quite sure how Dobby got in on the act but she appears to feature here. Do read on….

I awake before sunrise and feeling an urge to walk

Silence by Annie Havell 2022

I can’t believe I’m up early again!

To awake in that grim half light

Nearly up before the milkman

I don’t welcome sunrise, too cheerful

I’ve got an interview and a meeting

I do get the sinking feeling I’ll be sleepy

I’ll eat some apples and have an orange for energy

I will not get an sudden unnecessary urge to doze

The most tempting and easy way out is to sleep

I resolve that I will go healthy route and walk

Wasn’t that just a terrific piece?! An intriguing form and worth trying.

Thanks for tuning in, PL’s. We’ll be back with more poetry action real soon…. Whoops! Here’s Dobby with an invoice for her services….

Cat Sonnet

Hello Poetry Lovers

I make no apologies for staying on my favourite subject Cats! So fittingly, the lovely prolific poet Sharon Andrews has penned this beautiful cat sonnet.

Featuring a wonderful alphabet series, this is Sharon using the C word as a sonnet. And using it very wisely. Excellent subject, Sharon, and thank you for letting me put this lovely piece up in lights.

Cat Sonnet

The cat is such a curious creature

Sometimes aloof, sometimes affectionate

Sometimes a queen, most often a leader

Cat’s owner a slave to her temperament

If cat loves you She might bring you a gift

Something Special to decorate the house

Puss will be offended should you feel miffed

By the sight of a dead bird or squashed mouse

Cat will eat her meals when she’s in the mood

Some days she will eye her dinner with disdain

You’ll worry and treat her to gourmet food

Calling her to come in from the rain

You’ll love her and maybe she’ll love you too

It’s simply chance, there’s nothing you can do

ShAndrews 2023

Wasn’t that beautiful?! Look out for Sharon’s Instagram feed @inksomnia_poetry where this clever poet features amazing sonnets and other skilled pieces. Thank you so much, Sharon, keep them coming.

Thanks so much for tuning in, PL’s. And I want to see your cat poems. We’ll be back with more poetry action real soon…..

Cats

Hello Poetry Lovers

It’s pretty inevitable I’m going to talk about my favourite subject – Cats.

When I was a child, the world seemed full of Eleanor Farjeon’s poems. Her beautifully illustrated collections were everywhere, and her pieces used to be a real favourite at school as many of her poems were read to us. The following one naturally stood out.

A prolific writer of poetry and children stories, among others, Eleanor Farjeon left behind a wonderful legacy when she passed away in 1965. Now read on…

Cats

Cats sleep, anywhere,

Any table, any chair

Top of piano, window-ledge,

In the middle, on the edge,

Open drawer, empty shoe,

Anybody’s lap will do,

Fitted in a cardboard box,

In the cupboard, with your frocks-

Anywhere! They don’t care!

Cats sleep anywhere.

Eleanor Farjeon (1881 – 1965)

Wasn’t that just lovely? I’m sure a lot of you PL’s will have a favourite Eleanor Farjeon poem. Answers on a postcard please…..

Thanks so much for tuning in, we’ll be back with more poetry capers real soon…..

Trimeric Hour

Hello Poetry Lovers

On the trail for a new poetry form once again. This time I’ve hunted down the Trimeric. A superb and fun form. Along with keywords from Sue Burge’s mindgym (highly recommended), I used the words vacant, vacancy and void.