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.

I’ve written a pretty vacant(!) poem here. Do read on

Trimeric Form 

There is a void in this vacancy

In fact it all looks pretty vacant

According to the Sex Pistols 

Back in that barren summer

In fact it all looks pretty vacant

Unused and unloved, unwanted 

This space tells me nothing 

According to the Sex Pistols

There’s no future for us 

However, that was in 1977

  

Back in that barren summer 

We wilted and believed them  

Those punks knew everything 

Thanks for reading, PL’s. Now I know there’s a Trimeric in all of you, and I want them on a postcard now please.

We’ll be back real soon….

Dobby Testcard

Hello Poetry Lovers

Welcome back to another Dobby Testcard. This is the first time I have attempted a slideshow so just humour me….

As you can see, it’s about Dobby’s tempestuous relationship with poetry…..

Do you know I could keep adding to that slideshow forever….

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

My Night Out with Brian Bilston

Hello Poetry Lovers

Yes you heard right I had a night out with the wonderful Brian Bilston! Well, me and about a 100 others but never mind….

The marvellous and clever poet Sharron Green got tickets and invited me! I was thrilled. The Candid Arts Trust was down a dark and unassuming road in Islington. Torrens Street – not dissimilar to the Ziggy Stardust album cover.

There were so many familiar faces in that long winter’s night queue, including Donal Dempsey, Dilly Orme and Lee Campbell.

Introduced by the charismatic Jack Shamash to an incredibly full room, we knew the evening would go with a bang!

Forgive the red light, someone said it was like being in a photo lab, but I quite liked it. Reminded me of a Warhol film!

There was a wealth of featured poets such as Brett Van Toen, Cheryl McLennan and Jude Simpson. So very unique and clever.

Then it was open mic and lovely Sharron Green read her great Oasis Nightclub piece, the marvellous Dilly read her wonderful three short poems, and Lee Campbell showed us his amazing teenage scrapbook.

With all the stampede to the open mic, I couldn’t believe it when I actually got a spot! I read ‘Scrubber Two’, a personal favourite and one I knew off by heart. The audience were receptive and warm.

When the hallowed Brian Bilston came on, the house came down! Mr Bilston asked me not to share his photos on Social Media. I can only respect the poet’s wishes, and therefore this is the one I’ll put up. Also there’s a tabby cat there – and I LOVE them! (Don’t tell Dobby!).

Anyway, who needs photos?! Not when such wonderful poetry was read! (That’s not him in the picture!)

From his new book Days Like These, the audience creased with laughter as he read about days before the internet where the only followers you got then were religious cult ones. Followed by humorous pieces from You Got The Last Bus Home, his older collection. He also pondered on popular superstitions, James Bond wielding a Hoover, and an updated last few Famous Five Books. Very surreal, political and witty.

The room went quiet for his poignant reading of Refugee, you don’t always have to laugh. And then read The Very Angry Caterpillar, based on Eric Carle’s classic children’s book.

All too soon, Brian’s readings were at an end. I arrived as a curious observer and left as a real convert. Thank you, Mr Bilston, come back soon.

What a great night of poetry! Thank you so much, Sharron for booking that and inviting me. And thank you, New Poetry Shack for bringing such joy…

Thanks for tuning in, PL’s, and reading about my night in Islington. We’ll be back with more poetry action real soon…….

Poetry Party

Hello Poetry Lovers

I really want to share a wonderful event on Wednesday 11th January at the Solar Sisters Cafe in Guildford.

Genius poet Sharron Green held a poetry party at this great venue. From 2 till 3.30 pm, and a cake and cup of tea later, a group of us got our heads down and wrote some magical poetry. This week it was haiku and triolets.

Joined by the wonderful Dilly Orme, Andy B J Low, and Cassie Moriarty, we had a great masterclass. These are some of the wonderful examples

Senryu (haiku about love)

Love embraces all

Pierces hearts exquisitely

A pain we treasure

Sharron Green 2023

Sad Song

I met a friend in town today

I listened to the saddest song

her smile was down her eyes were grey

I met a friend in town today

she said her love had gone away

she didn’t know what she’d done wrong

I met a friend in town today

I listened to the saddest song

Trisha Broomfield 2023

Sadly, Trisha couldn’t be with us on this occasion due to poor health. We look forward to her joining us in February.

That night Sharron also guested on Radio Woking on Elaine McGinty’s show. Excellent and articulate. Well done, Sharron.

This marvellous venue also has open mic poetry once a month, thanks to Sharron. The next one is Thursday 16th February at 7 pm.

And our next wonderful poetry party is on Wednesday 8th February at 2 pm. I’ll be there! Please join us if you can.

Thank you for sharing this unique experience with me, PL’s. I’ll be back with more poetry action real soon…….

Life Skills

Hello Poetry Lovers

Welcome back to more life advice and skills. This is a very quirky piece by the lovely poet, Trisha Broomfield.

So uncomfortably true and a real joy to read. I know this will resonate with a lot of us. There is a great dishonesty in this piece that applies to us all. What we should, and what we shouldn’t…….

Do read on

Life Skills

Do follow a recipe,
then add your own ingredients


get clothes ready the night before,
change your mind in the morning


plan each evening meal,
then get a takeaway


shop for sensible shoes,
buy outrageous heels


give up biscuits,
then munch when no one’s looking.

Trisha Broomfield 2023

Wasn’t that a wonderful piece?! Thank you so much, Trisha. Please keep them coming. Thanks for tuning in, PL’s. We’ll be back with more poetry action real soon…..

Didactic Corner

Hello Poetry Lovers

Today we have a didactic poem. I love giving out instructions, even better if it can be in a poetry form. A very loose one admittedly.

Now forgive me if I have directed it more to women PL’s than men. There are still things we can all identify with, especially the first and last line.

Now, I don’t know what Dobby’s doing in that poetry wardrobe but I’m getting her out right now!

Ten Things you shouldn’t be without….

A hot cup of coffee in a nice cup

A china one with a snippy one liner on the front 

You must only brush your hair with a paddle brush 

You put on your good coat – one of your Mum’s preferably

For the warmth and security  you need 

Before your stockinged feet step inside a pair of good shoes

from a shop that would measure your feet if you asked them to. 

Put a nice scarf around your neck, despite the inevitability

that it will blow back against your face and be covered in lipstick 

Damaging the self esteem you were determined to carry with you like a favourite handbag 

Put a nice piece of jewellery round your neck and please don’t lose it 

And check that you have a notebook and pen with you for obvious reasons

And if you come home to a purring cat, you can’t go wrong 

Now I hope that advice was life-changing. Though I appreciate these are things you had all along. Now, PL’s, I’m sure you have life advice all of your own, answers on a postcard please……

Oops! Dobby’s just gone into the Poetry Basket. That can only mean trouble! Thanks for stopping by, Poetry Lovers, we’ll be back real soon……

One Night in Kentish Town

Hello Poetry Lovers

Loathe as I am to hark back to last year, I must share with you my night out at the captivating Torriano House. As the song by Murray Head goes – One Night in Kentish Town makes the hard man humble … something like that anyway.

It was a real birthday treat on Sunday 4th December to be invited by the magical Wendy Young to perform at this esteemed venue where many wonderful poets have read…

It was a joy to meet the marvellous Pauline Seawards who organises unforgettable nights like this. Pauline performed her classy poems beautifully. Her new collection This is the Band is breathtaking.

Now, I’ve made this small room look very occupied, proving that the camera actually does lie. As there were a total of 8 of us altogether. 3 people were the actual audience – ie friends of mine that I had brought with me! What a birthday party for them! Chinese takeaway next year, I promise!

I am so blessed to have such dear and loyal pals. This is Mary, Heidi, moi and Mary. What would I do without them?! I didn’t realise at the time that they would be the entire audience! Lordy! Still, a cold Sunday night in December is a very daunting prospect indeed, even for the very local. Thank you so much for your support, my lovely chums.

The real advantage of having a very small turnout is that my wonderful and talented hero Barney Ashton Bullock could take the floor with the open mic section. His unique collection Cul-De-Sacrilege! could be aired without restraint. I was so thrilled to have him there.

And speaking of heroes, it was an honour to perform alongside the fabulous Wendy Young. Performing such clever poetry such as Millie. I also loved her look – very Eartha Kitt!

I was on before Wendy, natch. And I hope I did my best. One of my pals doesn’t like swearing – oh dear………

Such a thrill and honour to be among these wonderful poets. An unforgettable evening. Also thanks to Sue who let us in early, and for her valuable support. Something you cannot buy. Thank you, Sue.

After a quite frankly, grim birthday tea for my pals – sandwich, crisps and wine on paper plates – I drove us all home, tired, cold but elated. I hope to return there one day.

Do not miss these amazing and clever collections by such talented poets….

Thanks for tuning into this memorable experience, PL’s. We’ll be back with more poetry action real soon……