Heather Moulson

Seasons Greetings

Hello Poetry Lovers

I guess it’s time to get seasonal and still keep my obsession with food. However, this particular food we will all be obsessed about.

Yes, a lovely poem from Trisha Broomfield about those traditional mince pies and the nostalgia and memories they evoke. Rosy yet painful at times.

Lovely detailed poem, Trisha, thank you so much. Do read on;

Mince Pie Time

I crumb butter into flour

the mixing bowl your old one

creamy patterned like an Aran sweater

elbows up, the kitchen counter too tall,

suddenly I am four again

crumbing Trex into Homepride

your own mother’s mixing bowl

elbows up, feet on a stool

the kitchen table too tall,

breadcrumbs of nearly shortcrust appear

and I don’t know how,

add an egg, cold water, just a touch.

It’s mince pie time again

but because I am four once more

I reach for the spoon

dollop red jam into cups of pale pastry.

Wasn’t that such a moving journey? Who didn’t get a lump in their throat, remembering their own mother’s baking these timeless things? With my own Mum it was more sausage rolls and when Christmas Eve comes round, I can still smell that baking aroma. Sigh!

Thanks so much for tuning in, PL’s. We’ll be real soon with another seasonal piece

Grey Breakfast

Hello Poetry Lovers

Here we are once again on my favourite subject; Food. Inspired by Trisha Broomfield’s terrific breakfast poem last week, I just had to do one of my own. I didn’t mean it to end up like it did but I feel it’s worth a read anyway. See what you think;

Why is it that Sugar Puffs are so enticing ?

In adverts they explode out the pack – splat!

Over a laughing ladies’ pristine dining table

When I tried that at home, I got shouted at!

Mum is saving up her Embassy Coupons

To replace the old pan cooking my porridge

I really think she should get me a Sindy Doll

Because my only friend’s moving to Norwich

Doorstep toast emerges from under the grill

And my bloody brother has nicked the jam

I’ll be alone in the midst of the playground

And no-one seems to give a damn

I say goodbye to Lynn, shivering in her mac

Standing outside her former front door

A long lonely walk to school from now on

My mum simply asks what I’m crying for

H. Moulson 2021

Well, I hope that wasn’t too grim, PL’s. Not that festive I know, but I was fascinated with the breakfast idea and how many emotions we carry with that vital meal.

More importantly, it gave me a chance to get out my crayons!

Thank you for tuning in, I’ll come up with something festive then (possibly)……

Breakfast Corner

Hello Poetry Lovers

Well, it looks like my food fixation is here to stay. I’ve even included a photo of me in an IKEA kitchen!

However I would have been inspired by Trisha Broomfield’s lovely piece anyway. Simply titled Trisha’s Breakfast, these succinct words show us what a complex meal breakfast is these days. Great fun, I love it. Do read on ;

Trisha’s Breakfast

Breakfast isn’t always easy

porridge doesn’t hit the spot

eggs make me feel rather queasy

I’m up by seven on the dot

Toast is dull and rather flat

fruit too fresh and wide awake

kippers I’d give to the cat

too much by half this time of day

Avocado is a current choice

despite the miles that they fly

a shame they do not have a voice

I could choose sausages to fry

Pumpkin seeds and almonds I could try

to go vegan and respect the world

or get out early, go and buy

buttered croissants neatly curled

but despite my fast since supper time

what I need first thing you see

a biscuit, I know it doesn’t rhyme,

and a mug of good strong tea.

Wasn’t that just lovely?! Bless you, Trisha, thank you so much. Please keep them coming.

Thanks for tuning in, PL’s, till the next time…

More Short forms….

Hello Poetry Lovers

Here I am, back on food. I can’t leave it alone!

I just wanted to feature some more fascinating short forms I learnt in Sharron Green’s class recently.

As you can see, I have written a monorhyme – each line with 8 syllables, and the last word has to rhyme. I had fun with this one;

Food Monorhyme

Smoked salmon is good for the soul

Not fast food that just fills a hole

But when I eat a sushi roll

I dream of cake that makes me whole

Healthy salads, they are my goal

After I’ve eaten this egg roll

Wasn’t that fun? The Etheree that follows was even better. 10 syllables, then 9, then 8, etc and it can go either way. I built it up rather than diminished it. Do read on;

The Etheree

I said

You can’t have

My brand new phone

And who would you call?

No, not that awful girl

You must never play with her

She flirts and goes out with boys

wait until you are a grown woman

meanwhile I will tell her to go to Hell

Aren’t these forms fun, and interesting?!

I will have some more for you soon, PL’s. Meanwhile we will return shortly with even more food!!

Thank you to Sharron for her inspiration, and thank you for tuning in, Poetry Lovers

The Strambotto

Hello Poetry Lovers

I thought I’d keep to the food theme this week, though this one isn’t as seasonal as the lovely Trisha’s in the last post.

I recently took a course with the very talented and prolific Sharron Green on Short Forms in poetry, and thanks to her, I discovered the wonderful Strambotto – 8 lines, 11 syllables apiece, and it’s abababab.

This was not an easy one to do, but I struggled on. Do read the result….

Strambotto

I prepare for you a pasta spaghetti

Then I kneaded a delicious pizza pie

I would bring you only loved food for your belly

But your appetite is gone, you pass me by

I have prepared desserts with cream and jelly

And your hand absently strokes my thigh

Today I serve you garlic that is smelly

But tempted to serve poison so that you die

H Moulson 2021

Now please forgive the grim ending, PL’s, and I hope to God you’re not about to have your supper/breakfast/lunch/tea. But by that time, I was worn down by those 11 rhyming syllables and I could only think in a malevolent way.

Thanks for tuning in, Poetry Lovers, we’ll be back real soon……..

A Seasonal Quatcube

Hello Poetry Lovers

Today we feature a very seasonal quatcube by the lovely poet, Trisha Broomfield.

I couldn’t resist featuring it on here, what with stir-up Sunday and everything…. I’m still struggling with my own piece, and the talented Trisha and Sharron Green put me to shame.

Thank you so much for this superb piece, Trisha. It features all the warmth of a seasonal preparation that makes one really feel like Christmas is truly coming…

Do read on ;

Our Christmas cake
Ingredients
Butter and spice
Unwaxed lemon

Gluten free flour
Barbara’s eggs
Yolks like sunshine
From friendly hens

Raisins currants
Sultanas too
Prunes to help you
Go to the loo

Glacé cherries
And candied peel
Must not forget
Slosh in brandy!

Wasn’t that so tenderly detailed, PL’s. Such an atmosphere about that piece. Well done, Trisha. Please keep them coming .

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

Quat Cubes

Hello Poetry Lovers

As you may have surmised, I have now graduated from tricubes to quatcubes, once again inspired by the lovely poet Sharron Green.

The same format; only this time with 4 lines, and 4 syllables each line. Would you believe (yes, maybe you would) but I actually got stuck on the 4 lines I was composing!

So, this week, the lovely poet Trisha Broomfield has to perform alone. I won’t be joining her – yet. However, Trisha has written such a terrific quat cube set, it seemed fitting to go solo.

Wonderful piece, Trisha. Thank you so much. This will evoke so many memories for a lot of us. Hint of a Tint – how that product was a part of our lives once, and there’s more….

Do read on;

A Quatro Thing

Hint of a tint
Was Inecto
Copper or bronze
Shocking red shades

I tried chestnut
And golden brown
Just once Ash blonde
Though it looked grey

Shampoo was mauve
It dyed my skin
A purple blue
Wore a head scarf

Carmen rollers
Bent metal pins
Lent a smart look
But not for long!

Trisha Broomfield 2021

Wasn’t that just terrific?! The things we went through for that hallowed hair! Tune in soon for part II! Fantastic, Trisha, keep them coming

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

Tricubes

Hello Poetry Lovers

Today, I’d like to look at Tricubes, inspired by the work of the wonderful and prolific poet Sharron Green

Tricubes, you may guess by the name, are 3 lines with 3 syllables each line. Here is my attempt.

Read on;

I have pink

concealer

on my skin

And freckles

entirely

by my chin

My hair stays

lacklustre

with my brush

I do it

completely

in a rush

Aren’t they terrific fun? Limiting and yet not. I’ll tackle Quatcubes shortly – needless to say, 4 lines with 4 syllables each.

Watch this space ……

Triolet Hour

Hello Poetry Lovers

Welcome back to one of my favourite art forms, the triolet poem.

Now, the first is by an up-and-coming poet who has not kept to the rules, in fact she has downright cheated and laughed in their faces. She claims the last line simply works better like that, and who are we to tell her what to do, we’re not the boss of her etc etc…

Now the second triolet is beautifully done by an even more up-and-coming poet Trisha Broomfield, who had the good grace to stick to the rules

Read on;

Auntie Florrie

Auntie Florrie, you would eff and blind

And you only watched ITV

Under heavy make-up, you were lined

Auntie Florrie, you would eff and blind

People had to take you as they find

Never watching that snotty BBC

Auntie Florrie, you would eff and blind

You were so beautiful to me

Now for Trisha’s classier one;

Chair Triolet

I sit in my writing chair and swivel

I thought that it would help me write, this chair

but I’m turning out a load of drivel

I sit in my writing chair and swivel

my mood is really quite uncivil

I think up plots and flick my hair

I sit in my writing chair and swivel

I thought that it would help me write, this chair.

03/11/2021Trisha Broomfield

Wasn’t that just great?! Triolets are really such fun and I dare you to send one in. Trisha’s penned some more corkers and has kindly given me permission to show them in part II

Thanks for tuning in, PL’s. More poetry capers soon….

One Minute …

Hello Poetry Lovers

We’re on my favourite theme of the one minute poem, and lovely poet Trisha Broomfield has penned a very seasonal and relevant one indeed.

Thank you so much for this, Trisha.

This lovely poetry form can be quite addictive, and fun. Let me remind you again of the rules; 60 syllables, 3 stanzas and the first line has to have 8 syllables. Then it’s AABB