F – Farmyard Fugue

Farmyard Fugue is another of mine and it’s a jargon poem. Jargon poems were introduced to me by Poet and Tutor, Alison Chisholm when I attended her workshops at Swanwick Writer’ Summer School.  The exercise was to take jargon from one subject and use it in another. I think you should be able to spot easily enough which two subjects I chose. It was great fun. Why not try a jargon poem yourself?

Farmyard Fugue was previously published by Reach Magazine and later on the OAPSchat website.

Farmyard Fugue

Black belly sheep
‘baa baa’ in harmony
across Madrigal Meadow
to key signature ‘C.’

Belgian Blue cow moos,
an impromptu solo,
trills triad green pastures,
hooves stamp staccato.

Bourbon red turkey triplets
harmonise alto and tenor,
horns blow perfect pitch
to Moolight Sonata.

Stallion quartet pluck strings,
sweep sticks across cellos,
neigh in unison to finale,
bow heads glissando.

E – Eclipse

This is another one of my poems and was inspired by the Eclipse. Eclipse was first published by Reach Magazine and later on the OAPSchat website.

Eclipse

Set in slow motion
the moon’s silhouette
cloaks the plate of the sun.

The moon grazes
the sweltering star,
a solitaire band emerges,
black,
broken beams chase the dark.

Blackbirds,
magpies,
crows,
loom in circles,
dance in formation,
shriek erratic screams.

Atmosphere chills.

The moon’s shadow slithers away
–to reveal a daylight sky.

D – Double Treat

Back with us today is Colin Ward with his Haiku, Dreams

Dreams

I lie, still awake,
wondering at a life spent
stood still in my dreams.

***

I promised a double treat so here’s the next D

D – Dickinson as in Emily Dickinson

Here are some quotes from or about this talented poet.

Emily Dickinson (1830-86) was an American poet and one of my favourites.

‘Dickinson’s poetry is set in that immediate moment of existence, with little nostalgia for a more overtly poetic medieval past.’ (Helen McNeil – Emily Dickinson, 1986)

‘Friday I tasted life. It was a vast morsel. A circus passed the house – still I feel the red in my mind though the drums are out.’ Emily Dickinson in Letters, (Everyman’s Library Pocket Poets, 2011)

‘Hope is the thing with feathers’ Emily Dickinson – read it here

Read more about Emily Dickinson here

C – Colin 

Colin Ward is a fellow writer who is my special guest today and tomorrow.

Here’s his first poem, They Were Told.

They Were Told comes from his debut poetry collection Ripples which can be found here.

They Were Told

by Colin Ward 

They were told they’d troop with honour
to defend our nation’s grace;
how fortitude would be enough
to save the human race.

They were trained to fight with courage
being free would fuel their fire,
justify the loss of souls
with peace upon the pyre.

They were led to death with orders,
belief in righteous cries
to qualify the stolen truths
which bleed through tearful eyes.

***

About Colin

After releasing my debut novel in August of last year and achieved fantastic reviews so far, I now have the paperback version on Amazon to make it easier for everyone to get a copy.
I have also released my debut poetry collection, Ripples, in Kindle and paperback.

I’ve been writing for about twenty years or so now. For many years I wrote plays and musicals, especially as part of being a Drama teacher in my previous life. Now I have gone full power into the world of writing and have released my debut novel – “To Die For”. The Crime Fiction genre was the natural place for me to go, with my interest in crime (fictional only…nothing to see hear, officer…) and especially because in 2013-2014 I discovered my favourite Authors.

Simon Kernick’s “Deadline” was my first venture into the genre, and I was hooked. It then followed with Mark Billingham, Michael Robotham, Lisa Ballantyne, Adam Creed, and so on. There are unashamed influences of all of these in my debut, and I am happy with that.

Indie writing is my passion, and my new label “In As Many Words” is all about building up that kind of supportive community. One where we should not all have to wait for someone else to tell us our story is worth telling.

Where you can find Colin:

In As Many Words

Twitter:

Facebook:

B  – Broken Bone in Bucuresti 

This is another poem of mine and tells the tale of when I broke my  hip back in 2014 on the stairs of a Romanian underground while on a course with Brighton University as part of my MA in Creative Writing. Broken Bone in Bucaresti was written about eighteen months later when I tried to make light of my accident. It was first published in Writing Magazine and later on OAPSchat website.

Enjoy.

Broken Bone in Bucuresti

Racing to catch
a Nicolae Grigorescu,
Metro train, I stumble
down a stair:

I hear the snap—

throbs screech in my groin,
my voice is alien.

Heads fold around me,
I turn
away
to avoid their stare,
my eyes clench. I throw up.

Someone presses my wrist,
someone else holds my hand.

Jabbering in code,
little green men
ease me onto a stretcher,

elevate me, feet first,
towards cold blue sky—

fists scrunch,
heart skips double-unders—

The bone cutter
roars,
splinters
scatter,
rivets
groan,
screws
tighten.

Six days lost in a strange land:
frail attempts at iPad translation
cue howls of laughter.

I hobble flamingo style,
sticks at my side, into a mad-driver’s bubble
on an endless terror ride.

On board the plane at last,
I reclaim my breath—

Feast on a cheese roll and white wine—
Let the healing begin.

A – Addict

I was alerted about the A-Z Blog Challenge by fellow writer, Anita Hunt, Piskie Dreams and thought, Yes, why not? I’m always up for a challenge. So I signed up today to produce a blog for each day throughout the month of April. However, Sunday’s don’t count, except the first one, April 1st. This leaves 26 days for 26 letters – A-Z.

My theme will be:

Poetry 

So it may be a poem or a fact about poetry. Pop Poetry in your diary for April and join me on my blog.

Don’t forget to check out Anita’s A-Z on Piskie Dreams too. Her theme of ‘Make Do and Mend@ Reuse; Recycle and Spend Less‘ is not to be missed.

I’m looking forward to meeting Anita for the first time when we join around two or three hundred other writers at Swanwick Writers’ Summer School this August.

Are you up for the A-Z Blog Challenge this April?

As it’s World Poetry Day I thought I would share my Seagull Sequence. I wrote this in 2015 after watching the seagulls invade on my local lake over three consecutive weeks. I hope you enjoy it.

Seagull Sequence 

Wrong Turn

Seagulls flock
in snow coats
above the jewelled lake,

a wrong turn
inland
away from the sea.

High amongst clouds,
formations dance
without sound

flip up and down,
stop, turn around, split,
aim for invasion.

White wings fall
like tissue paper
on rippled waves.

Invasion from Brighton

Gallant geese evacuate,
driven out by snowy invaders,
seagulls squawk to claim their victory.

Mottled mallard and widgeon
scatter to sheltered bays,
concealed from flocks of snow-white birds
that hover above the storm-kissed lake.

Red-beaked moorhens veiled from view,
bide their time for militant gulls to rocket away
and evacuees return.

Water Harmony

Triumphant geese
return to fold,
wings spread,
joyful gabble.

Yellow croci spring
up in green,
pink camellias cluster
the circle of sun-washed water.

Coots and moorhens
boasting red and white beaks
chug along
creating ripples.

Mallard and widgeon
emerge from hiding,
a pure white
feathered duck in tow.

Hi Everyone

Well I promised to let you know how the UK Southern Book Show went on Sunday. It was definitely a success and that was down to the hard work of Natasha Murray who organised this event on Worthing Pier.

I managed to sell quite a few books as well as having the opportunity to meet lots of lovely people both public and other authors. It was a delight to finally meet fellow writer, Colin Ward after many hours spent chatting about writing ideas over the internet. I was happy to hold a copy of his debut poetry collection, Ripples, in my hand and it was smashing to meet the lovely Daisy White for the first time too. Daisy offered me lots of invaluable advice before I embarked on self-publishing House of Grace. I can’t wait to start reading her latest novel Before I found you which Daisy was happy to sign.

Special thanks goes to my daughter who not only went out of her way to come and collect and drive me to Worthing, but also helped set up our stall and spoke to potential buyers about my book. I might add that she was very under the weather so I’m truly grateful to her. Get well soon, Elaine.

Members of the public popped into the Pavilion to wander around 55 stands full of books from different genres. Some people planned the visit whilst others wandered in to get out of the rain and couldn’t resist picking themselves up a few bargains.

Theatre seats filled as speakers ran throughout the day, including a talk from me about my Creative Writing Journey of House of Grace and a short reading from the opening chapter. The talks were varied and interesting.

On Friday, March, 9th, 2018, it’s House of Grace’s first birthday. To celebrate this milestone, I’m running a special promotion on Amazon Kindle.

For a very limited period you can pick up an ecopy for only 99p.

I know, it sounds too good to be true but yes, I am selling it for 99p.

The story is about family,  love, fashion, conflict and tragedy.

At 99p it has to be worth a try, don’t you think?

Click on this link if you’d like to take a gamble on a new writer. 

Today is Day 4 so not many days left – the clock is ticking…

If you prefer a paperback you can purchase that from Amazon too, or order from any good bookstore.

Worthing Pavilion – 4th March, 2018 

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been busy designing and printing freebies for my first big book event, the UK Southern Book Show. There will be over 50 authors, all selling and signing their books. And lots of talks about books and writing, along with readings.

I shall be there with House of Grace and lots of freebies.

I have little poem cards, 1950’s/60’s sweeties, bookmarks, and my Seagull Sequence in a brochure  – All free!

House of Grace makes an ideal Mothers Day gift.

If you can’t make it tomorrow you can still get a copy of House of Grace from Amazon or you may order it from good bookstores.

Take a  look at what the UK Southern book show has to offer – FREE ENTRY

Find me on Stand 28 along with fellow author, Colin Ward, who will be selling and signing copies of To Die For and his Poetry Collection, Ripples. Come and find us, chat to us, help yourself to freebies, and maybe you’d like to buy yourself a book or two.

I look forward to seeing you all.