Today's poet

[Antisocial]

Sweet

I think its worth reading the poems with the knowledge that a lot of what is wished for in them is often unobtainable to people with a learning disability because of the barriers and lack of opportunities.

Also for some their world view in late teenage years becomes coloured by their past experience, what their life is already like or awareness what the future may hold - hence lines like "Dark roses will bloom brighter" or "not too have a fit". A lot of the poems in the book long for things that we take as day to day experiences or rights like living where we want, walking the dog, having a romance or being with friends.

[freckle]

I think its worth reading the poems with the knowledge that a lot of what is wished for in them is often unobtainable to people with a learning disability because of the barriers and lack of opportunities.

Also for some their world view in late teenage years becomes coloured by their past experience, what their life is already like or awareness what the future may hold - hence lines like "Dark roses will bloom brighter" or "not too have a fit". A lot of the poems in the book long for things that we take as day to day experiences or rights like living where we want, walking the dog, having a romance or being with friends.

Well said anti social and I hope my comment did not come across as trite as that was not how it was intended...having worked with this group before, and having colleagues who work in this area I understand what you are referring to both in terms of restricted opportunities and a sense of loss, interestingly I feel that those themes are very present in other disenfranchised groups,for example I see it a great deal with the elderly and those with mental health difficulties with whom I work (the lack of access to everyday activities for elderly people with mobility problems for example never ceases to amaze me and in many ways I believe we are an ageist society now...i could go on ....)...thank you again for posting a thought provoking set of poems and sensitive response

[PaulS]

Well said anti social and I hope my comment did not come across as trite as that was not how it was intended...having worked with this group before, and having colleagues who work in this area I understand what you are referring to both in terms of restricted opportunities and a sense of loss, interestingly I feel that those themes are very present in other disenfranchised groups,for example I see it a great deal with the elderly and those with mental health difficulties with whom I work (the lack of access to everyday activities for elderly people with mobility problems for example never ceases to amaze me and in many ways I believe we are an ageist society now...i could go on ....)...thank you again for posting a thought provoking set of poems and sensitive response

Your reply was not trite, we all interpret things on the basis of our own experience and knowledge, I just thought it worth contextualising from mine, it may not have been where the authors were coming from when they wrote them.

This a poem from the same book that I read as uplifting, because it shines with pride and a sense of belonging.

Then and now

I used to do a paper round
in the cold dark and the wet and the snow and the eat
Now I work in a car shop
in the warm and dry.

I used to do a paper round
in the cold and the wet and the snow and the heat
and push the papers through the letter box
Some letter boxes bit me on my finger
Now I work in the car shop
in the warm and and dry
I check the tyres
and check the oil
and put the delivery in the right places

I used to do a paper round in the cold and the wet and the snow and the heat
I used to be lonely
with no-one to explain what to do
and no-one would show me work to do
I was by myself
Now I work in the car shop
in the warm and dry
I am not by myself
People talk to me and explain the work
and show me what to do
and help me if I get stuck.

Mark Dyson.

[Harry H Howgill]

Then and now

I used to do a paper round
in the cold dark and the wet and the snow and the eat
Now I work in a car shop
in the warm and dry.

I used to do a paper round
in the cold and the wet and the snow and the heat
and push the papers through the letter box
Some letter boxes bit me on my finger
Now I work in the car shop
in the warm and and dry
I check the tyres
and check the oil
and put the delivery in the right places

I used to do a paper round
in the cold and the wet and the snow and the heat
I used to be lonely
with no-one to explain what to do
and no-one would show me work to do
I was by myself
Now I work in the car shop
in the warm and dry
I am not by myself
People talk to me and explain the work
and show me what to do
and help me if I get stuck.

Mark Dyson.

I really like that. That is what is great about poetry, that might not have worked as prose, but it is brilliant how it expresses such feeling.

[Harry H Howgill]

Something new

There are two silver birch
at the bottom of the Garden.
Untidily set down in soil
where the water gathers.
They have to be cut down
Before they wreck the neighbours footings;
an opinion of my Fathers'.
But I shall wait for Winter
and the last mustard leaf, fallen,
and the garden birds, bored.
Have retired to little boxes,
which are fixed to gable walls.

Nice one Neil.

[Mossdog]

good Morning All

Hhh I Enjoyed The Paganism Poem...nice...

apologia

My Life Is Too Dull And Too Careful -
Even I Can See That:
The Orderly Bedside Table,
The Spoilt Cat.

Surely I Should Have Been Bolder.
What Could Biographers Say?
She Got Up, Ate Toast And Went Shopping
Day After Day?

Whisky And Gin Are Alarming,
Ecstasy Makes You Drop Dead.
Toy Boys Make Inroads On Cash
And Your Half Of The Bed.

Emily Dickinson, Help Me.
Stevie, Look Up From Your Aunt.
Some People Can Stand Excitement,
Some People Can't.

connie Bensley

Oh yes

[Mossdog]

Okay a risky one this. I've read the Hobbit over the years half a dozen times and the Lord of the Rings a gazzillion times (and yeah the films annoyed me for getting so much all wrong and for missing far too much out ) and the books are stuffed to the gunnels with poems written by Tolkien. The trouble is an awful lot of his poems go on and on and on 'a bit' and others wither on about deep lore whilst others still are written in a pretend language, which although atmospheric taken as part and parcel of the story, are in reality utter bollocks

So here's a token Tolkien compilation, hopefully missing out most of the crap...

Far over the Misty Mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away, ere break of day
To seek our pale enchanted gold

The wind was on the withered heath
But in the forest stirred no leaf
There shadows lay by night and day
And dark things silent crept beneath
The wind came down from mountains cold
And like a tide it roared and rolled
The branches groaned, the forest moaned
And leaves were laid upon the mould

The road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began
Now far ahead the road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can
Pursuing it with eager (weary) feet
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet
And whither then? I cannot say

Ho! Ho! Ho! to the bottle I go
To heal my heart and drown my woe
Rain may fall and wind may blow
And many miles be still to go
But under a tall tree I will lie
And let the clouds go sailing by

All that is gold does not glitter
Not all those who wander are lost
The old that is strong does not wither
Deep roots are not reached by the frost
From the ashes a fire shall be woken
A light from the shadows shall spring
Renewed shall be blade that was broken
The crownless again shall be king

So thats four poems (or excerpts from poems) that to me really resonate with my own mountain wanderings and a final one that is of course all about me

Superb - and for me the most meaningful line is...
'Not all those who wander are lost' - I've been wondering where that came from for some time. Cheers Stolly.

[XRunner]

Some nonesense to start the night (Jabberwocky by Charles Dodgson)

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! and through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

[Nathaniel Lee]

Our friend in India.

Our friend has gone to a distant land,
We dearly miss her everyday,
Glad to hear it went as planned,
Enjoy the vibrant culture in every way.

We hope you enjoy it and have a ball,
Take in everything and return with an indian muse,
Were counting the days until you return to tell all,
Return with such wonderful inspiration and print with red,yellow and blues.

By Matt Harmston.

[Mossdog]

Our friend in India.

Our friend has gone to a distant land,
We dearly miss her everyday,
Glad to hear it went as planned,
Enjoy the vibrant culture in every way.

We hope you enjoy it and have a ball,
Take in everything and return with an indian muse,
Were counting the days until you return to tell all,
Return with such wonderful inspiration and print with red,yellow and blues.

By Matt Harmston.

Excellent Tri-Mind.