Today's poet

[freckle]

Moving words as ever Freckle... It's almost a Haiku??

dom...you are still on your mission i see!

[dominion]

dom...you are still on your mission i see!

Moi???

[freckle]

Moi???

not playing....sorry!

(largely because i can't write haiku, never mind witty retort type haikus)

[Mossdog]

The Rights Of Woman

While Europe's eye is fix'd on mighty things,
The fate of Empires and the fall of Kings;
While quacks of State must each produce his plan,
And even children lisp the Rights of Man;
Amid this mighty fuss just let me mention,
The Rights of Woman merit some attention.

First, in the Sexes' intermix'd connection,
One sacred Right of Woman is, protection. -
The tender flower that lifts its head, elate,
Helpless, must fall before the blasts of Fate,
Sunk on the earth, defac'd its lovely form,
Unless your shelter ward th' impending storm.

Our second Right-but needless here is caution,
To keep that right inviolate's the fashion;
Each man of sense has it so full before him,
He'd die before he'd wrong it-'tis decorum. -
There was, indeed, in far less polish'd days,
A time, when rough rude man had naughty ways,
Would swagger, swear, get drunk, kick up a riot,
Nay even thus invade a Lady's quiet.

Now, thank our stars! those Gothic times are fled;
Now, well-bred men-and you are all well-bred-
Most justly think (and we are much the gainers)
Such conduct neither spirit, wit, nor manners.

For Right the third, our last, our best, our dearest,
That right to fluttering female hearts the nearest;
Which even the Rights of Kings, in low prostration,
Most humbly own-'tis dear, dear admiration!
In that blest sphere alone we live and move;
There taste that life of life-immortal love.
Smiles, glances, sighs, tears, fits, flirtations, airs;
'Gainst such an host what flinty savage dares,
When awful Beauty joins with all her charms-
Who is so rash as rise in rebel arms?

But truce with kings, and truce with constitutions,
With bloody armaments and revolutions;
Let Majesty your first attention summon,
Ah! ca ira! The Majesty Of Woman!

By Robert Burns

That's right Sisters. Let's hear it for Robbie on Burns' Night!!!

[Mountain Goatess]

Cheers!

A Bottle And Friend

There's nane that's blest of human kind,
But the cheerful and the gay, man,
Fal, la, la, &c.

Here's a bottle and an honest friend!
What wad ye wish for mair, man?
Wha kens, before his life may end,
What his share may be o' care, man?

Then catch the moments as they fly,
And use them as ye ought, man:
Believe me, happiness is shy,
And comes not aye when sought, man.

Robert Burns

[OneOffPoet]

Any sign of the little one yet OOP?

I didn't know much about poetry until I picked up this thread so all I know about poetry started from here. I bought a few compilations. I especially liked Poems on the Underground which has such a varied selection and got me started. That led to discovering other poet's works. Oxfam is always good for random second hand poetry books. Some times they're good, sometimes not, so I just take them back. There are lots of good poetry websites. I like PoemHunter, Black Cat Poems, Poet's corner and Poet's graves for starters.

Another wonderful introduction, especially if you are wanting to write more is Stephen Fry's An Ode Less Travelled. A good read, and certainly enthused me to write more.

As with so many things, just best to dive in and see what happens.

All the best
Harry

Thanks Harry, and Freckle for your advice too on this one

No sign of the little one, so s/he's a day late. Feel like we're in real limbo here!

I took your advice HHH and went to Oxfam and had a poke around. I found a book of poems by Clive James called 'The Book of my Enemy', collection of poems he'd written over 45 years. I found myself both moved and laughing in the shop whilst having a browse, so bought the book. 'Bring me the Sweat of Gabriella Sabatini' being especially funny!

Looking forward to getting into that during the long nights to come

OOP

[Alf]

Congrats to Jo Shapcott for winning the Costa book of the year award for her poetry book


From Country House Hotel (anyone got the full poem please post)

"It’s like a comfy, undemanding club
where the guests blush when their feet ring on the floor
and where the world of Securicor and Chubb
is as rude and far off as a working whore."

[Alf]

Thanks Harry, and Freckle for your advice too on this one

No sign of the little one, so s/he's a day late. Feel like we're in real limbo here!

I took your advice HHH and went to Oxfam and had a poke around. I found a book of poems by Clive James called 'The Book of my Enemy', collection of poems he'd written over 45 years. I found myself both moved and laughing in the shop whilst having a browse, so bought the book. 'Bring me the Sweat of Gabriella Sabatini' being especially funny!

Looking forward to getting into that during the long nights to come

OOP

Well you have wet our appetite now Oop so I will have to post it

Bring Me The Sweat Of Gabriela Sabatini

Bring me the sweat of Gabriela Sabatini
For I know it tastes as pure as Malvern water,
Though laced with bright bubbles like the aqua minerale
That melted the kidney stones of Michelangelo,
As sunlight the snow in spring.

Bring me the sweat of Gabriela Sabatini
In a green Lycurgus cup with a sprig of mint.
But add no sugar, the bitterness is what I want.
If I crave sweetness, I would be asking you to bring me
The tears of Annabel Croft.

So let me drink deep from the bitter cup.
Take it to her between any two points of the tie-break,
That she may shake above it her thick black hair,
A nocturne from which the droplets as they fall,
Flash like shooting stars.
And as their lustre becomes liqueur, let the full calyx
Be repeatedly carried to me.
Until I tell you to stop,
Bring me the sweat of Gabriela Sabatini.

Clive James

[freckle]

Well you have wet our appetite now Oop so I will have to post it

Bring Me The Sweat Of Gabriela Sabatini

Bring me the sweat of Gabriela Sabatini
For I know it tastes as pure as Malvern water,
Though laced with bright bubbles like the aqua minerale
That melted the kidney stones of Michelangelo,
As sunlight the snow in spring.

Bring me the sweat of Gabriela Sabatini
In a green Lycurgus cup with a sprig of mint.
But add no sugar, the bitterness is what I want.
If I crave sweetness, I would be asking you to bring me
The tears of Annabel Croft.

So let me drink deep from the bitter cup.
Take it to her between any two points of the tie-break,
That she may shake above it her thick black hair,
A nocturne from which the droplets as they fall,
Flash like shooting stars.
And as their lustre becomes liqueur, let the full calyx
Be repeatedly carried to me.
Until I tell you to stop,
Bring me the sweat of Gabriela Sabatini.

Clive James

is it me or is this really a bit risque? anyway I like it!

[freckle]

Congrats to Jo Shapcott for winning the Costa book of the year award for her poetry book


From Country House Hotel (anyone got the full poem please post)

"It’s like a comfy, undemanding club
where the guests blush when their feet ring on the floor
and where the world of Securicor and Chubb
is as rude and far off as a working whore."

Oooo Alf you beat me to it! My mother informed me tonight over a cuppa !

I don't have the poem you mentioned but I do have her book "Of mutability" which won and is indeed excellent (in my humble) , i hadn't realised that she had suffered from breast cancer which makes the followng poem even more spine tingling....(I had the pleasure of hearing her read it at newcastle's lit and phil society a truly "lush" institution which merits support in this awful climate of cuts!)...

oh..and she has the most amazing voice...so try and imagine a husky voice reading this....

Stargazer

If I'm not looking at you,
forgive; if I appear
to be scanning the sky,
head thrown back, curious,
ecstatic, shy, strolling
unevenly across the floor
in front of you, my audience,
forgive, and forget what's
happening in my cells.
It's you I'm thinking of
and, voice thrown upwards,
to you I'm speaking, you.

I'm trying to keep this simple
in the time left to me:
luckily, it's a slow
and selective degeneration.
I'm hoping, mainly, to stay present
and straight up despite
the wrong urge that's taken hold,
to say everything, all
at once, to everyone, which
is what I'd like if only
I could stay beyond this moment.

you can find her voice reading "deft" here...
http://www.poetryarchive.org/poetrya...do?poetId=6473
turns out its not that husky afterall! (that's memory for you!...but a nice voice nevertheless!)