Free Post Thursday – Happy Poetry To You…

Today is National Poetry day here in the UK and this year, the theme is Light.

It’s been a long time since I shared a full poem with you all so here’s one I originally began back in November 2011.  Iit’s the opposite of the theme really, but the closest I could find quickly!

I last worked on it in June 2012 so it may get a light dust over but I’m pretty happy with it.  It’s about me sitting in my lounge working on the computer and being too lazy to get up and turn the lights on – you really can make a poem about anything 🙂

I hope you enjoy it.

Light, Left off

It’s darkly night: the laptop glow falls onto

Fingertips painted like papal robes.

Open curtains show a shadow world

Where distant windows light up,

Like animal eyes on the side of the road:

Watching, and waiting, for a moment to pass.

 

A streetlamp I can’t see appears,

Refracted, on the rain-stained glass,

And car doors shut – the sound, a full stop

On the working day. To the rear,

The garden is a black hole, the darkness

Eating the room around me

 

And bringing with it November’s chill to,

Snakelike, twine around my body.

Isolated on this island of cold light, I

Feel the draw to the otherworld;

So, I claim a blanket, turn off the screen, and sit.

Become another secret in the unseen world.

 

Happy National Poetry day, everyone!

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Week 112 – Wool and the Gang!

For the past couple of days I’ve put the writing to one side to help out with a friend’s business open day – and have been lost in a fog of wool, paper pompoms, fabric, raffia and hessian, with the occasional bit of bunting thrown in for fun.

It was exhausting, and time-consuming but it was just what I needed after the last few weeks – a bit of creativity with a group of lovely people, helping a friend pursue a dream.

I also managed (part of) a charity zumbathon this weekend, which explains my general sleepiness… but now it’s time to refocus all my efforts on phrases not fabric, words not wool.

As I’ve said before, I’m performing at a ‘Listening Lunch’ next Sunday; the poetry count has gone from four to six and now I’m only doing one other reading.  I don’t need to write any more new poems, thankfully, and I’ve performed most of them at open mikes before, so that’s also made me feel a little better.  I just need to get on and finish editing everything.

Having made it through this weekend, and having seen how much can be achieved when people put their minds to something, I feel like this might actually work out – so watch this space!

In other news – As Thursday was National poetry Day here in the UK, I thought I’d belatedly share this article about writing poetry.  Poetry really is a rollercoaster relationship for me – I write copious amounts in different styles for weeks, then I write nothing for months, then I find old drafts and edit for ages, then I struggle to find any words to convey my emotions.  It’s infuriating sometimes – but when it works, and I write something that says everything I’m trying to say, I feel deeply proud of myself.  Of course in six months I won’t think it’s finished and I’ll edit a little more – but that’s how I think poetry should exist anyway.

Also – A few weeks ago I said I’d keep an eye on the reasoning behind the compilation of the 100 best novels.  Well – so far I’m failing but in fairness of the two books posted so far I’ve read neither.  Maybe I’ll get through them once I’ve got poetry week done!

And finally – after last year, I am not intending to register for NaNoWriMo this year, but to use November to get the editing of book two sorted out – but for anyone doing it who needs the occasional pep talk, I’ll try to post a little more often about my progress and the tricks and tips I’ve learnt to get through the daunting word count.  And please, please plan you work fully before you start so you don’t end up unpicking it for the best part of a year!

Until next time – happy writing!

EJ

🙂

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