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Is Poetry a Dead Art? (Part 3)


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Old 16-04-2013, 16:00
Biz
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Hear, hear Frank. It's terrifying. I'll never live long enough to understand why. You couldn't be more topical.
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Old 17-04-2013, 09:24
Noe Soap
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Miners on my mind, can't think why.

On Black Gold

They called the seams of coal black gold
an irony as the men strained with backs
bowed by grim low passage for little cash.
While real gold glittered in the mine bank
balance these hard men had not been led
by greed or profit like prospectors of old,
no sudden fever but by tradition were told
by fathers this is your allotted lot like mine
and my father's before me when you are
done the family plot awaits, a nice spot in
the valley, your widow can visit you there
among the lilies dally, she'll get a provision
of a tidy pension, there's generous for you,
proof mine owners have got a heart. What
set them apart of course from their workers
was the black stuff coursing through those
labouring lungs breathed with every breath
that and the "coal face" that father brought
home with goggle eyes for the nightly bath.
Far from the pit's coal face a polished slab
of shiny carbon sat trophy-style atop a gold
embossed leathered chairman's desk proof
of the proud product. It looks so good there
on dividends day when fortune's spoils got
divided among a happy few, while down in
the depths those in the dark never knew nor
were likely to care being always knackered.
Then when disaster struck in the land of the
black gold what the mining community found
was little compensation from the masters but
reassurance as to future safety and payment
insurance to the poor bereaved women for the
loss and of future earnings, but not compound.
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Old 17-04-2013, 13:40
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Miners on my mind, can't think why.

On Black Gold
Very powerful Frank.
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Old 18-04-2013, 17:38
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With apologies to poets all, but we should all encourage poetry so please forgive me if I fill the gap with em..........well with words.


Oh where has Mr Mustard gone?
Has he gone away?
We hope he'll soon be well enough
To rhyme another day

For Noe Soap is working hard it's true,
But no doubt feels the strain.
As he strives to fill the bosses' socks
Until he posts again.
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Old 18-04-2013, 21:47
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Oooops! That should be "fill the boss's socks", but perhaps you're filling your own Frank? Just don't get too tired and emotional.
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Old 18-04-2013, 23:39
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Not inactive Biz as it happens still writing 1 a day, this for another forum I didn't know if I should put strong material here, we'll see ... Frank

Running Dog

Running Dog massaged his tanned body
stood tepee high looked at his wiry frame
reflected in a glass, caressed the cheeks
of a wholly proud plains bred Native arse.

Young and athletic his muscularity honed
and bronzed by the sun of Oregon. Sweet
oils ran down his burnished thighs in yellow
rivulets drips easing inside toes of mahogany
brown and weariness of recently worked feet.

Running Dog was a true brave you could say,
without reservation, in the whitemens' badlands
today had given his stack to the contact known
as "ill-eagle" for his toke, now is time for R & R,
high time to make smoke. When Running Dog
was dog tired his solution: peace in communion
with a pipe then hit town for buffalo wings mm..
(not ashamed he loved them) for the munchies.

He towels his abs dry with little dabs, eyes the
waiting stash, wonders what father Sitting Dog
would think knowing how he spends his cash.
He liked to think that Pop would not blink nor
sniff at a little spliff, imagined him there in his
favourite chair blowing marijuana all around
as he exclaims that since I came it's the best
shit I've found ever in the Gods' hunting ground.

Floor walking in their casino then pumping iron,
squat-thrusts fit to bust - how he maintained his
toned native appearance front of house thrilling
old ladies (ooh you look so Indian!) boy did he
need a smoke and we are talking a mother lode
of Nature's best. He gave utter respect into this
habit, was like his tribe the first greens, and cool
with the planet. Brave he was indeed he still had
to watch out for palefaces in blue uniforms riding
around after our hides. Ha! braves making smoke
America's Finest seeking scalps in the name of a
so-called freedom, he hoped his ancestors might
see the joke. Signalling nothing ever changes in
our history except the particular cause of a panic
it rearranges those deck chairs on the SS Titanic.
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Old 19-04-2013, 10:59
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Not inactive Biz as it happens still writing 1 a day, this for another forum I didn't know if I should put strong material here, we'll see ... Frank

Running Dog
A glimpse into a different world Frank. You've taken on quite a task.
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Old 19-04-2013, 20:03
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Oh where has Mr Mustard gone?
Has he gone away?
We hope he'll soon be well enough
To rhyme another day
Hi again everyone I'm truly touched by the messages of support that have been shown on the thread Friendliness has always been the hallmark of this place and that's what makes it special in my opinion. Thanks to everyone who's posted poetry and comments in my long absence. I'm so sorry my recent brief return didn't work out, but further complications meant using a computer was impossible. Thanks too to Dark Star for sending in the various updates I have to do a lot of reading to catch up with the thread and I'm going to thoroughly enjoy it

It was so great to see Archiver, Biz, Frank, Sandy and Troy's names again, not to mention newer posters like Flower2 and LuckyM So far I've only read Biz's poem and I thought it was jolly good

It's great to be really back
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Old 19-04-2013, 21:26
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Hello Musty, welcome back. Hope life is getting back to normal for you. Glad you liked that verse, I was quite pleased with it myself.

It was great to see all the other poets dipping in to keep the thread alive, and as you'll see, Frank has been very busy.
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Old 19-04-2013, 22:00
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Hello Musty, nice to see you nice.
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Old 20-04-2013, 03:12
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Hello Musty, welcome back. Hope life is getting back to normal for you. Glad you liked that verse, I was quite pleased with it myself.
Hi Biz Yes, life is slowly returning to normal, whatever that is. I must say the awful weather helped me - a lovely sunny spring would have made being out of action ten times worse. A bit of a selfish viewpoint but I can't help it The first verse of your poem in particular flows really well I think. I'm going to read the backlog as it was posted and comment on every poem in chronological order. I briefly noticed one of Frank's mentioned JFK; I can't wait to reach that one as he's a President who fascinates me.

Hello Musty, nice to see you nice.
Hiya Sandy In the words of the immortal Brucie 'Good game, good game'
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Old 20-04-2013, 05:19
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1985

What happened to the drama
Of my abandoned run?
It only left a karma
As pale as April's sun.
I thought I locked the door well
But just a year to add
To one penned by George Orwell
Became the worst I had.
I let the pleasure meld me
Where Bacchus staged his show;
When hedonism felled me
The highs led to a low.
With Martin and with Warren
I stumbled through the nights,
The actions seemed so foreign
As did the dreams and fights.

The only chance for my fling,
You know how Down Town goes,
The in-crowd wasn't my thing
Yet bright lights I still chose.
We felt one in a million,
When Live Aid fed the poor
Our soundtrack was Marillion
And Zeppelin's number four.
Each girl became Godiva,
Each evening broke new ground
And there I was, the driver
Who steered our group around.
At parties my self-centred
Act felt a unique ride
For one who'd never entered,
The boy who stayed outside.

Desire remained unpardoned,
In vain I followed Dawn,
It's hard when love has gardened
A sharp and hollowed thorn.
I left her with the others
Then violence came to pass,
My memory recovers
The crack of high street glass;
Though Martin's care was endless
We couldn't fight police
And cells can be so friendless
Come morning's cold release.
O Horsham was the burning
A search for some strange truth
Or was it just a yearning
For all my deadened youth?


©
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Old 20-04-2013, 06:14
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it, it's in my nature to be
this way, so openly yellow.
I like the equation of a daffodil's yellow colour with cowardice in this piece Frank

A good one - just two questions; wouldn't the tune "just be gorgeous", and should it be Him, or is your "him" someone evil, such as Hitler?
How strange Biz, both your questions on this poem I'd already mulled over myself. I regretted not using 'him' with a capital h because the verse did refer to Jesus. And I wasn't happy with the construction of the 'gorgeous' line either. That'll be changed in the files but I haven't worked out the right solution yet
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Old 20-04-2013, 08:31
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Welcome back Musty, I was beginning to get concerned.
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Old 20-04-2013, 12:41
Biz
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Yes, life is slowly returning to normal, whatever that is. I must say the awful weather helped me - a lovely sunny spring would have made being out of action ten times worse. A bit of a selfish viewpoint but I can't help it
Not selfish at all - you didn't control the weather. By the way I notice you posted in the middle of the night, so hope you're getting plenty of sleep. As Archiver will tell you it helps.

Oooh! An interesting saga. By the way Petula Clark seems to be making something of a comeback.
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Old 20-04-2013, 21:25
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Welcome back Musty, I was beginning to get concerned.
Thanks Troy Apart from bans in the distant past it's the longest I've ever been off the thread.

By the way I notice you posted in the middle of the night, so hope you're getting plenty of sleep. As Archiver will tell you it helps.
I do go off to sleep fairly easy Biz but the pattern's always disturbed. For some reason I nearly always wake up between 2:45 and 3:15 in the morning. Seven hours solid sleep is as rare as West Ham winning the Cup Petula Clark did some great songs, I love Don't Sleep In The Subway too
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Old 20-04-2013, 22:35
Biz
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I do go off to sleep fairly easy Biz but the pattern's always disturbed. For some reason I nearly always wake up between 2:45 and 3:15 in the morning. Seven hours solid sleep is as rare as West Ham winning the Cup Petula Clark did some great songs, I love Don't Sleep In The Subway too
Apparently it is only in fairly recent times times that people have expected to have an unbroken night's sleep, So undertaking some kind of activity in the middle of the night used to be considered normal.

I heard Petula Clark on the radio a while ago singing something from her new album, and I just wanted to tell her to sing it properly and stop messing about.
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Old 21-04-2013, 08:00
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Apparently it is only in fairly recent times that people have expected to have an unbroken night's sleep, So undertaking some kind of activity in the middle of the night used to be considered normal.
Yes, I think I heard about that too Biz. The report said our currently accepted sleeping pattern only came through the majority's working hours. I guess 9 to 5 means you generally need a good night's sleep. I hope Petula Clark hasn't changed her singing style
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Old 21-04-2013, 08:15
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Hidden

Hidden well and locked away
Unbeknown to you and me
Lies the thing none ever see,
Safe as houses, dark as night,
Undercover, out of sight.

Not a final note or grave,
Neither treasure or a well,
How do I explain or tell?
Answers stay beneath this field
Lost for good, completely sealed.

Nothing much here passes by,
Car or footstep, owl or stoat,
None disturb what stays remote
And no eyes shall ever peer
At the secret hidden here.


©
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Old 21-04-2013, 08:34
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Being away from home for so long has meant work on volume 2 has come to a halt. However, it's also given me a fresh perspective. While I was pleased with The Designer, with hindsight there were quite a few flaws in the book's format. The size and several other things about it could have been better. Some of these were pointed out to me on DS and some by people I know locally. But it was trial and error at the time and a learning curve's always very useful.

Because volume 2 is facing such a long delay, I've decided that a good move would be to release another book in the meantime. The poems will all be about one subject, historical in nature. This is something Biz has often mentioned to me on the thread. I also want to combine the poems with colour photographs to illustrate them. The format of The Designer will be kept for it - I think its large pages look ideal for impressive pictures. I don't expect many sales or successes from the project, as the topic is a narrow one and quite obscure even in the arena of history. But I think it'll be a beautiful thing and that's always something nice to add to the world
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Old 21-04-2013, 08:39
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It was I who killed J. F. K. I
shot him down from on high,
A great, great poem Frank. Rather than pin the blame for the murder of all those famous leaders on the actual assassins, you by-passed them and went straight to the gun. The way the gun tells the poem makes it even better. I didn't get the J. Hancock connection but I'll go to Wiki later on for that. Much enjoyed here
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Old 21-04-2013, 12:42
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Tantalizing! You must have special powers.

I like the sound of your history volume; you've certainly written plenty. Ideal for the education of children before they get to the formal stage - that's when information seeps in untrammelled................that doesn't mean adults won't enjoy it too.
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Old 21-04-2013, 15:39
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I didn't get the J. Hancock connection but I'll go to Wiki later on for that. Much enjoyed here
Welcome back Musty. Thanks for reading back a big chore. John Hancock (I kept the initial style of the poem) was one of the original signatories of the Declaration of Indipendance for some reason his name in particular became shorthand (see what I did there, tee hee) for a signature in the US. Frank
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Old 21-04-2013, 15:48
mr. mustard
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I like the sound of your history volume; you've certainly written plenty. Ideal for the education of children before they get to the formal stage - that's when information seeps in untrammelled................that doesn't mean adults won't enjoy it too.
Your constant encouragement has always spurred me on Biz. Hopefully it'll be a summertime project, which isn't far off now

Welcome back Musty. John Hancock (I kept the initial style of the poem) was one of the original signatories of the Declaration of Independance
Thank you Frank, it's great to be back I've never heard of John Hancock, so that's an interesting nugget of information
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Old 21-04-2013, 19:07
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Nearly time for a new page
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