Haven't looked at DVO's Twitter, but had a quick look at Jessica Martin's, and she sounds very pleased and excited - already has the BIG poster as her header.

[quote=StrictlyRed;84137188]Haven't looked at DVO's Twitter, but had a quick look at Jessica Martin's, and she sounds very pleased and excited - already has the BIG poster as her header.[/QUOTE

That's great, and I'm sure she'll play the part brilliantly, very likely far better than the original casting.

Yes, NPD is an annual event but not too well publicised.

Heaven only knows
How I'd love to read your prose.
Take our breath away
On this very special day...

Très bien!
Encore s'il vous plaît!

NPD ✍

When words in your head
Are just flying around
Just scoop them all up
Sort them out with their sound
And their meaning of course
It goes without saying
It may take an age
All the sifting and weighing
But when they are sorted
Into poem or rhyme
Write them in lines
And they're there for all time

Jays Jive is up to 4.1m on FB as Strictly have reshared it today! 🙌👌

For NPD, excerpts of "Song" by Ted Hughes, imagining Aliona as the muse (ellipses represent where I have cut text).

O lady
When the tipped cup of the moon blessed you
You became a soft fire with a cloud's grace...

O lady
When the wind kissed you
You made him music, for you were a shaped shell...

O lady
Consider when I shall have lost you...

Come on Muse! Are you there? I know that you care
That I'm trying so hard to write verse.
When I've asked in the past
For your help, you've been fast
To inspire. But not now. It's perverse.

I'm twiddling my pen.....just a blank, but then
Is that a hint of an ode, I espy?
Just wait 'til I get
My butterfly net,
Oh!.....It's gone! How I wish I could fly.

I'd gather all thoughts that are floating free,
And put them all in my drawer.
I'd then have a clue
When I looked at a few,
As I spread them all out on the floor.

Shall I use this one?....Or this? I wouldn't want to lose
The best one. But which one to choose?
So many, who would guess?
That pursuit of success
Would be this hard.......but good, nonetheless.

I think I'll give up, for now, at least,
And sleep on it, you never know.
I might dream of the ONE
Who has brought us such fun,
And then write in his warm afterglow.

Well, I'm blown away - that is absolutely brilliant Rafferty. And it made me chuckle as it's so true! I just read it to OH who's equally amused and impressed. No spoiler needed!

Great poems Rafferty, Isih, TT and Korky. Really enjoyed them.
DD has been posting some poems on Twitter too. ( Hope she doesn't mind me saying.)

Just had an email from Ticketmaster (through whom I bought my Big tickets for Dublin) telling me about DVO's departure due to unforeseen circumstances. Sounds a bit of a daft thing to say, but it reads a bit cross.
Personally not sorry to see her replaced with Jessica but the nosey part of me would like to know why!

If I may join in NPD without actually writing a poem or even using my own work.

This is however my favourite since seeing a certain young man dance to it.

The lyrics are so apposite to the commencement and yes, dare I say journey, through SCD 2015. From the cha cha when she took his arm to the red paso when he took her arm.

Every time I listen to it I see two people dancing and becoming fast and firm friends.

And yes changing destiny.

https://youtu.be/qIagSnTQKHk

Thank you so much, BB. This wasn't the prose I was talking about earlier (the one I'm thinking of putting in a Spoiler, sometime). This is a poem I thought up, when I learned, on here, a little earlier on, that it's National Poetry Day, today. I was following my own advice, given in the second verse of my very first poem. I hope I'll be forgiven if I quote it here:-

When, despite a long trawl, ideas pall,
And thoughts have slowed to a crawl,
I think you'll agree
That you can, just like me
Write at length, and say nothing at all.


BB. I find your kind words so encouraging, and so inspiring. Thank you.

ETA. And Thank you to all who have kindly commented. I really appreciate it.

This is superb, Raffy! I wonder: do you live in your head as I do?

Ha ha! Does anybody here like her?

Suppose we'll have to wait until Big starts and then see what she's doing instead.

Thank you for the fabulous poetry Korky, Isih, Rafferty & TT
You've all inspired me to have a go as it's NPD.

It's National Poetry Day
So I thought I would play
With words to describe
How we all feel inside
When a dancer named Jay
Sweeps us up and away
With his glorious lines
And extentions divine
We're transported with joy
By this graceful Man/Boy
And thrill at the chance
Of watching him dance.
Last edited by Whiffle_09 : 06-10-2016 at 19:37

YT views also continuing to rise quite quickly as people are going back to remind themselves and people who didn't watch it last year are checking it out to see what all the fuss was about!

Good choice Hannah!
Well done Whiffle too.
I will have to come up with something somehow.....

I'm happy for her not to be in it, as well. Would really like to know why she's not, though. Wonder how long her participation has been in the balance, too, given the speed with which they got a very experienced musical theatre actress on board .....

ETA - loving the poetry, peeps ...

👏



Oh yes, you can play
On this auspicious day
Which inspires such verse
In which to immerse
Ourselves tonight
And brings such delight
All about our fellow
Whose voice is so mellow
So without further pause
I give you applause
And three cheers for our J
Hip hip hooray

Poor Denise to be so un-mourned and un-missed!

Thank you very much Korky. I hadn't thought about it, but I suppose I also live in my head. Or at least I've got one foot in it. Makes it so much easier for me, when anything less than a 'foot in mouth' comment, just won't do.

Hannah, as you're on twitter, how do you feel about sending it to J for NPD?

My contribution

Courtesy of Pam Ayres

You have to dance while you are able,
Do the can-can on the table,
Grab each chance that flashes past,
For life goes by so deadly fast.

ETA

Origin unknown

Dancing with feet is one thing
But dancing with the heart is another.

Oh yes indeedy to both - and certain current contestants should take note of your edit. Still, if they just don't feel it...

Evening everyone.

Great poetry today - congratulations to all: Rafferty, TT, Korky, Whiffle as Isih

Some very interesting news about DVO. I don't know any of the workings of theatre, but had there been contracts signed? Whatever the reason, I don't suppose we will find out any time soon.

Well, as it is NPD today, here is my own tawdry effort [it has been torture trying to do this - not likely to ever be repeated]. Apologies too - I tried to word something around Jay, but my mind wouldn't co-operate.


And down I shall go to the wood
to play word games.

Others said that if I could,
to weave my thoughts as on a loom.
A tapestry of words to bloom.

They say that if I should,
words will fall to the pen
Once done, to do again

So down I go to the wood.
to play word games.