A bit different Blog this time !!!….

Synopsis:-

News = Performances, reviews, book sales..

Published:- “Ghosts”& Two poems..

Emotions:= Flying, ecstatic & humble..

Poems:- “Nellie and I, The Friend & Locked Inside” !!!

Performances…

Wonderful poetry reading performances, well received in very different venues, from Care Home residents, dependant but appreciative, to Residents in affluent surrounding who were gratuitously generous in reception, understanding and compliments !!! (” That poetry man was excellent and could give Robbie Burns a run for his money” !!! NO, but one can aspire !!! )

Loved at The Hawthorns Friday 10th = “The Friend” from my first book..

The Friend

Strong is the friend who stands by you

When others turn aside

The minute they’re asked to help

They are off to run and hide.

True is the friend who stands by you

In times of your demise,

Always there to chat and cheer

And make sense of all the lies.

Humble is the friend who stands by you

And can’t see what he’s done

By being right alongside you

With no thought to cut and run.

Loyal is the friend who stands by you

Even if he feels you’re wrong,

And tries to mediate a deal

To leave you standing strong.

Caring is the friend who stands by you

When all blows up in your face,

Then will resolve and tend your hurt

And play down the disgrace.

What have you done to earn this friend

Who shelters from the fame?

I suspect that when he was down

You stood by him just the same!

–

Published by me on my regular sites, but both seem special to me in different ways, THUS check out my monthly article “Ghosts” in “thesussexnewspaperonline”…

AND for Remembrance Sunday on zonezine .co.uk  two of my poems that I’m proud of, and are presented on here!

Another poem very well received at The Hawthorns Eastbourne, (who welcomed me, gave me a generous fee for Help for Heroes and want me back), from my 2nd book and a true story = “Nellie and I”

Nellie and I

Nellie and I met out in Thailand

That I can never quite forget,

Along with other memories

On an island called Phuket.

We had gone to a safari centre

All proceeds to help animals there,

And I was really happy to note

An impressive level of care.

Especially the elephants at risk

All treated nicely and well fed.

With lots of activities to do,

Or be hunted outside instead.

So off on an elephant ride then

We travelled all over the park,

To see the animals at their rest

So no poachers could leave a mark.

Soon it was time for the animal show

The elephants showing what to do,

Like how to play games and football

And coming to meet me and you.

Then it came to the show’s highlight

People would lay flat like on a rack,

And an extremely large elephant

Put his foot almost on your back.

Delighted squeals and thumbs up

When punters went up one by one,

As if they were to be squashed

By this animal of many a ton!

Then they called for a volunteer

My wife pushed me to the fore,

To get a real close up of Nellie

Though I wasn’t really too sure.

But the staff quickly took over

Saying you sir please lay face up,

Oh joy, I was getting a clear view

But I didn’t want to win this cup.

Then the girls had soon taken over

Making me lay flat like on a bunk,

Slipping bananas up my shorts

Nellie would get back with her trunk.

But of course I didn’t know this

So that I wasn’t thinking too much,

That a banana seeking Nellie

Would trunk grope up my crutch.

Well obviously I was very surprised

As I really didn’t have a clue,

That when being pressed to stardom

Just what our big Nellie would do.

So I had to just burst out laughing

At this massive shock of mine,

Not expecting an elephants trunk

Up where the sun wont shine!

–

So as the the lead photo and headline says, “I’m flying, ecstatic and humble!”

Flying, due to an amazing week of compliments, money raised for Help for Heroes and more requests for me to read and “perform”!

Ecstatic, because my (optimistic a while ago) target of 1,000 sales of all my books is in very near range, (986 as of this moment), so VERY chuffed with this!!!

Humble, because of the many kind plaudits given to me this week, the honour of reading to disadvantaged people (there but for the grace of god go we), who “loved” my readings, AND the almost completion of above target of 1,000 sales to “a first time author nobody knows, selling poetry NOT a popular seller”, well HOLLYHOCKS to that !!!!

A bit of me, caustic, sardonic, acrid in rejoiner, (but soft as poo ??)..

Locked Inside

Every one of us is afraid

At some time in our life

From small daily interactions

To more daunting tasks and strife.

We walk lost among the majesty

And wonders of our world,

But there’s hidden doubts and fears

That just want to be unfurled.

And these many uneasy feelings

That start to push and probe,

Can explode our inner secrets

Like a shattered precious globe.

Causing self doubt and foreboding

That there must be something wrong,

With what we’ve said or stand for,

So any peace can’t last for long.

For insecurities and paranoia

Will grow large and drown our mood,

As we batter down our hatches

So dormant shadows don’t intrude.

Others silence or covert laughter

Must all be aimed at us,

Seeming to look right inside

Our trembling souls, with no fuss.

So stand firm, proud and defiant

At this deep inner scrutiny,

And have the courage to roar loudly

That what you see inside is me!

–

Well that is it, a (hopefully) abridged Blog and slightly different style you can give me your opinion on please, (James?), but I’m praying equally interesting and appealing to you?

Ted n Beth want me to mention that they were in attendance for both gigs this week and “went down a storm”, with “many” of their poems read to great appreciation!

WELL DONE “bears” but WHO Chuffing wrote and read them out !!! ??? LOL, Know your place you two…. ❤❤

Another interesting and exciting week ahead, WATCH this space!!!!

AS ever, goodbye, thanks and take care from myself and Ted n Beth,

The Journey Continues…..

Laurie