Yes breathe, zoom about as I do, take a BIG breath and then, go, Go, GO!!!!!! ????
So yes, back from France last Wednesday week to a manic few days, (that’s even manic for ME lol), a gig at Lansdowne on the Thursday, my second of five booked so far, and a great St George’s Day celebration on the Saturday 21st, being nearest to 23rd the actual day!
No content synopsis this time as quite "self-explanatory" but will list the photos and poems..
Photos: – 1) Victoria Falls (from a helicopter) 2) Ted n Beth & myself in Radio studio, 3) Book delivery & 4) Me in South Australia, (Kangaroo Island).. so BREATH…????
Poems:- Care Waves, Living Well and Love to Live and maybe more?
Ok, with big thanks to Laurence Keeley from Herstmonceux village who organised an excellent St George celebration evening for Help for Heroes charity as I was "the entertainment", WELL I poem read, (including x 2 written about St George for the night), sang (YES I can !!! ???) two military songs wearing my Napoleonic red jacket, brought along 2 H4Heroes videos and generally chatted and amused. A great success and raised a fair bit for my cause, giving a bottle of wine and one of my books to the raffle!
Being honest, I WAS totally cream crackered at the end of a long but tremendous evening!
Few quick mentions of followers, Graham of Southern P C services, (excellent), Anna of the yellow glasses & smile from Pembury stores who publicise me, Jo S of the great hair and dressing of, but can’t do mine????, Philippa, (where have you gone gel?), Gail of Custard, Lovely Claire H W of Vitality, Nadine who won my "book competition" and we bumped into each other unplanned, so collected my latest book, Alison Wonderland etc, etc and please "gimmeeee a shout " for mention, but THANKS to ALL for support, kind words and compliments it really, really DOES help!!!!
Poem time then:- Care Waves (about being positive and yes big breathing) too, from my 3d book…
Care Waves
Grasping hands that cannot reach
Adoring eyes that never see,
The object that escapes them
As if it wasn’t meant to be.
Racing heartbeats are not felt
Loving words lost in the winds,
It’s as if nothing can connect
And all love lines it rescinds.
A butterfly can skip out to sea
And birds can fly in the air,
But shipwrecked feelings stall
Compounding their despair,
Of shouted words of silence
That causes a hurting pang,
When the silent words return
Like some manic boomerang.
So dreams can be an answer
No one is forbidden those,
But if a loving sight appears
It just as quickly goes.
A silent conspiracy mocks you
And makes your insides grate,
For even if you start to win
You realise that it’s too late!
But a determined love will seek
To overcome and conquer all,
Obstacles that are in its way
Like a demolished Berlin wall.
–
Now onto that Radio gig! Arranged at quite short notice by the great Tracey Alexander, OR Fozza Fotheringham of Eastbourne’s now LIVE on the internet Radio DGH & Friends, and myself for last Wednesday 25th April…
Oh what fun we had, laughs, poems, jokes, Silly stories (MOSTLY mine), and of course Ted n Beth. I have been invited back "anytime" and to be a "regular guest", which kind and humbling offer I have gladly taken up and will return on 16th May! Hahahahahahaaa LOCK UP your EARS ???? ????
And now another poem, again on that precious breath of life and called "Living Well", and perhaps one of my slightly deeper poems?
Living Well
If you’re thirsty you may go to the well
To quench your thirst with a drink.
And you may do it automatically
Without ever stopping to think,
About how the water got there
Or the need to put something back,
Because the water may soon run dry
If the well is allowed to crack.
For in our world little comes for free
Although plenty will live for this,
By taking out everything they can
And giving help requests a miss.
For they are too busy taking all
It’s possible to get lazy hands upon,
Ensuring when it’s pay back time
They’ll be well and truly gone.
So for us in a concerned majority
Is the need take care of our well
And other gifts passed on to us,
As they are not ours to waste or sell.
When the sacrifice of many others
Gave them up without a cost,
Only a big responsibility of trust
To see they are never lost.
Thus this commitment is now ours
To appreciate and protect this wealth,
Of the things we may take for granted
All the time they’re in good health.
But just a little thought and effort
Will see our gifts all safely supplied,
And to know our drinking well is flowing
Will meet our wish after we’ve died.
–
So I’m trying to "move this on quickly" but get it all in "Ennett"?
So what is coming up next then, (I hear you ask?) but I will tell you….. Well more of a recognition actually, for as I’ve written over 400 poems now it’s hardly surprising that I can’t always recall exactly each poem! Added to that point, in my recent poem reading presentations I naturally read more "romance and humour" section poems, a few reflection and only the odd tragedy section poem. Because of this I tend to forget a bit how ("philosophical", quote, thanks Gregory) deep some of them are! Maybe a couple next Blog, but meanwhile have a read of "Pyramid, "Listen to the Flowers, Not that Kind of Time & Crowded Out" for example….
The last of the poems in this Blog now then, and quite a popular one of mine that pretty accurately describes me I hope! From my fourth book then comes, "Love to Live", and of course, BREATHE!
Love to Live
To love is to live
In all things, they say,
As to feel like this
Must enrich every day.
Though some people can’t,
Get love past themselves.
And the result of this is
They’re left on the shelves.
Others spend their love
All on one single thing,
Which if it goes wrong
Only heartache will bring.
You can love what you do
To give you much pleasure.
So long as it’s spread out,
And done in equal measure.
Many folks type of love
Will only bring strife,
Whilst for me it’s all simple,
I just love my life!
–
Just quickly to finish off, and before a little bonus, I will mention that in the next week coming up I have another gig Wednesday evening at Lansdowne Hotel in Eastbourne and an appearance and poem reading on a local radio station Eastbourne Online Thursday morning, so no easing up for me!
That "little bonus" then….. I mentioned earlier about me reading my poems later, and thinking "oh did I write that?" (yes noted your fantastic compliment thanks Suanne), so I will include now the first verse of each of two poems as yet unpublished, thus written since my latest and fifth book came out last August! Can you tell what they will be all about? Beware though, my poems are not always what they seem are they?
Secrets
Every one of us has secrets
And little stories that somehow,
Come creeping from our memories
To be confronted here and now.
For as warned by a great poet
Of tangled webs when we deceive,
That when considered in later life
We scarcely can believe.
–
And the second one a bit different again?
Another Voice
We like to hear another voice
Especially if feeling down.
For while silence can be magic
It may also make us frown,
And bleed deep and profusely,
Though no wound is seen outside.
So if an echoing quiet continues
We may need to run and hide.
–
Quite clever piece Laurie, and your usual amusing, interesting self, with great poems as well!
Aaaaaaah thanks for that! I’m getting (told lol) and the “picture” my poems are quite good, but pleased I am getting clever too…. hahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa but big THANKS !!!!
Hello Laurie. Thanks for your latest blog. Just love reading all the poems, etc. One day I hope to be at one of your book parties. Long way to go for an evening. Lotsaluv. Your biggest fan. Suanne. xxx
Awwwww, bless ya Suanne, and if it’s a long way to come (it is) for an evening, make it worthwhile and come for a week or more !!!!! OR of course should I find the fame etc you wish on me, maybe a “Book Party” (and more?) in S A ???
SO glad (i know really ) you love the poems etc thanks, AND ho ho even the recordings of me reading them out in my dulcet tones??? lol xxx