The Red Robin - A Poem Focused On Dementia - A Tribute

Hi Everyone,

I hope this finds you well.

Here is a poem, a tribute to those with dementia.

The Red Robin

My mind is a mist.
Thoughts escape my grasp,
as synapses dissolve.
Crumbling the framework within.

In the distance,
a red robin,
taps at the window,
its all I see right now.

Tombstones of memories form within,
the wisps of my mind,
as the red robin,
still taps at the window,
A delusion from my suffering.


Till we meet again,

JR.

Different Kinds Of Verse

Hi Everyone,

I hope this finds you well, and that you had a wonderful Christmas wherever you may be.

Today I just wanted to share with you briefly the various types of poetry/verse that exists around the world.  Some may be considered ancient, some not so much.

This list is meant as a starting point for gaining poetry knowledge and will give an idea of what you are looking for when you research the various types further.

So without further ado, the list:

• Epic
• Narrative
• Religious / Belief based
• Dramatic
• Descriptive
• Didactic (Teaching / Instructional)
• Lyric
• Satirical
• Occasional
• Light and humorous
• Historical
• Translated

As I said its just a starting point on a much greater journey.  I hope it serves you well.

Till we meet again, have a good week.

JR.

A Little Look At C.S. Lewis, Who Also Happened To Be A Poet

Hi Everyone,

I hope this finds you well.

Just a quick post to share with you a poem written by a wonderful author named C S Lewis, who is often remembered for his prose (The Chronicles of Narnia) and not his poetry.

To get you somewhat interested, here is a sample of his poetry:

Re-adjustment by C S. Lewis

I thought there would be a grave beauty, a sunset splendour
In being the last of one's kind: a topmost moment as one watched
The huge wave curving over Atlantis, the shrouded barge
Turning away with wounded Arthur, or Ilium burning.
Now I see that, all along, I was assuming a posterity
Of gentle hearts: someone, however distant in the depths of time,
Who could pick up our signal, who could understand a story. There won't be.

Between the new Hembidae and us who are dying, already
There rises a barrier across which no voice can ever carry,
For devils are unmaking language. We must let that alone forever.
Uproot your loves, one by one, with care, from the future,
And trusting to no future, receive the massive thrust
And surge of the many-dimensional timeless rays converging
On this small, significant dew drop, the present that mirrors all.

Here is an added video to let you know a bit more about who C.S. Lewis was:

 

 

I hope you have enjoyed this post.

Till w meet again, have a good week.

JR.

Hobbit Abode - Another Poem By Me

Hi All,

Welcome to you today, on this wonderful Wednesday.

Today I am going to share with you a poem based on the first two paragraphs of: The Hobbit. I hope you like it.

Hobbit Abode

Rivers, meadows, sloping outwards,
bright and deep set round glass windows,
shining bright, reflecting sunlight.

Hobbit holes are round and high,
often green, and made of wood.
Knockers: Brass and shaped like lions.

Beyond Earth where: new worlds are seen,
Bedrooms, cellars, pantries, bookshelves,
wardrobes, mathoms and dust are found.

Till we meet again, have a great rest of the day.

JR.

A Glimpse Into My Poetry Writing Process

Hi Everyone,

I hope this finds you well.  I pray that you are all safe in these present days of stress.  

Today I thought I would share with you briefly a page of my poetry workings.  Just because I thought you may find them interesting.

Hopefully you get something out of them.

So here it is: 

Till we meet again, I wish you all the love and luck in the world.

JR. 

Yeast - A New Poem By Me

Hi Everyone,

Here is a poem I wrote last year, which I have recently rediscovered.  I hope you like it.

Yeast

Bubbles protrude,
upon airy orbs.
Cascading. Crusading
towards a prideful apex.

Three Quick Ways To Be A Successful Poet

Hi Everyone,

How are you all going?  I hope you are going well, and enjoying whatever weather you are currently having. 

So today, I wanted to share with you three ways in which you can become a better poet, and in time a successful poet; they are:

1 - Use your past experiences and emotions
      Have you been a situation where you have been so scared you have shaken all over, or
      been so excited you can't stop laughing and smiling because of the circumstance. Then use
      the experiences and any others to fuel your writing.

                     Red is such an interesting color to correlate with emotion,

                     because it's on both ends of the spectrum. On one end you

                     have happiness, falling in love, infatuation with someone,

                     passion, all that. On the other end, you've got obsession,

                     jealousy, danger, fear, anger and frustration.

                     - Taylor Swift

 

2 - Write about what interests you
      This is always a winner, as you often do your best work when you love the topic.  Overall, the
      things that you are passionate about are what you should write about, because if you do the words
      often flow quite easily. 

                    Passion is one great force that unleashes creativity, because if you're passionate about

                    something, then you're more willing to take risks.
                   - Yo-Yo Ma

3 - If you get stuck - go do something else
     If you are having trouble finding the ideas to write about or even certain ideas, than go and do
     something else for a bit  - it can be anything, such as having a nap, or going for a walk. 

                       Henry David Thoreau, the writer of Walden, penned in his journal.
                      “Methinks that the moment my legs begin to move,
                      my thoughts begin to flow.”

I hope this article has been of some use to people.  If you did find it useful than feel free to share this article with others.

Till we meet again, have a good week, and stay well.

JR.
 

Leonardo Da Vinci On Poetry

Hi Everyone,

I quickly wanted to share with you a quote by Leonard Da Vinci on poetry.  Its short, but makes a person think about the impact of poetry more.  Which in my opinion can only be a good thing.

So here it is:

“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.”  

I hope you like it, and it gets you thinking.

Till we meet again, have a good week.

JR.

Making it as a poet

He Everyone,

How is everyone going?  I hope you are going well and managing to fit in some time to write some poetry, or at least read some.

I came across this wonderful video while surfing YouTube, and thought I would share it will you all.  As it is encouraging, and has some good tips for poets who want to make something of themselves.

Its called: Poetry--Can You Possible Make Money As A Poet.

I hope you enjoy it, and get some benefit from it.  I know I have.

If you would like, in the comments share what you got out of the video. Its great to hear how people have reacted to these types of videos.

Till we meet again, have a good time, stay safe, and savour the poetry that you surround yourself with.

JR :)

Why We All Need Poetry

Hi All,

I hope you are all well, and if you are in in Australia you are enjoying your long weekend due to the Queen's birthday. I know I am.

While on YouTube (Yes, I love looking at all the videos, in particular TED talks--I am sort of addicted to them), I came across this wonderful talk by Stephen Burt, who talks about why we need poetry in our lives.  In part because it helps us to understand the world around us, as well as life after death.

Have a look below, its worth the watch if you are into poetry.

Tell us what you thought in the comments below.

Till then, have a great day.

JR.

The Reaper (of wool)

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are all going well, and are not sick like our household at the moment.

The other day I was reading a book about knitting, with a reference to a reaper of wool.  So I had a light bulb moment and wrote the following poem as a result.  Hoe you like it.

The Reaper (of wool)

The head is bowed,
staring at an oiled spot,
upon the slatted floor.

The head is bowed,
praying for relief,
from the metal teeth,
placed upon the slatted floor.

The head is bowed,
silence as its saving grace,
lies lifeless, frizzled, and bloodied,
upon the slatted floor.

So dear reader, do you have any favourite poems about farming life?  If so feel free to share in the comment.

Till we meet again, stay safe, and keep writing.

JR.

A quick ditty

Hi Everyone,

Just so you all know - I'm not dead.  I have just been busy looking after kids, studying, and trying to balance being creative with the much hated housework.  

Today I thought I would share with you a quick poem I have had swirling in my head (it has not been written on paper at all which in the end may be a mistake).  It's not perfect, but I am sure someone can relate, especially if they have worked on a realllly long knitting project - something I am doing, and not sure whether I will ever again (I would need to be bribed with an awful amount of stuff if I am).

So without anymore waffling, here it is.

Blanket

Knitting: baby gift. 

Can't wait

to see the faces at the end. 

Cant wait

For relief...

Sore fingers and thumb.

As I said above, it's not my best work.  But still it's relatable to some people (0people who knit and crochet). This fact does give it some merit, no matter how small.  That's why I decided to post. For those who read it - Hope you liked it. 

Till we meet again, have a good one. 

Favourite Writing Spaces

Hi Everyone,

I hope everyone is going well and having a lovely break for Easter, and staying safe as well.

I have been thinking about my favourite writing space(s) as opposed to my most productive writing space(s).  I have discovered something.  For me they are different.

When I write poetry I like to sit in nature (specifically a lake near where I live), but on reflection  that is not where I am the most productive - its actually when I am travelling by car or train. 

So wanting to be more productive, I am going to plan a trip or two, so I can make some poetry happen.

So, over to you dear reader, do you have a favourite writing place? and is it as productive as somewhere else you go?  Will you change where you write now you know? Share your answer below.

Till we meet again, have a good one, and stay well.

JR.

My current inspiration

Hi everyone,

I hope you are all going well.

Today I thought I would share with you my current inspiration for my poetry.  I hope you find them inspiring too. 

What inspires you to write your poetry?  Reply in the comments below. 

Till we meet again, have a good one.

JR.

Pain - a work in progress

Hi All,

Hope you are all well, as we start to go into the second month of the year.

This is a few verses from a poem that I am working on.  I am not sure if I will finish it soon, but I hope I do.  I am actually finding it quite hard to do, but I am sure that I will get there in the end.

Pain - a work in progress

My battered frame, full of scars and scabs,
readies for the next frontal attack.

My feeble body stands in the darkness,
for the scars and gnashes are hidden.

As I said I am still working on it, and as you can see its quite deep.  But don't worry its not about myself, rather its a poem intended to highlight the terrors that slaves feel throughout the world everyday.

So what do you think?  Is it worth continuing?

A quote to consider

Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash.

 

~Leonard Cohen

 

Tradition

Hi All,

I hope everyone is well and that a great new year was had.

As the traditions that exist at this time of year came to mind, I thought I would write and share the following poem.

Tradition

A figure kneels,
tea pot in hand.
Hot mist arises,
above the steeped solution.
Never failing to delight,
in showmanship,
and glory in tradition.

As you may have guessed its a poem based on a Japanese tea ceremony.  I hope you enjoyed it.