NOVEMBER
Wet and damp
rooms lit all day
by fluorescent light
or lamp.
Grey days
windy nights
cars needing headlights
all through the day
dull
damp
and grey
Trees stripped of leaves
swaying languidly in the breeze
naked now
bereft
All the birds have long since left
for happier times
in warmer climes
A lone squirrel
hunts for food
Amongst early Christmas shoppers
in surly mood
Pale skies
landscape wan
glorious autumn colours gone
Looking for a little light
hoping for a brief respite
Just a morning’s weather fine
To get some washing on the line
washing
flapping
splashing
splashing through the puddles
people stood around in huddles
at the bus stop
relentlessly the rain falls
drop by drop
brollys up
heads down
winter's chill is all around
shopping in the morning gloom
lights on all the afternoon
But we really must remember
winter doesn't last forever
--- and here's a treat to make us better
November's gift - the bright poinsettia!
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A poem for November
@ 2009-11-21 – 15:47:45
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Starting a new book....Part I
@ 2009-11-20 – 23:20:29
My publishers were really pleased with the way my second book sold on its first day. So they've asked me to write another (my third). That means putting the book I was working on (about Runes) onto the back burner and getting on with the book they want to bring out next (on psychic self defence.)
When you write professionally, as I do, you just have to get your head down and write what you've been asked for. And you have to produce it to the required length and by the required time. There's no time for the Muse to visit - you just have to get on with it.
Actually, I'm rather enjoying the research so far. I begin by sketching in a few chapter headings - three in this case. It will expand as I fill in the research. So far I have sketched out about six chapters. Done lots of research. Scribbled some notes. Filled in paragraphs here and there. And it looks like another big book (the last one was 424 pages. I had to cut 12,000 words on the final draft.) It'll be a few more weeks before I can begin the first draft in earnest. At the moment I'm just trying to knock it into shape.
The most important thing when you write a book - any book - is to always bear in mind what your readers want. Why - in this case - will they want to buy a book on psychic self defence? What do they want from it?
All the time you're
writingtrying to write you have to constantly keep thinking of your readers - they're your employers - and they can fire you any time they want. -
Cannabis Culture - A man's best friend
@ 2009-11-20 – 16:57:20
When I wake up in the morning the first thing that comes to my mind isn’t coffee. When thousands of teenagers wake up it’s a ‘spliff’. Take Monday for example. Its 9am and I’m up and ready for college. There’s a cannabis joint left over from the night before. I’m not in a bad mood, but then again I’m not in a particularly good one either. It was probably all that smoking last night that caused it. What the hell, I was happy weren’t I?
Now I’ve got a decision to make. Should I smoke it now? What about later? I can’t get any more money, I should definitely save it. Oh what the hell its Monday, I need a break. A little bit like the one I had at the weekend. Roll it up and let’s go I can smoke it on the way to college. Half way there I’m feeling good, a little under confident, but good. I know it’s probably not the best time to think about it... But all I want to do is go home and get blazed. Pfft fat chance. I’ve got some work to do.
Long day at college, can’t say it was particularly fun. But now what? I’m home, bored. What can I do I think to myself? You guessed it; it’s time to fire one up. Damn, I’m out of grade. It’s going to be another one of them days. It doesn’t take much to start me off nor does it take much to make it worse. But I am getting angry. I can’t make out if its anger or frustration. I’m frustrated that I have no weed and I’m even angrier I can’t afford to get any.
Now we’ve got a dilemma. Where am I going to get some money? I already owe all of my friends and can’t afford to tick anymore. Aaa… ‘Ticking’, that’s another subject for later. It’s like a tab, for weed. You take it and pay later, sort of like them catalogue offers you see on the television, buy now, pay next week. Pretty similar except from one major difference, you won’t be going to court if you can’t afford to pay this one, think closer along the lines of hospital.
Anyway this dilemma still needs solving. I head to my girlfriends house, perhaps she will have money. It’s only when I get there I realise she hasn’t. I don’t know why I expected she would have; maybe it was more hope than anything. There’s nothing like withdrawal to put you in a bad mood and that’s what I’m in now. The burning sensation from the gut, that’s how I know I’m about to lose it. My temper I mean. It’s probably the same for 99% of cannabis smokers. I need help; I sit and think to myself. It’s no use, it isn’t help I want, its weed and that’s what I’m going to have, one way or another.
It’s a sad situation I’m afraid. Not just for me but for thousands of other teenagers like me. I mean I don’t mean to stereotype but we all know the effects of cannabis. What about the atmosphere surrounding the drug? What do I mean? Well you can’t buy it from a shop, so where do you get it from, more importantly who do you get it from. Surely ending up with a cheap substitute of the drug is far worse than the actual drug itself.
Let’s take a typical day. I’ve finished college and head over to my mates flat. I won’t reveal his name for obvious reasons. On this occasion I have managed to acquire the small £10 to buy a couple of joints. From my Nan probably, bless her. I pull up outside and head to the main door of the flats, I can smell the pungent smell of cannabis from outside, don’t get me wrong I’m not complaining, if you ask me I think it smells natural. Anyway I make it inside. If I haven’t mentioned it by now I’m feeling happier by the minute. I can’t explain why, it’s a funny thing is the mind; the smallest things can make such an impact. The thought of relaxation and happiness in the palm of my very own hand just makes me want to smile.
What about the act itself? What can I say? It’s a great feeling. A feeling of excitement yet nervousness, I guess that’s where the paranoia comes in. The reason I smoke comes down to stress. No matter how angry I get I know when I’m sitting in my bedroom, smoking weed and playing games, there nowhere else I’d rather be. It’s an escape from reality. An illusion that makes things seems ok. After all, that is what we all want isn’t it? Everything to be ok. I often sit and wonder what my life would be like if I was weed free, it doesn’t really bare thinking about, let’s just say it would be like losing a friend, a good one at that.
Where was I? Oh yeah, firing one up with my mates. What can I say about my mates? Well let’s take my dealer for example; he’s just the same as me if not worse. The burning desire to smoke cannabis has also affected his cagey existence. The average day consists of buying, selling and smoking dope. He’s younger than me, only an 18 year old lad. Did I mention his 1 year old daughter? She lives with her mother of course; I mean how can you juggle being a dealer while trying to be a father? Maybe he just doesn’t want to.
That brings me on to ambition, or rather lack of it. We all know cannabis makes you lazy and tired, I mean that’s the idea of relaxation. However smoking weed crushes your sense of ambition and leaves you with a complete lack of motivation often resulting in foul moods and a general idea that you’re going nowhere in life. That’s not healthy is it? No it isn’t. On the other end of the spectrum it has been proved by scientists, even though cannabis affects your short term memory, it increases your brain activity, therefore resulting in better ideas and what I like to call “out of the box” thinking.
It's a working progress, please leave comments, appreciate them very much.
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SHORT POEM
@ 2009-11-20 – 14:23:24
We had an english lesson at college , it's part of our journalism course. The teacher asked us to write a short poem using similes. This is mine, she liked it and wants to use it to teach her year 11's.
I'll start off counting, one, two, three
This is a poem about smiles
As black as coal, as cold as ice
Try to use them you'll find they're niceBlue like the sky or as green as the grass
Both of these will guarentee you a pass
I've thought of another, as white as the snow
How white is that? Wouldn't you like to knowYou'll notice by now they involve lots of colours
Blue, green and red, can you name any others
As warm as the sun is another i've heard
Like as heavy as an elephant, or as free as a birdAs cool as cucumber, now how about that
I'm sure you can read it, you aren't as blind as a batIm coming to the end now, i've run out of words
I've talked about elephants, bats and birds
Remember your similes, most start with as
If you can't do that, your as thick as a SPAZ!
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Poem about an alcoholic
@ 2009-11-16 – 11:25:19
In a bit of a reflective mood and felt the need to vent this, I haven't posted on here before but I normally write much happier stuff. Let me know if you've got any tips for me on my writing:
poem:
It's 4 o clock in the afternoon
You're still shuffling about in a dressing gown
Don't you know it really gets me down
That you reek of poison
And you can hardly see?Yet you're the one telling me to leave
As I'm standing in your doorway looking gorgeous
You know you'll never get another one like me.It's pretty rich to say that I can do better
when you can't even string a sentance together
fill your days with nothing and your glass with booze
What exactly have I got to lose?
The fact that I'm too good for you is plain to see
You know you'll never get another one like meThe thing is, when you were sober,
no-one could have ever loved me any better.
But too many if's and but's
make it just too hard to love
Maybe saving you wasn't something I could do,
But you will never get another Me,
And I will never get another one like you. -
REASONABLE REQUEST
@ 2009-11-12 – 09:48:53
(By Silver Scribbler)
Invite visitors to our home?
With the parking problems
Here in Willow Green
Best come by rail!
Arrive to find the station
No more than a platform and shelter
Walk down the ramp
Through the dimly lit underpass
Mind the dog mess, whose owners
Have never heard of the blindness
Toxocara canis can cause.
Passing piles of bricks
Where once the Railway Hotel stood
Stepping through puddles in the road
Keeping an eye, for the bulky lorries
As they ramble over the bridge.
Right at the end of the road
Head toward the light, aroma of donar kebab
Ignore the litter, youths hanging around
Don’t chastise them for
Their disgusting habits
Just walk on
And welcome
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Swooning Sleepless
@ 2009-11-11 – 00:31:53
Hate the concept
dread the thought
of sleep
she said.Swooning.
@prettyintelligentprincess
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Xmas is coming-
@ 2009-11-07 – 20:28:11
Hi guys
Xmas is coming- Buy one of my art works for your best friends at :
http://www.redbubble.com/people/Rolandrimsky -
its a beautiful day!
@ 2009-11-04 – 16:45:51
hey ev'ry1
i am new on this group and i am very excited to learn from each and every talented writers in this group!
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RETURNING OFFICER
@ 2009-11-04 – 15:58:34
"Friends, I , the returning officer hereby declare Hon tortoise, Ludgate as the elected President of territory 28793 XX of crater Palanduma, Mars. Out of the Total 23987 votes, 23943 were discarded as void. God bless all." -
hi all
@ 2009-11-04 – 08:17:39
I have been doing my crafting this week getting my christmas cards maked so not alot of writing being done. My garden has to have so work done on it too. The children book I am having a go at is still being hard work at the bit of it that I cannot think of the next bit. I know the end and the start is down. It is getting it to the end. I write short storys and this one is alot longer. But I would like to do it if I can. Working on christmas storys for my blog this weekend. Happy writing all
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Trying this blogging...
@ 2009-11-03 – 21:10:12
........thing out! Hopefully I'll get used to the set up! Any other good folk from the UK???!!!
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Hi
@ 2009-11-03 – 18:49:15
I just wanted to say hello. Im pretty new to blogging and am still learning the ropes. I get great pleasure writting poetry, and thought that by bloging. I could share it with other people. The following poem is titled
Chaos of alcholism
Stripped of dignity
and set on one.
Stood at the bar like
he lost someone.Why wont you just tell
him whats going on?
Ten pints later
crying for his Mum.
Where did it go wrong?
Where has he gone?"Could of been something"
He mutters "could've shone
Instead I'm Here,
Having another one"
Drinking his answers
His questions have gone. -
hi
@ 2009-11-03 – 07:43:26
Hi hope you all read my little story I posted. Working on some christmas ones now. I write for children but hope all will like them. I am still working on the bigger one. But it is not going to well. Cannot get sat down to write it lots of things to do around the house. I also love reading old books and I sit down to write then end up reading a book. I know I should be writing but I do it. Or I end up in the garden on a good day. Maybe I will get work done this winter when it is to wet outside. Happy writing all
.
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Can't is waiting
@ 2009-11-03 – 01:21:37
I can't seem to find
Any my space in my mind
There are the things
To do
the people Who
must be seen and spoken toAll I have inside are things
I have to decide
But there's
No-one awake to listen toI hear the sirens in the street
the voices raised
as people meet
and cars passing make
sounds like waves on the beachI can't seem to find
Anywhere to sit and hide
To watch
and learn from my children
Missing them is watching
Through someone else's eyes -
A Long Time Waiting
@ 2009-11-02 – 22:10:19
If it's coming, let it come.
Bring on the darkness. I've waited so long for it's cold shadow to descend.
A month I was told. Three have passed and still I wait.
I relax, and here it comes. All pain gone.
I am no more.....
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Autumn Days
@ 2009-11-02 – 15:01:21
Leaves a trillion on my lawn
I rake and then...
They're back by dawnI rake, I sing,
I'm full of beans
I feel as though
I'm in my teensThe air is clean
the morning's fresh
This time of day
for me is bestHeart a pumping
back now breaking
But I must continue
RakingBecause the gardener
comes on Friday
So the garden
MUST be tidyI cannot have him
think me lazy
Though my husband
says I'm crazyThe tree that sheds
the leaves galore
Aint even ours
It's theirs next door!!! -
Enough Is Enough
@ 2009-11-02 – 14:11:04
Bang, bang, bang!
I gritted my teeth and sat quietly.
Bang, bang, bang!
I tried desperately to pretend it didn't bother me but it was no good, I was mad as hell.
Was it the fact that I was tired or was it really annoying?
In my pondering I hadn't noticed that it had gone quiet.
I started to relax and with a deep sigh, went back to my book.
Two words in and there it was again, the rhythmic kicking of the back of my seat.My long haul flight to Thailand had been marred by some little brat kicking my seat. Well enough was enough they were going to get the full force of my wrath.
I stood up and turned in my confined space and shouted at the top of my voice
"Can you stop kicking my seat? Four bloody hours of bang, bang, bang. I've had......"I was halted mid sentence by the sight before me. My seat was being repeatedly kicked, and I had every right to complain, but the culprit was a little boy with Cerebral palsy.
Floor open now and swallow me; wait a minute, I would be outside the plane then, falling at speed. Perhaps that would be my punishment.
His parents and most of the other nearby passengers glared at me.
I sat down again hanging my head in shame and said nothing for the rest of the flight. -
title-7250676
@ 2009-10-27 – 01:01:54
I am not a creative writer...
I am a destructive writerThe thing that it has been
Is not as it shall be
And not as it should beI discern faults and cracks among the surfaces
and among the faces there are gourds
and shells of eggs
and pickle jars
and horses
with feet of clay and eyes alight with dustDo comment please.
I am curious to learn where this new material is going, and how long the stream is. Seems an endless not... -
My Poetry Book is selling now!
@ 2009-10-26 – 11:52:00
Here's a picture of the proof copy of the paperback edition of Alternative Poetry Books - Yellow edition. It was exactly right and so the book has now been released for sale on the various Amazon sites!
It is only £4.99 in the UK and $7.99 in the US and is various prices in other countries.
It can be bought from my blog (linked to from the picture) - where I am still selling signed embossed certified copies (only 50 so once they're gone they're gone) for the same price as the standard copies are selling on Amazon.co.uk - £4.99 - but with £2.00 P&P
I have started a Blog Tour to promote the book and my first interview is on the WordPress Blog site with Janet Colley on her "A Place of My Own Blog" : http://jscolley.wordpress.com/2009/10/21/interview-with-a-poet/
The yellow edition is the first of a seven book series which is intended to build to create a rainbow of poetry for your bookshelf.
I'm busy putting together the Pink edition (instead of Indigo) to be released in December/January and the Red edition will be released in time for Valentine's Day.
I took advice from my lovely Blog.co.uk readers as to the format of the book and the price so here's hoping I got it right

You can read a free sample short e-book on the Freado website here : http://www.freado.com
My little yellow/red book is on the front page twice as it is third in rank for most viewed book and second in rank for most pages read! Just click on the image of my book on the Freado site and it will take you to a free view sample of the yellow edition.
Sorry if this entry is a bit spammy - this is the first time I've done something like this and I'm finding it hard to get the right 'tone' I think. I just get a bit over-excited and then possibly get a bit too pushy. It's difficult for me to judge.



