I would NOT like to be in Zionist shoes,
when wrath time comes round.

They'll feel so naked without their guns.
Has someone erased the words on 'Yahu's arrest warrant?

If only I had the number of a mercenary sniper!

Thank you for this Dewald. 👍

Comment is about Forgive me for asking (blog)

Original item by Dewald

MOST CERTAINTLY. UILLEAM,
WITH BLOODLESS BELLS ON!!!!!!

E-N-D-L-E-S-S-L-Y!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
N-E-V-E-R----F-O-R-G-O-T-T-E-N!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you so much for this.


Leon

Comment is about ISUPPORTGENOCIDEACTIONIOPPOSEPALESTINEACTION (blog)

Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh

Good, late afternoon Uilleam, my long suffering wife, delivered our three kids in the same way, so my ears, have yet to cool down, after fifty eight years, I hasten to add 😦

Not quite sure but, I've heard somewhere, that even today, it can still be a very precarious, even resulting in death sometimes kind of operation? So, medals all round eh what?

Thanks very much for the comment sir!

Good late afternoon Rolph, I am, as I'm sure, many other subscribers are, very grateful for your in depth comments

I think a suitable deserving nickname for you, would be

The King of critique!

And many, many thanks, to-
Red/Tom/New Shoes/Uilleam/Stephen/Manish/Rolph/Naomi

Kind regards.


Leon

Comment is about Doesn't say Quack Quack, she says Kwak Kwak (blog)

Original item by LEON STOLGARD

Death, to the IDF is a way of life!

Comment is about I.D.F. (blog)

Original item by David R Mellor

Like the man said:
"There's always someone who thinks they can do the job better than God!😇"

Comment is about Forgive me for asking (blog)

Original item by Dewald

Thanks Rolph; the unknown can be daunting , even paralysing. But yes, it can and has to be embraced for certain things. Most appreciative of you 🕊️🙏🏻🌷

Comment is about "streambound" (blog)

Original item by Red Brick Keshner

Thanks @new shoes, you are most appreciated 🕊️🙏🏻🌷

Comment is about "where is my oyster?" (blog)

Original item by Red Brick Keshner

Thank you, Graham. In a way, the Ukraine war has become business as usual, a sort of lethal stalemate. Trump works best (at least on his terms) when he can bully and blackmail people, which he can't do with Putin. So he may end up by agreeing with him, as he did in previous meetings, which is very dangerous, of course.

And thanks to everyone who liked this poem.

Comment is about (Half-) Baked Alaska (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

A beautiful memoir of discovery, Aisha. It is a fantastic place.

Comment is about Golden Days In the Eternal City – Rome (blog)

Original item by Aisha Suleman

I well remember very well a time when I had an important job. There was never a shortage of people trying to tell me how to do it better. It seemed to make them happier!

Comment is about His Majesty’s Stay Out of Hell Cards: “Divine Right” and “Convention” (blog)

Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh

So much material, Rolph, hard to know where to start!

Reverse Midas touch: MAGAsty to PIGsty

Comment is about Farewell, Your MAGAsty! (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

Good morning Uilleam,
Thank you for sharing your remarkable poem. I was deeply impressed by the way you intertwine two strands within one piece. The lines in red pulse with anger, blood, and suffering, forming a searing critique of Britain’s moral failures, indifference, and hypocrisy — from the silence of leaders to society’s everyday complicity.

Directly woven into this is the story of the blind man in a wheelchair, who, despite being unable to see or walk, perceives more and acts more courageously than those who are fully able yet often choose inaction. The stark irony — that he is punished for his conscientious resistance — makes the moral message even more powerful.

The interplay of collective failure and individual courage gives the poem urgency and depth. It exposes routine indifference, performative morality, and the human cost of inaction, while honouring those who act with conscience. What a fantastic poem, despite its content.

Best regards,
Rolph

Comment is about There Was a Blind Man............... (blog)

Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh

Good morning Manish and K. Lynn:
Thank you very much for your 🌷. I really appreciate it.
Regards,
Rolph

Comment is about Where is THIS Jerusalem? (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

Good morning Stephen,
I just wanted to say thank you for reading my poem and sharing your thoughts. It really brightened my day to know that the piece reached you, and your encouragement gives me energy to keep exploring these difficult themes. I truly appreciate you taking the time to engage with it. And thank you for your "like", too.

Best regards,
Rolph

Comment is about Where is THIS Jerusalem? (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

Good morning Uilleam,
Thank you very much for your comments and for noticing the contradictions between Parry’s musical setting of "Jerusalem" and my poem. I think your observation is very accurate: while Parry’s music celebrates England as a “holy land” and conveys hope, my poem aims to use Jerusalem as a symbol to reflect the reality today — with all the brutality, destruction, and human suffering associated with it. The tension between the idealised image and the present reality is exactly what I wanted to express.

Regarding Charles III, I totally understand your point from a moral perspective. At the same time, it’s important to remember that as a constitutional monarch, he is bound by neutrality and cannot publicly comment on such conflicts — even though privately, he surely feels compassion and may act differently. The restrictions of his office prevent direct statements, which does not mean he ignores the tragedies, but rather that he must adhere to the role that tradition and the constitution require.

Thank you again for taking the time to reflect on the irony and depth in my poem — I truly appreciate it.
And: I thank you for your "like", too.

Best regards,
Rolph

Comment is about Where is THIS Jerusalem? (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

Hi Stephen,

Thanks for your thoughtful message.

I know how you focus on Ukraine and fully support it. With so much injustice going on it's difficult to spread your creativity without compromise.

All the best,

David RL Moore

Comment is about He remembers her now (blog)

Original item by David RL Moore

Sounds like a very fulfilling experience!

Comment is about Golden Days In the Eternal City – Rome (blog)

Original item by Aisha Suleman

What a creatively descriptive depth
Of insite! Bravo!

Comment is about "where is my oyster?" (blog)

Original item by Red Brick Keshner

You must get a like for that first line alone New Shoes. Bravo!!

Comment is about His Wing (blog)

Original item by New Shoes

In this poem we each sift sand, scan rockpools and listen to the surf, all of us chasing a single elusive shell. Our intertwined voices turn a simple question into a quiet meditation on search, shape and the spaces that define us. No spoilers—just an invitation to lean into the salt breeze and join the hunt. 🕊️🙏🏻

Comment is about "where is my oyster?" (blog)

Original item by Red Brick Keshner

Bang on the money as always Stephen. We (the WOL management) were only saying at our recent zoom meeting that Palestine had removed Ukraine from the top WOL politics slot, almost all due to Uilleam's contributions. Any deal involving Trump is bound to be dodgy.

Comment is about (Half-) Baked Alaska (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

Great work, Trevor. So many great films noir to enjoy.

Comment is about Bogart Boogie (blog)

Original item by Trevor Alexander

An excellent, well-crafted and heartfelt poem, Rolph.

Comment is about Where is THIS Jerusalem? (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

A REAL revolution,
one of hearts and minds,
wouldn't want to frighten the Gammons!😊

Comment is about Haiku for 2025 [No. 30. Cheoil is Réabhlóidach] (blog)

Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh

I've just seen a blind man,
who was confined to a wheelchair
being arrested
for opposing genocide
for attempting to prevent genocide
by holding up a piece of paper
saying that he does so.

Shame on you King Charles III for your silence on atrocity.

Shame on you, Starmer, for you complicity in atrocity.

YOU AND THOSE WHO SUPPORT YOU ARE MORAL
..................................................FILTH.....................................................

Comment is about Where is THIS Jerusalem? (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

Thank you Rolph.
There's a great irony: I loved playing the organ music to Jerusalem, and now find the words so full of contradictions.

Your last stanza reminds me of some thing I wrote some time ago: time for a re-post; increasingly horrific news makes it all the more relevant.

Comment is about Where is THIS Jerusalem? (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

Thanks for your likes:
Tom Doolan
Stephen Gospage
Aisha Suleman
Holden Moncrieff
Rolph David
Naomi
LEON STOLGARD

Just edited my poem.

They're murdering journalists and witnesses in Gaza whilst the hypocrites in our governments throw members of parliament out for speaking out.
This from New Zealand Parliament member Chloe Swarbrick:
So much for our "Common Wealth".

“Human rights should not be conditional,
we don’t get human rights because someone else decides that we are worthy,
but we get them because we are human,
the best way to lose your own human rights
is to care about them only when it impacts and affects you".

The Speaker banned her from the House for a week for that.
It’s going the same way with Hoyle in the UK. Who's getting paid what? I'd like to know. Fascism’s stalking our streets with impunity.
https://youtu.be/ZSHErnQisQA

Comment is about Squid Game (blog)

Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh

Aww Thanks so much Nigel - It means a lot that you think my writing is good 🥰 I am trying to make more time for writing creatively so I will try to post here more often!

Comment is about Discarded In Summer (blog)

Original item by Ruth O'Reilly

Empty-headed advertising aimed at fantasists.

A truly awful contrast with the blood-chilling reality created by fanaticists.

Comment is about Squid Game (blog)

Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh

Dear Uilleam,
Your poem cuts through the noise with a stark, unflinching honesty that is both powerful and deeply necessary. The way you juxtapose the brutal reality of Gaza with the spectacle of a popular TV show is a sobering reminder of the human suffering often hidden behind headlines and screens. Your words open eyes and hearts, demanding we face the truth without distraction or denial.
With deep respect,
Rolph

Comment is about Squid Game (blog)

Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh

Dear Red,
I really appreciate how your poem captures that delicate moment of surrender—when we step into the flow of life and thought, letting ourselves be changed by forces we can’t fully see or control. It’s a beautiful reminder that transformation comes from embracing the unknown.
Best,
Rolph

Comment is about "streambound" (blog)

Original item by Red Brick Keshner

Thanks Leon - have not been back there since 2002, but intend to revisit the next year or two and take some pics to attach to the poem on BlogSpot (as I've done with quite a few of them now).

Comment is about Weekly WalkaboutsVerse, E.G., Poem 197 of 230:  HISTORIC HEXHAM - AUTUMN 2002 (blog)

Original item by David Franks: Walkabouts Verse

Dear Leon,
I loved how you effortlessly dance between the joyful chaos of new life and the quiet gravity behind it all. That playful “KWAK KWAK” moment cracks open the door to laughter, just before the weight of everything that came before settles in. It’s a reminder that even in the toughest beginnings, life finds its quirky, beautiful rhythm.
Thanks for sharing such a witty glimpse into family life.
Best,
Rolph

Comment is about Doesn't say Quack Quack, she says Kwak Kwak (blog)

Original item by LEON STOLGARD

Thank you K. Lynn, Holden, Hugh, Red, and Nigel for your 👍.
Regards,
Rolph

Comment is about The Scream (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

Dear Leon, Naomi, Holden, Aisha, Stephen, Kimberly, Uilleam, Hugh, and Nigel,
Thanks so much to all of you for your likes and thumbs-ups. I really appreciate your support—it’s great to know the poem connected with you.

Best wishes to everyone!
Rolph

Comment is about No Mercy Left for Gaza’s Dying Children (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

Dear Leon,
Thank you for your warm and resonant words. They read like a firm handshake across a great distance—a sign that outrage and compassion are not alone. Your image of “dredging” for peace is powerful, and I’m honored if my poem can contribute even a tiny shovel-full to your important work.


Dear Uilleam,
Your “Poetic Justice” caught me off guard—in the best way—charmingly wrapped between heart emojis and that sly grin of yours.
Comparing my poem to Alice Oswald, a true master of lyrical power and precision, is quite the compliment—thank you for placing me in such esteemed company!
And your “less political” smile… well, if it got any bigger when you say that, it would need its own postcode.
Thank you for delivering humour and sharpness in one breath—both are very welcome here.

Take care, both of you.
Regards,
Rolph

Comment is about No Mercy Left for Gaza’s Dying Children (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

Thank you Hélène for you kind words and generous comments.

Thank's also to those who have posted recent likes.

David RL Moore

Comment is about He remembers her now (blog)

Original item by David RL Moore

Thanks for extra likes: Nigel Astell, Auracle & Naomi. 👍

Comment is about Peace Of Mind (blog)

Original item by Tom Doolan

Thank you Graham.
You're right. Being conditioned by others can make you feel like you're holding your breath your whole life.

Comment is about A STAGGERING PATH THROUGH DARKNESS (blog)

Original item by Naomi

I like this so much Ruth because of the effect of the last line of your poem.
I think the Gotcha effect works so well I am hoping you put some more poems on because all of your writing is so good.
😎x

Comment is about Discarded In Summer (blog)

Original item by Ruth O'Reilly

Thank you for the like, Stephen. 💔

Comment is about Haiku for 2025 [No. 30. Cheoil is Réabhlóidach] (blog)

Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh

I was a Caesarian.
Mum never allowed me to forget it!
Surely that's worth a Nobel Peace Prize....?
😕💖

Comment is about Doesn't say Quack Quack, she says Kwak Kwak (blog)

Original item by LEON STOLGARD

The most eloquent of congratulations, Rolph.

Looks like poet Alice Oswald, former Oxford professor of poetry, and TS Eliot prize winner in 2002, has saved me a job!
Now that's what I call Poetic Justice!💖
💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

Comment is about No Mercy Left for Gaza’s Dying Children (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

TRAUMATIZED.

Olé traumatisé

Comment is about Your Beautiful Self (blog)

Original item by Hélène

Thanks for likes: hugh, Aisha & LEON STOLGARD. 👍

Comment is about Peace Of Mind (blog)

Original item by Tom Doolan

Doubting an end will come to this nightmare is increasing in weight, day by day.

Despite our well intentioned ' pie in the sky wishes, prayers and hopes, and, no matter how deep down and presently out of reach, world peace is, we must go on dredging and dredging until we bring it to the surface.


Thank you for helping to maintain the continuance of our protestations Rolph.



Very best of my regards.

Leon

Comment is about No Mercy Left for Gaza’s Dying Children (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

' Top of the world (woild )Trev/ Ma! you dirty rats! 😃


thanks for the poetic offer, I couldn't refuse Don Alexander 😅


capice?



Leone Stolgardarino 😂

Comment is about Bogart Boogie (blog)

Original item by Trevor Alexander

Thanks yet another like. May the words spew...

Comment is about Naomi (poet profile)

Original item by Naomi

Thanks again for the like. May the words spew...

Comment is about Stephen Gospage (poet profile)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

Thanks again for the like. May the words spew...

Comment is about Yanma Hidayah (poet profile)

Original item by Yanma Hidayah