The sight that always offends me is when political leaders don the forces uniforms/battle dresses etc to pose for the press in a polished up tank or something similar (Maggie in her desert storm type gear for example).
David you always write about war stuff with the venom that you have rightly earned the right to use. To me this Labour lot are like feathers in the wind. God knows where we’re going.
Well done!
Comment is about Pivot to War (blog)
Original item by David RL Moore
Hi, David,
Again, that's just about every reason I keep my hearing protection close at hand in public spaces...
I worked with a female a few years ago who started running her mouth about how she couldn't wait until doomsday. All I could think was, "yeah. You're afraid of bees so you should probably stfu."
.. not a pleasant but a necessary topic to discuss now and again.
btw, I don't think you could have found a more fitting song than "Rooster", though I suspect that some wouldn't get it even if you knocked 'em upside the head with it. I would really love to see the other song you chose, too...
🌷
Comment is about Pivot to War (blog)
Original item by David RL Moore
Thanks for that stirring call to action, Aisha...I now have permission to act like I'm 21 again.
I have no choice about growing old,
But I’ll be darned if I’m going to grow up!
😉
Comment is about One Wild Life (blog)
Original item by Aisha Suleman
Thanks for your likes:
Aisha Suleman
Holden Moncrieff
David RL Moore
Yanma Hidayah
I speak as a former practising Christian, when I say that Britain is no longer, (was it ever?) in any meaningful sense of the word, a "Christian" country.
Comment is about His Majesty's Crime Minister (blog)
Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh
Thanks for your likes, Aisha and your comment, Rolph.
My haiku is a reference to the proverb: “Ignorance is bliss, where ‘tis folly to be wise”.
The future of social cohesion, and of fact – based journalism in the UK is looking grim. A man who, it’s said, owns 42 percent of Numpty News, and who is worth £630 million, is apparently intent on buying vast swathes of the Tory press.
The same individual has liked numerous tweets such as “The native European population is losing patience with the fake refugee invaders”. It’s clear from his “likes” that he’s a rabid homphobe and an Islamophobe.
Hope not Hate are rightly concerned about his activities.
Comment is about Haiku for 2025 [No.19. Bigots] (blog)
Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh
Thanks for that, David..yes, Frost did occur to me at some point.
I was prompted to write this after watching a video on creativity – on not being subservient to the preferrences of others, but to express MYSELF.
The title refers to lifelong feelings of inadequacy, of not coming “up to scratch”, of not living up to my family's expectations.
Comment is about Call Yourself a Poet? (blog)
Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh
Thanks for the like Red Brick Keshner.
Comment is about I Love ye Scowsers! (blog)
Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh
Thanks for your likes:
Stephen Gospage
Holden Moncrieff
K. Lynn
Yanma Hidayah
Maureen
Comment is about Haiku for 2025 [No.18. Wibbit!] (blog)
Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh
Thank you, Eduardo.
Imagine awakening from a nightmare, only to find that it's reality.
Comment is about The Awakening of Uncle Sam (blog)
Original item by Eduardo
Our maxim at work was: “when in doubt, make a brew”.
The establishment’s maxim is: “when morally / economically bankrupt, manufacture consent for war”.
Military Keynsianism’s the thing - nothing unites a nation like a lovely war - and just think how all that Union Jack bunting in our streets will gladden the hearts of the homeless as they cheer at the victory parades.
You know it makes sense!
Comment is about Pivot to War (blog)
Original item by David RL Moore
Thank you Eduardo for this thoughtful, powerful, hopeful poem.
Comment is about The Awakening of Uncle Sam (blog)
Original item by Eduardo
Love this Aisha! Once again, your poetry energizes. Really well written.
Comment is about Your Own Way (blog)
Original item by Aisha Suleman
Many thanks for all the likes - much appreciated.
Rob
Comment is about Echoes of Childhood (blog)
Original item by Rob J Mann
Lots of good imagery here and the longing is well portrayed.!
Comment is about Our story (blog)
Original item by Princesselle
Your poem is very relatable, Nicely done.
Comment is about Maybe (blog)
Original item by Princesselle
We all sometimes see people for what we want them to be more than who they are. This poem says a lot in just a few lines.
Comment is about Rose (blog)
Original item by Princesselle
Honest poem from the heart. You ask good questions in this poem. I like poetry that seeks truth. Nicely done.
Comment is about Sinner (blog)
Original item by Princesselle
Your point is a salient one Stephen. It is especially hard to witness that big question when you know the family very well . The attendant shock affected their lives so much. Thanks for coming on.
Many thanks for all your likes folks.
Ray
Comment is about TAKING STEPS (blog)
Original item by ray pool
You're brave.
The visitors of this website know that, don't we?
'Waking up between the lines,
rising up, the morning shines'
Comment is about I Get Up In The Morning Before The Dawn ... (blog)
Original item by Larisa Rzhepishevska
I wrote pts. 1&2 arse-about - pt.2 came first, then pt.1 - but as i read them i realised that their combined message - of hope, persevering in the face of failure, knowing the rightness and resolution of self belief against the odds - was meant to be set down like this, if only for my own peace of mind. It's not natural for me to believe in myself to such a degree but, for once i thought, hey, why the hell not?
Comment is about Perseverance, Pt.2: At The End Of The Day (blog)
Original item by Martin Peacock
Hello Larisa,
That's not a problem at all. Anyone can write what he/she wants and how he/she wants. I just wanted to see some sense in that very line and that word didn't make sense to me at all. That's why I asked you. What did you mean instead at this point?
Best regards,
Rolph
Comment is about I Get Up In The Morning Before The Dawn ... (blog)
Original item by Larisa Rzhepishevska
When the lilac tree spread its petals in May
All the people around become nicer and kind
And I feel that brighter days come each day.
And only clever thoughts are on my mind.
When acacia blossoms, I lose my mind,
The whole world becomes warmer,
A smell like this you will never find.
The swallows are the May informer.
When the wind plays with the trees
And tickles the young leaves,
I am so happy to see the bees
Which pollination gives.
When a thunderstorm plays its game,
When roses open their petals
It looks as if magic morning came,
They have to stop all the battles.
When you perform the spring plays
In my favorite city, Odessa,
And May turns all into light rays.
And blossoms my Principessa-Odessa.
When the stars shine in the dark sky,
When the spring cuddles my shoulders,
To draw a picture of a sunset, I try,
The pictures of May are my holders.
I remember when birds still sang,
When life was pleased with its novel.
And now I only hear the rockets bang.
Though I am not going to grovel.
When streets are full of pigeons,
When people do not fight,
When all the city regions
Sleep peacefully at night.
Comment is about I Am So Happy To See The Bees (blog)
Original item by Larisa Rzhepishevska
Thank you Aisha and Holden for your 🌷, too. I really appreciate it.
Take care,
cheerio,
Rolph
Comment is about No More Crumbs! (blog)
Original item by Rolph David
Good morning, Uilleam,
Thank you for your kind words! I found it fascinating how the term “Hochstapler” (someone who pretends to be something he/she is not) carries a very different meaning in German than what “impostor syndrome” means in English. At first, I misunderstood your use of the term — until I looked it up and realised you meant something quite the opposite, viz “I am something, but I don’t believe I have the right to be.”
Your final line — “WELL COBBLERS TO 'EM!” — also initially threw me off. I mistakenly connected it to the German saying “Schuster, bleib bei deinen Leisten” (“Shoemaker, stick to your last”), but of course, you meant something entirely different here, too: more like “That’s enough — I’m claiming my space now!”
So in just a few lines, you taught me something new about cultural and linguistic differences. Thank you for that, and for your comment and 🌷!
Kind regards,
Rolph
Comment is about No More Crumbs! (blog)
Original item by Rolph David
Dear Rolph!
I am so sorry for writing this foolish thing. Of course, I didn't mean an old lady. It was my mistake.
Regards, Larisa
Comment is about I Get Up In The Morning Before The Dawn ... (blog)
Original item by Larisa Rzhepishevska
This is inspirational. It would lend well to audio. Nicely done.
Comment is about Your Own Way (blog)
Original item by Aisha Suleman
I am always surprised to note how contentment colours the poet’s words. There is a glow in this.
Comment is about Choosing Light (blog)
Original item by Alexandra K. Parapadakis
Thanks all for likes and comments.
Explanation of this poem to follow.
Comment is about Call Yourself a Poet? (blog)
Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh
Och awa’ wi ye Graham - aw’ve nae cause tae be frit o’ the Flower o’ Scoatland! We boath gang back an awfu’ lang way!
Though I thank ye for y'r kind comment.
https://youtu.be/dMzQiu2mUlE?list=PL9n8fNFZ2frRzSh7UEEij1hIaNWyeFCF1
Comment is about Call Yourself a Poet? (blog)
Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh
Many thanks to both Stephens for commenting on this piece, which is both a sad reflection on my formative years and cathartic at the same time. It was one of my entries for the Echoes competition, but not worthy of a mention. 😮
Comment is about Echoes of Childhood (blog)
Original item by Rob J Mann
Too often in life, and from an early age, I've suffered from a kind of "impostor syndrome", a voice in my head telling me to quieten down, to go away, to not make a fuss.
WELL COBBLERS TO 'EM!
.
Comment is about No More Crumbs! (blog)
Original item by Rolph David
How true, Aisha.
It's so easy to play "follow the leader", instead of thinking for oneself, especially if doing so makes one appear popular or needed.
Comment is about Your Own Way (blog)
Original item by Aisha Suleman
Mon 2nd Jun 2025 12:23
Hope u like , love for ur reviews in comments😊
Comment is about Memories (blog)
Original item by LITTLE MISCHIEVIOUS SOUL
Thanks for the like Aisha
David
Comment is about Shifting Sand (blog)
Original item by David RL Moore
Good morning Stephen,
What struck me most about Lines of Love is how gently you capture devastation. There’s a quiet ache running through the poem—the way war creeps in and unthreads not only the world but the warmth between two people. The image of the once-sweet lines of love now lying in tatters is especially powerful; it says so much about the fragility of hope when placed beside something as brutal as war.
Your use of repetition gives the piece a haunting rhythm, almost like a lullaby turned elegy. It made me feel the closeness that once was—and the chill that now surrounds it. Thank you for giving voice to a kind of grief that often goes unsaid: the slow fading of intimacy under the weight of fear and distance.
Regards,
Rolph
Comment is about Lines of Love (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
Good morning Uilleam,
Your haiku "Bigots [No.19]" struck me with its sharp brevity and biting wit. The red initials G, B, and N didn’t go unnoticed—they instantly brought GB News to mind, and the clever wordplay in Great British Numpties made the critique land all the harder. It’s a perfect satirical twist on the kind of nationalist branding that so often goes unchallenged.
The image of "snouts in troughs of ignorance" is both grotesque and poetic. It paints a vivid picture of willful blindness, of people who not only accept ignorance but gorge on it—nourished by fear, prejudice, and media that panders to their narrow views. That you managed to distill this into just seventeen syllables is a testament to your craft.
The final line, "Sweet summer of bliss!", reads to me as beautifully sarcastic—there’s peace, sure, but it’s the peace of those lulled into complacency by their own misinformation. It’s as if ignorance has become their vacation, their reward. That tension between apparent calm and underlying decay makes the haiku resonate all the more.
Thank you for this piece—precise, political, poetic. A small poem with a loud voice.
Comment is about Haiku for 2025 [No.19. Bigots] (blog)
Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh
A strong, moving piece, Rob. It made me think, 'I feel your pain', although I was fortunate enough not to have a childhood like this.
A tough read, but more than worth it.
Comment is about Echoes of Childhood (blog)
Original item by Rob J Mann
Very well written, Uilleam.
Comment is about Call Yourself a Poet? (blog)
Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh
Enjoyed this very much, John. Top class stuff.
Comment is about THE LEGEND - JACKSON LAMB (blog)
Original item by John Coopey
Thanks @Rolph David🌷🕊️🙏🏻 it was good to be able to word the feelings in some way. 🌷
Comment is about unrelenting horizon (blog)
Original item by Red Brick Keshner
I think I must be missing something - almost a thousand pieces entered and these are the chosen few? How bad must the others have been?
Comment is about Di Slaney wins Write Out Loud’s ‘Echoes’ competition with ‘Dolly Parton’s wig’ - in memory of a ‘dear friend and inspiration’ (article)
Original item by Greg Freeman
Sun 1st Jun 2025 16:08
“Hem of your dress”- God’s
Comment is about Prayers Everywhere (blog)
Original item by Robert C Gaulke
Hi Larisa,
What do you mean by "gammer" in your third stanza?
For me, a gammar is an old lady, a granny, but it makes no sense here.
Regards,
Rolph
Comment is about I Get Up In The Morning Before The Dawn ... (blog)
Original item by Larisa Rzhepishevska
Hey Rick,
I just read Unrelenting Horizon and wanted to say how much it really hit me. You captured that heavy, restless feeling of waking up trapped in the endless cycle of routine so vividly—like the weight of everything presses down before the day even begins. The way you describe the morning sun exposing the quiet surrender felt deeply honest and raw. It’s a powerful reminder of how exhausting the chase can be, even when we barely notice it. Thanks for putting those feelings into words so beautifully.
Regards,
Rolph
Comment is about unrelenting horizon (blog)
Original item by Red Brick Keshner
Thank you so much Rolph & Uilleam for your brilliantly astute comments. I was a bit unsure to whether the sarcasm would be fully realised! I find it absurd that I felt that I had to write something like this, it shouldn't be happening! 😢
And, R.G. basically, yes, that's Trumps vision: they'll love it! He once said... Now there's sarcasm! 😳
And thanks for all the 🌷
Comment is about If only Hitler was as nice (blog)
Original item by Stephen W Atkinson
Graham Sherwood
Wed 4th Jun 2025 16:30
I love a renewal poem. A start again story. You describe this ’garret’ well I can hear the rain and city sounds!
This is a very nice piece Tom, well done! G
Comment is about The Apartment (blog)
Original item by Tom