Thanks RBK.
Juno, is an ancient godess, a woman of many parts.
My interpretation of her picture is that she is guarding a liminal “thin place”; in Irish, the “áiteanna tanaí”.
When I’ve been walking in such a place, a landscape where earth sea and sky meet, I get a feeling of the “infinite”, of not being physically confined.
Perhaps that's how we humans developed a sense of spirituality?
Comment is about "flight mode" (blog)
Original item by Red Brick Keshner
A lovely, moving poem, Luke.
Comment is about Little brother, little better (blog)
Original item by Luke
It's a fair point, RG. I'm sure one of mine fell into that category! And thanks to Graham, John and Tim for the comments, and to everyone who liked this.
Comment is about Paperback Writer (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
This poem presents a night‑run with a presence that changes the air and the people standing in it. It doesn’t explain itself; it just asks whether you brace against it or let it carry you.
She doesn’t arrive; she passes through—leaving doors shaking and choices behind.
Comment is about she rides the wind (blog)
Original item by Red Brick Keshner
Thanks @Graham Sherwood 🌷both your response and Rolph David's together have really made this day for me. You are much appreciated 🙏🏻🕊️
Comment is about "flight mode" (blog)
Original item by Red Brick Keshner
Good morning Rolph, thank you so much for sharing that! I am so glad that Juno has not been an opaque poetic allusion in your reading. And the way you framed her centrality in the poem has given me hope, real hope that there is poetry to be had still. Thank you again for opening up the depths of the heights. Have a great remainder of the weekend, RBK 🌷🌷🌷
Comment is about "flight mode" (blog)
Original item by Red Brick Keshner
Mike, I like how this turns a tiny, funny mishap into a quiet act of kindness. It’s coffee, humour, and a bit of gentle humanity all in one sip.
Comment is about Coffee Theater (blog)
Original item by Mike McPeek
A wry, quietly cutting reflection on how the very traits that once drew applause can, over time, become a reason for distance. "Cleverly Shunned" sketches the arc from lauded wit to sidelined observer, asking (without quite answering) what we value when cleverness and dependability don’t seem to mix. Hope this airing provides true enjoyment and ponderings
Comment is about cleverly shunned (blog)
Original item by Red Brick Keshner
Good morning Red,
I read “flight mode” as a contrast between the blur of upward striving—whether in tech, status, or escape—and the clarity that comes from turning inward and moving through experience instead of above it. The Juno reference sharpens that: she’s not just anyone sitting still, but a figure of power choosing descent over distance, trading Olympian altitude for human closeness. That choice reframes “flight” as immersion, not avoidance—a kind of sovereignty that learns more from presence than from height. It leaves me thinking that sometimes the truest movement isn’t in climbing higher, but in daring to go deeper. Great lines!
Regards,
Rolph
Comment is about "flight mode" (blog)
Original item by Red Brick Keshner
Dear Cynthia, thank you so much for picking up on lost time. Now it is my turn. Apologies for the 7-year silence, yet again. It is I and have been battling to stay online and present for poetry and poetry enthusiasts. As always, thank you for the attention that has been so properly accorded. And again, apologies. 🌷🌷🌷🙏🏻🕊️ Frederick Kesner
Comment is about cleverly shunned (blog)
Original item by Red Brick Keshner
Uilleaum, Gaelic is so beautiful! Could you break down what you said for me? And Auracle, thank you for your comment, which thing is worth revisiting? 😃
Comment is about The Language We All Know (blog)
Original item by Rasa Kabaila
‘It's hard to remember who I was before
How badly I wish to be her once more’
I think these wistful lines will resonate with a lot of people Jordyn
G 👍
Comment is about The girl I can't recall (blog)
Original item by Jordyn Elizabeth
Loved this RBK. Lines 3&4 are excellent work. G👍
Comment is about "flight mode" (blog)
Original item by Red Brick Keshner
Thanks, dear Uilleam, that is indeed the turn of phrase: "plodding on" and at plodder's pace we can find life contentment if we are keen enough for it. Most appreciative of your time and interaction, as always 🌷🙏🏻🕊️
Comment is about "the impossible turn" (blog)
Original item by Red Brick Keshner
Good morning, Rolph. I am grateful for sharing your much valued thoughts on this poem. It shall help guide the trajectory of my poetic journey and had borne witness to the this poetic process as we travel it together🌷🙏🏻🕊️
Comment is about "the impossible turn" (blog)
Original item by Red Brick Keshner
Sat 9th Aug 2025 20:53
I think I see another pulp fiction here
Comment is about Paperback Writer (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
Sat 9th Aug 2025 20:48
Pretty much what Rolph said.
With two (adult) children of austic/adhd diagnosis, sometimes the labels help other people, but often they hinder the children.
Labels are for product's, not people.
Comment is about Your Beautiful Self (blog)
Original item by Hélène
Nice one Hugh! I try to avoid swearing as much as possible so that I don't end up saying the wrong thing on radio 😁
Comment is about Swearing !!! (blog)
Original item by hugh
Ha ha Thank you for reading Nigel - Glad you enjoyed it. I just liked the idea of having a punch line to suprise at the end - the 'Gotcha' effect 😁 x
Comment is about Discarded In Summer (blog)
Original item by Ruth O'Reilly
I know, William. Quit whining about it and suck it up - hahaha!
Comment is about Coffee Theater (blog)
Original item by Mike McPeek
Is fearr Gaeilge briste, ná Béarla cliste! Such poetry in that.
☘️
Better broken Irish, than clever English - Thank goodness, in my case!
Comment is about The Language We All Know (blog)
Original item by Rasa Kabaila
Waste not, want not, Mike, just swallow it.😐
Comment is about Coffee Theater (blog)
Original item by Mike McPeek
Worth revisiting, for my part.
Comment is about The Language We All Know (blog)
Original item by Rasa Kabaila
Says more than a thousand TikTok videos. Even if it doesn't
Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh
Thanks Rolph for the kind encouragement; much appreciated. Uilleam, you make me laugh, which as we all know is one of the greatest medicines. Merci, mes amies de poésie de loin! (Note: my knowledge of French is basic conversation; learned from living one year as a teenager in Québec w/ relatives, & a bit from my Québecois dad (Papa) as I was growing up in California. Papa gave me le nom Hélène, aka Helene for folks who get confused by accent aigu, accent grave. Google is my much appreciated French spelling/grammer consultant.)
Comment is about Your Beautiful Self (blog)
Original item by Hélène
Love this so much Ruth at first you are thinking of a lost lover someone that meant so much to you.
Perhaps something or someone has reminded you of this lost romantic love affair.
This last line is the part I love - - - only because I still think you have covered up the real meaning of your poem.
Now you can snuggle up tight x
Comment is about Discarded In Summer (blog)
Original item by Ruth O'Reilly
Thanks for the likes:
Holden Moncrieff
Yanma Hidayah
Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh
A lovely poem David; Landi sums it up well-"poignant".
Comment is about He remembers her now (blog)
Original item by David RL Moore
PS. the Irish, of course, having the courage of their convictions have kicked out the ambassador for genocide.
Comment is about Recognising Palestine (blog)
Original item by Steve White
Thanks, Hélène. I think I'm currently a bit of everything!💐
Comment is about Your Beautiful Self (blog)
Original item by Hélène
Thanks, RBK.
Not conquest. Not perfection. Only forward motion.
"Plodding on", as they say; I must be content with that.
Comment is about "the impossible turn" (blog)
Original item by Red Brick Keshner
Go for it, Mike. I'm at the "dad-dancing" stage.😉
Comment is about Shimmer and Sway (blog)
Original item by Mike McPeek
My spirits are in dire need of the kind of landscape you so refreshingly describe...I can almost hear Vaughan Williams' 'Lark ascending'.
Thanks, Leon.
Comment is about Away from the World (blog)
Original item by LEON STOLGARD
Thank you for the likes:
hugh
K. Lynn
Rolph David
LEON STOLGARD
And thank you for your comment, Rolph.
The title refers to a comedy TV series titled “The Boys From the Black Stuff”; black stuff being tarmac.
“The Red Stuff” is the blood which Starmer, his so-called “Opposition”, and the Ambassador for Genocide have on their hands….Absolute scum for whom I have not the slightest respect.
355 three-hundred-and-fifty-five bullets were shot into the car in which Hind Rajab, the little girl featured in the picture, was travelling with her family. She was murdered whilst she was on the phone to to the emergency services, I’ve listened to the full audio, and it breaks my heart.
Comment is about The Boys from the Red Stuff (blog)
Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh
Hélène, your poem is a powerful and heartfelt message of acceptance and self-love. The lines “Use the labels if they help / Drop them if they don’t / Just be yourself” resonate deeply with me — reminding us that it’s okay to seek understanding and support, but never at the cost of losing our true identity. Your poem gently encourages embracing ourselves fully, in all our beautiful diversity. Thank you for sharing such an important and uplifting message.
Regards,
Rolph
Comment is about Your Beautiful Self (blog)
Original item by Hélène
Good morning Red,
Your poem is a striking meditation on resilience and transformation. The powerful images — holding what harms, shaping warmth from wire, burning the mold — evoke a journey of courage and renewal. I especially appreciate the line “Not conquest. Not perfection. Only forward motion,” which beautifully captures the humble, ongoing struggle to grow despite pain and difficulty. Thank you for sharing this concise yet profound reflection.
Take care,
cheerio,
Rolph
Comment is about "the impossible turn" (blog)
Original item by Red Brick Keshner
Good morning Leon,
Your poem reads like a breath of wind over that hill — vivid, romantic, and filled with the bittersweet beauty of a moment that can’t last forever. You’ve captured not only the joy of love and the grandeur of nature, but also the quiet shadow of mortality that makes such moments even more precious. The imagery — from the “oceanic blue sky” to the skylark’s ascent — stays with the reader long after the final line.
Regards,
Rolph
Comment is about Away from the World (blog)
Original item by LEON STOLGARD
I want to also thank Leon, Yanma, Hélène, K. Lynn, Holden, Hugh and Red for their 👍. It really means a lot to me.
Regards,
Rolph
Comment is about If... (blog)
Original item by Rolph David
Good morning you three:
For Hélène:
Hélène, your words are as gracious as they are encouraging. Calling the poem “masterful” and “important” means a lot. Thank you for recognising its intent and for taking the time to share your kindness, too.
For Leon:
Leon, I’m truly grateful for your generous praise. “Beyond amazing” is a phrase that could brighten any writer’s day, and I’m glad the poem resonated with you so strongly. Your warmth and good wishes are deeply appreciated.
For Holden:
Holden, your comment is a gift in itself — thoughtful, enthusiastic, and encouraging. Hearing that the poem feels worth more than one reading is perhaps the best compliment a poet could hope for. Thank you for engaging with it so deeply.
Comment is about If... (blog)
Original item by Rolph David
Good morning Stephen,
Thank you for lifting that particular line from the poem and holding it up again — it’s the one that still echoes loudest for me too. In repeating it, you’ve shown how it lingers, almost like an aftershock, and how it sums up the tragedy of our failure to learn. Your comment carries the same quiet urgency as the poem itself, and I’m grateful you took the time to let it resonate out loud. And thanks for your 🌷
Kind regards,
Rolph
Good morning Hélène,
Your comment reads like a story that could be its own short poem — full of quiet humanity. The image of a Pearl Harbor survivor sharing daily coffee with a Japanese man once interned during the war is profoundly moving. It’s a reminder that reconciliation and friendship can grow in the very soil where history once planted deep wounds. Thank you for taking the time to share something so personal and hopeful — it gives the poem an unexpected companion piece in kindness. I also thank you for your 🌷
Kind regards,
Rolph
Good morning Yanma and Hugh,
I want to thank you for your 👍 again! Very nice of you.
Take care,
kind regards,
Rolph
Comment is about August Sixth, Eight Fifteen (blog)
Original item by Rolph David
Thanks Leon, that means a lot. Didn't really expect much from this little piece. But now my mind is changed. Most appreciated. 🌷🙏🏻🙏🏻🌷
Comment is about "the impossible turn" (blog)
Original item by Red Brick Keshner
Fri 8th Aug 2025 22:48
A truly powerful and profound poem, Rolph! Very beautifully crafted, it merits more than one reading!🌷🌷
Comment is about If... (blog)
Original item by Rolph David
Fri 8th Aug 2025 22:31
Fri 8th Aug 2025 22:07
ah-you would have come up with it in a short space of time anyway Uilleam-being the clever dude that you are 👍
the rebuild?
bricks and mortar poss
love?
that possibility will wear the drawing board out defo!
cheers chumster 👍
Comment is about The Boys from the Red Stuff (blog)
Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh
Fri 8th Aug 2025 21:55
Beyond amazing Rolph
A great read for which I thank you very much.
kind regards
Leon
Comment is about If... (blog)
Original item by Rolph David
Fri 8th Aug 2025 21:50
Great poem Red 👍
third line? a killer!
thank you
regards my friend
Leon
Comment is about "the impossible turn" (blog)
Original item by Red Brick Keshner
Fri 8th Aug 2025 20:55
Good evening and thanks guys. We and doubtlessly, millions like us, all of one mind. I wonder, that, of those millions, how many are likely to be Israeli's?
Answers on a very, very, very small postcard! ?
Net's' recent visit to see his main arse wiping friend-yeah? erm, didn't someone say there is an arrest warrant out for him if he leaves Is' ? .........and?......😤!!!!!!!
Uilleam 👍
Rolph 👍
Stephen 👍
Hugh 👍
kind regards
Leon
Comment is about Where death dealers are ' boss ' ? (blog)
Original item by LEON STOLGARD
I had a buck in me once.
Hang on. I think I’ve misunderstood.
Comment is about Paperback Writer (blog)
Original item by Stephen Gospage
Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh
Sun 10th Aug 2025 09:27
I'm an old man, who's had a good life, compared to some.. and I'm conscious of the sacrifices my own parents and grandparents made for our sakes in WW2; so, should, in the future, my children ask: "What did grandad do to try to stop that genocide?", I'd like the answer to be: "Well he did all that he possibly could".
So, now, at my wit's end with anger, I'm on the verge of going to the nearest protest to deliberately get myself arrested, as I scream out to the world:
..................."In Humanity's name, please make it stop!"................
Comment is about No Mercy Left for Gaza’s Dying Children (blog)
Original item by Rolph David