I remember, as a six or seven year old, gazing at the stars through my bedroom window, on clear, frosty nights, having been fascinated by what I'd learned on the cards about "the constellations" contained in packets of tea; and I had a booklet in which I could stick them! Which image.....?

Comment is about her constellations (blog)

Original item by Red Brick Keshner

Oh so true Rolph.


You’ll see how strong you truly are,
When fear no longer sets the bar.

Comment is about What Truly Matters, part 2 (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

Thanks for the Likes, Redbrick, Trevor, Stephen and Leon. ( I was thinking of sending you each a Thankyou card instead of posting on here)

Comment is about ALTERNATIVE GREETINGS CARDS (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

An extraordinary poem, Leon. It dares to go into new areas, culminating with the "masterpiece of his absence". Brilliant in its economy.

Comment is about Since (blog)

Original item by LEON STOLGARD

This is beautifully written and is a pleasure to read, Rolph. Look forward to the next part.

Comment is about What Truly Matters, part 1 (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

This poem weaves phrases like “lantern in the fog,” “glinting peaks,” and “breathing seas” into a night sky of emotion and discovery. It’s an invitation to chart our own inner constellations.

Which image pulled you into your thoughts? Which line felt like your guiding star? Share below!

Comment is about her constellations (blog)

Original item by Red Brick Keshner

If their presence on the field doesn't inspire all the little ladies, I don't know what will-

you just do not mess-with the Lioness ( es! )

the reign of Spain goes out-played home on the plane-even though I traitorously had them taking the trophy home 😉

but oh! those nerve jangling penalties! ooer missis!

Leon

Comment is about Number 18 Shirt for Number 10! (blog)

Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh

Hi Rolph. There have always been wise advisory words referring to the best ways of moving on with ones life, and then, there are these of yours, that knock any of the others that I have come across into a very much cocked hat-fantastic!

thank you Sir!


Leon

Comment is about What Truly Matters, part 1 (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

Thanks Uilleam.

Rock on D.E!
keep on inciting the momentum!

Thank you very much-Yanma-Holden-Stephen-Uilleam-Hugh-Tom-John-Red.

Leon

Comment is about Like Father-like Son? (blog)

Original item by LEON STOLGARD

Thanks Uilleam. Yes it was hard work. Luckily we only had to use the scythe for the awkward shaped bits at the edge of the field. The tractor mower did the rest. But the turning and stacking was all done by hand,

And Rolph, mackerel will take anything colourful or shiny - even screwed up bits of tinfoil! Or diced bits of their brethren when the fuchsia buds ran out.

Comment is about That Summer (blog)

Original item by Trevor Alexander

It’s such a profound thought, @Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh. A few days ago, I read a verse in the Qur’an that carries a meaning very similar to what you’ve expressed. It says:
"And it is He who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy until, when they have carried heavy rainclouds, We drive them to a dead land and We send down rain therein and bring forth thereby [some] of all the fruits. Thus will We bring forth the dead; perhaps you may be reminded." (Al-A'raf: 57)
It reminded me how deeply nature and healing are intertwined—through rain, life returns to what once seemed barren.

And I’m not sure how it is in your part of the world, but here, I often notice that when someone cries especially a child, people tend to say, "don’t cry." And I feel that over time, those words make them grow up feeling ashamed of their tears.
I prefer to say, “It’s okay to cry.” Because to me, crying is a way of releasing something we carry inside. And for men too, tears are not a sign of weakness (at least for me). Instead, I see it as a strength—a quiet kind of strength. There’s something profoundly human in allowing ourselves to feel.
Thank you again for your heartfelt words, Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh 💖

Comment is about The Rain (blog)

Original item by Yanma Hidayah

Thanks for your thoughts, Uilleam and for the Likes Tom and Nigel.

Comment is about ALTERNATIVE GREETINGS CARDS (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Thank you so much, @Hélène. I'm deeply grateful it carried you along.

Comment is about The Rain (blog)

Original item by Yanma Hidayah

Thanks Uilleam

True joy that engulfed us
Despair and gloom lifted
Darkest of mists we carry
Each and every day
This time though we all
Joined the pride of football
That was so badly needed
To lift the sadness of our - - -
Badly aching hearts.

Comment is about Facing The Not Knowing (blog)

Original item by Nigel Astell

Thanks for the like, Nigel. The Orange horror is plainly not welcome in Scotland, the people have spoken.

Comment is about Bunker Bum [with apologies to Oscar Wilde] (blog)

Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh

💖

Comment is about Believe (blog)

Original item by Hélène

I dare you, JC....the economy needs entreprenurial types...publish and be damned!

Comment is about ALTERNATIVE GREETINGS CARDS (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Although the English Lake District is so beautiful in the sunshine, I've often remarked that if it wasn't for the frequent and heavy rain, we wouldn't have any lakes at all!
It is the rain that heals and feeds us; sometimes we need to admit to ourselves-especially us men- that it's OK to cry!💖
Thanks Yanma.

Comment is about The Rain (blog)

Original item by Yanma Hidayah

Oh, to be a Lioness
Now that Victory’s theirs,
True pride, they’ve brought to England
They're guiding, shining stars,
With courage in adversity,
They've seized the day and won the game.

Kelly for P.M💖

Comment is about Facing The Not Knowing (blog)

Original item by Nigel Astell

Thank you Stephen

Comment is about There There, (blog)

Original item by David R Mellor

Hi Hélène "I second that" - We have many forthright, passionate and resolute poets here on WOL. Let's hope that free speech continues to prevail. 🙂

Comment is about Israel - Shame On You (blog)

Original item by Tom Doolan

A gorgeous poem. Profound and moving. Loved it.

Comment is about Daughter (blog)

Original item by Alexia Supreme

An enthralling, sweet poem, Alexia. I felt the peace of the park, and was drawn into the observation and contemplation, with the caterpillar as my gentle guide.

Comment is about Forsyth Park (blog)

Original item by Alexia Supreme

Go for it, Cryptid! I liked this poem alot. Raise the flag of who you are proudly!

Comment is about Not-Girl Guides (blog)

Original item by Cryptid

Aisha, once again, you are a master of rhyme in flowing poetry (with an uplifting message as well).

Comment is about Smile Like The Sun (blog)

Original item by Aisha Suleman

Awesome poem, Yanma. The words are stirring, carried me along on the feel of the rain and the desire for healing.

Comment is about The Rain (blog)

Original item by Yanma Hidayah

I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to all WOL poets who write poetry and comments addressing the horrific suffering in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, etc. (including Uilleam, Stephen G., Tom D., Rolph, JD, David M., Larisa, etc). We feel so helpless; the writings are as desperate prayers from across the globe.

Comment is about Israel - Shame On You (blog)

Original item by Tom Doolan

Many thanks Uilleam for your comments. It is ironic that the once oppressed became the oppressor.🙁
Thanks for likes: Hélène, Nigel Astell & Stephen G 👍

Comment is about Israel - Shame On You (blog)

Original item by Tom Doolan

Many thanks Rolph for your feedback and reflective comments. History unfortunately has a habit of repeating itself sadly. 😐

Comment is about Israel - Shame On You (blog)

Original item by Tom Doolan

Many thanks Auracle for your positive comments. Much appreciated. 🙂
Thanks for like: Hélène 👍

Comment is about Sunshine Sky (blog)

Original item by Tom Doolan

Thanks everyone for your powerful comments!

Thank you for your poignant thoughts and lovely words, Rolph. Indeed - I wanted to capture the frustrations of being the average Joe, and how it sometimes feels to work hard to achieve what’s normal and expected. Or pour effort into things for them to meet the marker of “good”, but never “outstanding”. I’m comfortable with admitting that I don’t stand out from the crowd in my achievements. It felt freeing to lean into that and shine a light on something that I think is often not voiced in everyday life.

And yes, Stephen, I am sure that being exceptional carries its own pressures, self-doubt, and sacrifices so it’s not to be totally idealised!

But I agree, Ullieam, that we are of course all special in our ways, and together we create something powerful rather than separately. And Graham - Yes, we need “normal” in order for the world to function. I like the idea that normal people are life’s heartbeat! I think both of your comments are grounding sentiments to carry through life, and important to remind ourselves of.

Of course, it’s worth noting that many of us are outstanding in ways that are unmeasured or unseen so they often go unnoticed. We can be outstanding friends, family, and partners. We can be outstanding in our abundance of love, empathy, generosity, and self growth. We can be outstanding in overcoming trauma or barriers to progressing in life. So, I am not dismissing that!

Comment is about Average (blog)

Original item by Alexandra K. Parapadakis

An outstanding poem, Rolph. Sorrow and wisdom and a plea for compassion.

Comment is about Lines In The Dirt (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

This is the "good" kind of terrorism.

Sir Starver's terrorist pirate commando mates have illegally boarded the Handala, because they are fighting the twin evils of baby formula and teddy bears.

Will you condemn this act of terrorism on the high seas, Sir Starver...?

Comment is about Handala, Speed with our Love on the Wing! (blog)

Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh

Thanks for your likes:
Stephen G.
Rolph David.

I learned many a good lesson from my school days in wood-working classes. One was about colourful language, on the occasion when the teacher had cut his finger open whilst sharpening a wood chisel.😄

I was looking for an appropriate rhyme, with blunt, but none seemed to cut the mustard…offers most welcome!

Comment is about Luimneach [2. Faoi Príomh-Aire na Breataine-Blunt Tools are Dangerous] (blog)

Original item by Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh

Thank you, Tom.
Your anger is evident and justified.
The British colonial mindset has helped give birth to a monster. At least three terrorist gangs acted as midwives at Israel's birth, when British soldiers and Palestinian civilians were murdered. The Nakba (Holocaust) of the Palestinian people commenced then, and did not start on October 7th, as the propagandists would have us believe.

Keep on writing and protesting, Tom; for most of us, it's all we can do.

Comment is about Israel - Shame On You (blog)

Original item by Tom Doolan

I'm glad you chose the poem, David. It says so much.

Comment is about There There, (blog)

Original item by David R Mellor

Nail on Head, Rolph, and if I may, with apologies to Oscar Wilde:😑

The unspeakable pursue the uneatable,
in his world, obsessed with tit and bum.

He, in his Scottish bunker hides,
whilst babies starve, without a crumb,

good Scottish folk his kind despise,
“not fit to burn”, they’ve called that bum.

Comment is about "Exceptional", Like Her! (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

Thank you, JD.

The excuses given for such atrocities as those portrayed in your first line, are truly pathetic.

“Auntie”, whose motto is: "Nation shall speak peace unto Nation", (a now thoroughly discredited piece of claptrap), and other mainstream propaganda hacks, would have UK citizens believe that highly skilled snipers, who are used to operating in the most extreme of battleground conditions, (despite claiming to be members of the “Most Moral Army in the World”), have managed to “accidentally” kill unarmed children, firing not once, but several times at the same targets.

Were it not for the horror which such atrocities evoke, those claims deserve nothing but howls of laughter. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂Needless to say, the aforementioned impersonator of investigative and impartial journalism is now a “Proscribed Organisation” within my household, promenade concerts and all!

Thanks again, JD, you ARE their hope.

Comment is about We should be their hope. (blog)

Original item by JD Russell

Hello Trevor,
I found it interesting that you used to use fuchsia buds as bait. I had never heard or read about that before. And fish go for something vegetarian like that?
Cool.
Regards,
Rolph

Comment is about That Summer (blog)

Original item by Trevor Alexander

The poem is certainly not average, Alexandra. In any case, perhaps being exceptional isn't all it's cracked up to be, in particular because of the fear of falling out of the public eye one day.

Comment is about Average (blog)

Original item by Alexandra K. Parapadakis

Good morning Tom,
Your poem is raw, impassioned, and clearly written from a place of deep moral outrage. I absolutely respect that you don’t mince words — you hold power to account and speak up for those suffering, especially the voiceless civilians trapped in endless cycles of violence. Yesterday, I also wrote a poem about this war going on in Israel.

That said, your final stanza — “You will be sorely judged by history / The innocent suffer that is no victory” — makes me pause. I struggle with the idea that history will deliver justice, especially when it rarely has. The Holocaust was judged — mourned, memorialised — and yet here we are, witnessing a state born out of genocide now accused of echoing its own trauma through oppression.

It’s painful to watch the oppressed become the oppressor — and heartbreaking to see ancient suffering used as a shield for modern cruelty. I don’t believe history will judge fairly or loudly enough. It didn’t save Rwanda, Bosnia, Syria, or Gaza. Justice — if it exists — will have to be demanded now, not hoped for later.

Thank you for your voice. Poetry like this matters — even when it stings.

Take care, have a nice Sunday,
regards,
Rolph

Comment is about Israel - Shame On You (blog)

Original item by Tom Doolan

A nice sideways-look poem, Stephen. It hints and teases.

Comment is about Hazardous Materials (blog)

Original item by Stephen W Atkinson

Thank you, Graham, Uilleam and Rolph. I have always been fascinated how certain beliefs or opinions spread, to the point that they become the accepted view. As you say, Graham, the threat can be more insidious than the outcome, especially given the fast-moving rumour mill of social media, but vigilance is required to push back against the erosion of freedoms etc.

And thanks to everyone who liked this poem.

Comment is about The Grip (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

Dear Reader, here unfolds a moment suspended between memory and presence, inviting us into a quiet space of a relationship once unguarded and deeply felt.

Without revealing its private turns, the poem charts a journey through shared confidences and the subtle shifts that time and change can bring.

So let’s turn the page gently, and let the poem’s breath guide us into its quiet reflection. 🕊️🙏🏻🌷

Comment is about a sigh, verbally-breathed (blog)

Original item by Red Brick Keshner

Well, this is just lovely, isn't it? You have a 'rich inner world' (as ChatGPT would chat)

Comment is about Sunshine Sky (blog)

Original item by Tom Doolan

SuperCool. So many skills to learn just yet. Super Cool.

Comment is about Receding ties (blog)

Original item by James R

I’m glad I have made an impression. Thank you for your comment.

Comment is about Girlhood (blog)

Original item by Bluebell

very true Uilleam , last night it was either this poem or a brick through the TV . many leaders have blood om their hands

Comment is about There There, (blog)

Original item by David R Mellor

@ Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh & @ Rolph David Thank you❤

Comment is about NOT A LOVE POEM (blog)

Original item by Keletso

Thank you, David.
I'm having trouble finding words to adequately respond to such horror, perpetrated in my name and paid for in part with my tax-pounds. 💔

Comment is about There There, (blog)

Original item by David R Mellor