Me too! Enjoyable read, worthy of ten! Your poem ‘Proposition’ from the archives is a favourite of mine, having recently, out of curiosity, discovered it. Hope you rejoin the new site when up and running.
Yes, good to be reminded of those times and people. All my work and comments in member’s archives way back to Jan 2004 were lost in a meltdown caused by the introduction of the old ‘Disqus’, a spy programme then; caused havoc to users here in Sweden, Wikipedia seems have removed a big article about it from the time.
No, it was entirely my own doing. At that time I was privileged, of necessity, to be linked up to 5 different authorities on sensitive matters in what was thought to be a safe, closed network, controlled by the local Uni.
The chaos that ensued when I joined ‘Disqus’ on here, caused me so much grief that I purged my Mac Pro of all Disqus searched folders and Internet site comments (like when original Adobe Reader supposedly searching through all documents to see if they can become PDFs), and removed all UKA work from 2004 to 2016 in the process. Proved to be unnecessary, but I had to act fast, and panicked! Three years ago, e-griff removed my membership by mistake, when I decided not to put two chosen poems in the Anthology. Richard salvaged back most of it, but some, all forum posts were irretrievable.
Goodness! That’s a trail of disaster isn’t it. I can’t imagine how you felt about that. Well, I can, because I feel sick in my stomach at the thought. 🙁
A beautiful poem to end the site’s submissions in present form, one of the best I’ve seen on here. A superb write, reminiscent of a wonderful time and feeling for many of us!
You live in Hull, Rick? So not very far from Whitby? We’ve done the Goathland tour, years ago, when they were filming; been on the old steam train (to Pickering?). And visited Whitby for the day. The panoramic view of the bay and ruins low down and majestic as you approach Isn’t that old Abbey associated with Dracula in some way? Does this poem represent a much loved trip taken by you, for many years, before the lockdown? Are you being shielded from your grandchildren? Many questions, preferred this to the others you’ve submitted.
Cheers, Trevor
Whitby is 2 hours away. We used to go to Goathland when it was Goathland and not ‘Heartbeat’ country – the big pub down there is where Churchill had his wartime cabinet hidden away.
Yep Whitby lives off Dracula these days – it’s Goth paradise. The poem represents a wish to visit with a woman friend (my muse at time of writing) and buy her a small but precious token.
I had made 3 or 4 previous stabs at the poem but they were hopeless – lying in a dusty docs file – I resurrected it during a fallow period as I thought maybe there was a half decent poem in there somewhere.
As for the grandchildren, I’ve 10 and hardly see any of them – they are past the age of visiting grandpappy and I’m very reclusive.
This and my others are on the stocks for a next book but since the lockdown I’ve 1500 copies in boxes in my living room waiting for distribution so that will be some time. All my poems won’t go in – I’m really stringent and severely critical of myself and many will be binned 🙂
Rick.
I really liked the last one it’s a real gem .. loved it
I liked all of them although I didn’t quite ‘get’ Flesh is Grass
Regarding Whitby: excellent ….. Been there, done that (almost to the letter) they had a good old fashioned tea room there about ten years ago, I wonder if it’s still there
Ha ha – I ain’t sure about ‘flesh is grass’ meself – but I put them up, good bad or indifferent. not every one’s a winner. I welcome criticisms.
The lock-down’s having an effect head-wise 🙂
Whitby eh? Hope I get to go there sometime soon.
Plus Amsterdam – I want to go to the jazz cafes 🙂
Hi Rik
One last time it seems I can comment, I hope you find this one.
Just wanted to say I alway enjoyed reading your poems both in subject and style.
You along with my musical friends, Steve and Tony seemed to me to be the most ‘normal’ and decent people using this site.
It’s a shame to see the way this site was torn apart by some, however I saw this happen once before on a site call Great Writing. The thing that went at this site is almost a carbon copy of how GW went down hill and finally terminated from disease.
I hope you can find a suitable and friendly site to show the World you excellent poems.
I wish you all the best and lots of luck
Cheers
Charles (Guajiros)
I’ve sent you a private message – hope you get to see it.
Sadly, where people are concerned egos soon take over – I live a reclusive life as I find the ‘me me me’ stuff so childish.
The decline here follows, it seems, a well established routine.
Anyhow please check the private message 🙂
Rick.
Thank you for reading and commenting. English is indeed a tricky language! Grammatically, I am kind of obliged to use the determinant, but I was thinking more like Nic; hence ‘smallest’, but ‘the steepest’. I am glad you liked it.
I used the hellenic perception of language on the matter, because in English ‘the’ was missing. Then I saw that in order to accentuate the importance of Smallest and inextricably connect it with “I write” then “Smallest” going beyond quantity and size had to be the-free, he had to get rid of the redudancy of ‘the’ as it is not about comparison but the essence of humbly knowing who you are and what you do. Personally I’d keep it that way. In my opinion, of course.
this is a fine thought-provoking piece
it is also deep enough to not even you know how deep. a true moment of inspiration here. a connection with the unknown.
I have had, 4 or 5 years ago, two of my pomes winning ‘peanuts’ poetry competitions – ones I never entered but found out about via the grapevine. However I took that as a compliment. our work here is automatically copyrighted – and at other sites – not that people are queuing up to rip it off 🙂
Thank you for reading and commenting. We are connected to each other thanks to the UKA, and there’s nothing wrong in automatically having your posts copyrighted.
I think my concern is much deeper than that.
Oh I get your concern – we are tracked, ticketed, measured, weighed, photographed at every opportunity – it’s called homologation the covert official approval for just about everything. They’d meter our breaths if they could 🙁
My first job – Goldsmiths Row library – filching the fines – under the counter ‘hot’ books for the local laddoes and my grandad used to live around the corner in Moye Street before the Dagenham diaspora 🙂
Funny thing – my neighbour and good pal, Andy promotes music – so I told him I just wrote a pome about Chet Baker and asked if he’d heard of him – his reply, “Trumpeter, smack head, saw him in a club in Amsterdam sometime late eighties.”
He might have been in the crowd – Small world eh? 🙂
I was evanglising in the Red Light – bit dodgy at times – dangerous -some of the pimps double plus unpleased. Went a few years back – while my mates ogled the window-women I ogled the bikes everywhere 🙂
From Greenwich Village to Dalston…50 years, and back then might just be nostalgia , Greenwich Village had something going on. And now? My uncle set up shop in 1968? I believe, closed down last year – I wonder, if it is less than it was, not just for me -his place was amazing…prob not as glum as 2017 Dalston. I wonder why used the word cripple and not broken…as broken was used and felt before and seems fine?
don’t try to analyse the pome – just let the images rest in your mind.
I should not confess this but it is entirely imaginary. I never was in New York in my life. The year is chosen as it fits the 7 syllable requirement. Dalston was my 4th choice for venue – it is /was seedy enough – there is no band and the singer? Well this is a covert reference to my muse and she understands the references only too well 🙂
This paints a vivid picture reminds me of a place my neighbour took me to see Phil Seaman long ago
My neighbour was his friend making sure Phil pulled himself out of a heroin haze and went to play otherwise he would lose the only place left that booked him
I once wrote a story about an ageing jazz musician dying on stage but it’s not any point posting anything written in paragraphs rather than stanzas on here.
This poem could be the basis of a great short story actually
a good friend from Grimsby, not a poet, but one with a good eye for bollocks told me the closing couple of lines were too cheesy – I reworked them plus altered some weak lines 🙂
Ah Phil Seaman – saw him at Scott’s (old place) Cheers.
Yes it’s a good idea to get a non writer to glance over work providing you don’t mind being embarrassed
I think your Grim friend was right it’s better But I wonder if she might not just tell you to f*** off 🙂 or just smile down her drink and stagger off with the words “thanks for the whiskey” … in other words f*** off 😉
Never made it to Ronnie’s place
Phil Seaman died a couple of years after we saw him
I’m never embarrassed – she would never say owt like that – she’s a teetotal grandmother – always ends her comments, “but what do I know?” but she has such an eye – I’m fortunate to have her. I’ve just tweaked it all into the present tense. The tinkering is never ending – it’ll be right… in time. 🙂
Did you misunderstand me? I was referring to what the singer might reply in your poem. I’m sure your friend in Grimsby is very polite.
It’s always a problem, when you can think of so many ways to end a good poem or story. It’s the same when I paint (not often these days) you’re never sure when to put the brush down.
dunno. I think this one as it is. re milk. (And its a gemini/taurus and Aries poem – which might be about right for other reasons, ask nic.) Anothers, just dont start with the liberal left…just others!! and alsorts. Are you Aries?
sheep – or ram if you are feeling bolder… I am a double gemini on the cusp of Taurus – moon in Gemini – where you are mooning is important apparently 🙂
must have been a very clever narcissist this woman, feeding small creatures, sunlight, nakedness and coquettish – twas a very sensual and intellectual trap. I may be wrong
No interpretation is wrong – nor right – I saw her as an innocent – naively expecting the man to love her as she loved him. It’s great when a short piece finds so many (unintended) possibilities. 🙂
just re-read it and yours might be the proper reading 🙂
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