out in the midday sun | redux

‘When God decides to look the other way
And a clown takes the throne
We must find a way’

– lyrics to ‘dig down’ muse

After a (very) long absence from these pages, and a very long time since I posted an out in the midday sun piece, I feel the time to sharpen my pencil keyboard is nigh. As indeed time seems, nigh, right now. In an apocalyptic sense. Or, just maybe I’ve rediscovered my muse 😉

For a variety of reasons, about which I may (or may not) write here in subsequent posts, it looks like I will be sitting out the current crisis in Accra, Ghana.

I’ll be back.

Soon.

I hope.

#coronaviruswewillresistyou

On Travail

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.

St. Augustine


The clue to this post is in the title, which is a clumsy attempt to wrap multiple concepts into a single pithy phrase.

Among my resolutions this year were to write and shoot more. Rather dismally I have failed to respond well to my own resolutions. This does of course make choosing next year’s resolutions so much easier, as I plan to have another go.

However, I am happy to report that I have read a lot this year. And I will write about that also. In due course, the fullness of time, and so on.

I have also travelled a great deal. A very great deal. And, that is also something I intend to write about on the same terms as above.

I am not comfortable with my personal carbon footprint this year. So, trees will need to be planted. Probably enough to stock a decent sized hillside.

What prompted this post was my need to share (other than on my FB page) my journey home.

Continue reading

darker | side | thursday

Some of you may remember a thing called dark | side | thursday?

Or perhaps, may care not to remember?

That dark tale marked my first foray into writing an episodic story. Some may perhaps wish it were my last. Despite myself, I completed that task, and, over 52 weeks, published 500 words each week, every Thursday.

It was not easy, and many times I considered throwing in the towel. Perhaps some of you may wish I had. Probably fewer still remember. Or care. I have this half formed plan to collate that story and publish it as a complete work.

Watch this space. Or not.

Well, I promised myself (and others who will remain nameless) that I would try my hand at writing again.

So, here we are.

Starting next Thursday at 24:00 UTC (if I can figure out how to schedule the post properly), I will publish the first chapter of my latest folly (yes, it is already written and ready to roll).

The song remains the same. It is a dark story. It will be 500 words each week. Ah, yes, my word count will be based on Scrivener, the wonderful app that I will use to draft and collate my story. At times the word count here in the WordPress editor throws a petulant hissy fit and disagrees with Scrivener. But hell, I don’t care. And worse, I might even write more or less each week. We will see what we see, no? As if anyone cares.

So, if any of you do care to join me as, once again, I explore my dark(er) side, see you at 24:00 next Thursday.

 

 

farewell

Farewell has a sweet sound of reluctance. Good-by is short and final, a word with teeth sharp to bite through the string that ties past to the future.
― John Steinbeck, The Winter of Our Discontent

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This is my final post in the WordPress Writing 101: Poetry course hosted by WordPress editor Ben Huberman.  You can see each of the poems I penned for the course here and, if you have the stomach for more, you can also read my poems from Writing 201: Poetry. I recommend these courses to you without reservation. Ben and his colleagues, and those who participate, create a stimulating environment in which to learn and share. Find out more at the WordPress Blogging U page.

Thank you to all those on the course who dropped by to read my attempts at poetry, and do feel free to join Poetry 101 Rehab each Monday.

Finally, today’s prompt comes from my friend, Lucile de Godoy who is Brazilian/Dutch and lives in Amsterdam, from where she shares her views through words and photos. You can find Lucile on her blog, Bridging Lacunas, and in the Photo Rehab blogging community, as well as on Twitter @luciledegodoyInstagram, and Flickr.

Have a great weekend!


How can I say it better then Steinbeck?

Especially when living in Molenbeek?

When I say farewell.

I mean well.

So, Goodbye.

Not,

‘bye.


wordpress writing 101 | poetry | farewell | prompt by lucile de godoy

 

graffiti

cause we need a little controversy
’cause it feels so empty

 – lyrics from without me, eminem

2013_04_20_09502


This is my response to the prompt for Day Eight of the WordPress Writing 101 Poetry course. And, as the prompt is, err, amazingly, my very own prompt, I’m interrupting your enjoyment (momentarily) so that I can thank Ben Huberman for inviting me to contribute today, even though there are so many better qualified poets out there. By which I mean, those of you who can actually, you know, write, uh, poetry. You know who you are.

More to the point, thank you to all who have taken the trouble to find your way to my post!

< gratuitous plug >
The photo, by the way, was shot by me in the dark interior of the BIGZ building in Belgrade. If you’d like to find out more, or failing that, see what I saw, feel free to visit belgradestreets and check out bigz graffiti or  all that jazz or even broken, and then book a flight to Belgrade, and then, why not pop into a bookstore and take a look at my book! 😉
< / gratuitous plug >

And hey, if you need more Poetry when this is all over, why not make a note to join Poetry 101 Rehab every Monday?


< graffiti >

in your face
it’s my freakin’ space
my only
place

 < / graffiti >

so out of order
blood splattered border
couldn’t be (more) bored(er)

< graffiti >

i don’t freakin’
care
how you fare or (even)
if you
care

< / graffiti >

it’s my
way
to
get

 < / even >


writing 101 | poetry | eight | seconds | prompt by me (in’em) 😉

 

missing person (notice) 

and when we reach that point, all we can do is quietly accept the fact
― haruki murakami, kafka on the shore

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monsieur B. de’Velo

last seen, in a moment of passion
missing in action
most likely, inaction
no longer, in fashion

monsieur B. de’Velo

if you have seen him, or
are otherwise
cognisant of, his
(dis)position

reply, on a postcard
your cheque’s in
the post
your reward, in
heaven

just like

monsieur B. de’Velo


writing 101 poetry | seven | beloved | prompt by Vijaya Sundaram

poetry 101 rehab: fallacy

“the most idiotically useless phrase in a beginner’s French textbook”

 – Life Magazine, 1958


Poetry 101 Rehab was initially created for those who missed the creative writing challenge of the Writing 201 Poetry course run by the Daily Post.

 


How does it work?

Feel free to answer the prompt, twist it or ignore it; write a poem of your own or share a poem by another author. Write about your inspiration, your creative process or other poetry related thoughts, but this is in no way obligatory. Nothing is obligatory in this challenge. The idea is to get together, talk poetry and enjoy.


How can you take part?

Anyone can take part, anytime you want. Publish your poetry post and add a link to it by clicking on the Poetry 101 Rehab badge below or share your link in a comment. Use the tag Poetry 101 Rehab, so we can find each other in the Reader.

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I will be your host, and I’m here to reply to your comments, read your poetry, like and comment. While this post is the starting point for this week’s challenge, do visit fellow poets in the link-up and chat to them on their blogs!


The prompt for this week is FALLACY.

it’s self evident to me
(and my little
pet flea)
that
the world is flat

as flat as the mat
on which
sat (Schrodinger’s)
cat

as flat as la plume
de ma tante
on which
(i imagine), she
(repeatedly)
sat

as flat as the gnat
swatted dead
with just
one swipe
of my hat

some say it is round
but what
do they know
they’ll all come
around
soon enough
to my
way of thinking

or i’ll eat my hat

so that’s
that


This week’s prompt is also my rambling, and (unusually) whimsical, response to the prompt for Day 6 of the WordPress Writing 101 Poetry .

What will your take on the keyword FALLACY be?

Write about it in a poetry post and share your link in the comments section of this post and / or by clicking on the Poetry 101 Badge above.


writing 101 poetry | six  | fallacy | prompt by jason preu

freedom

fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes
you are free

― jim morrison

2015_07_12_03291-Edit


freedom

in whose name?

freedom

to maim and shame?

freedom

in whose name?

freedom

to put to the flame?

freedom

in whose name?

freedom

it’s a crying shame

to know what we do in ‘their’

name

.


writing 101 | poetry | five | freedom | prompt by  impossiblebebong