Poetry Thursday 101 - Silverback

More from the wonderful natural world. All creatures great and small.

 Silverback

 

Massive in both ego and size,

being aggressive is no surprise.

It falls short of following through

an attack – just as well for you.

 

A gentle, giant, family beast,

caring for each member large to least.

An animal with power to be a thriller,

the dominant silverback mountain gorilla.

© David L Atkinson February 2016 

Woodlouse

 

Is it an insect or some kind of fish

it lives on land but what is its wish.

Would it be happier under the sea,

where it could roam about totally free?

                                                         

A dull looking creature with hard outer shell,

creeping ‘neath stones and doors as well.

An unwelcome visitor inside your house,

the persistently silent, harmless woodlouse.

© David L Atkinson January 2016

God Bless 

Writing - Silence

 Silence is golden and speech is silver.

The phrase originated in Arabic culture and became popular in English through translations in the 19th century.  It emphasises that while speaking can be valuable, there are times when remaining silent is even more advantageous. So it is true in story writing. 

It may seem obvious to say that there should be periods of silence in your story writing, the enigma being that you are describing silence with words. It is quite simple to think of examples where authors have enjoyed themselves describing haunting and mysterious episodes in their work, but it may not be as easy to produce as one would expect. 

When describing action scenes and interactions between characters, the vocabulary used is possibly easy to describe as 'ordinary', as those activities are 'ordinary'. Whereas the words used to describe silence are 'softer' and tending towards the passive. Also, it may be that you want to create darkness in a piece of writing with tension and menace. 

Practising using the silent words can be made easier by looking at suitable pictures like the above. In that case, you would be describing attitude, expression, and body language, a feeling of threat, and the accompanying adrenaline surge. 

Then there are the scenes where no human input is planned or required, but there is an atmosphere that adds value to a piece of writing. The view is of a wild and confused sea whipped into a frenzy of action and irrepressible violence that is well out of the control of any human. Alistair Maclean, in HMS Ulysses, spends a couple of pages describing the sea at night on a convoy route north of Finland during the 2nd World War. It is brilliantly done. 

Charles Dickens' description of the marsh near Pip's home in Great Expectations is haunting. 

There will be hundreds of such examples, and it is worth reading other writers' work to enrich the development of your own. 

God Bless 

Poetry Thursday 100 - Natural World

 As time flies by my interest seems to be drawn to the wonders of the natural world.

Night Lepidoptera

 

No heavily beating wings at night,

subtle shades that diffuse the ambient light.

A whispered, feathery brush against cheek,

resulting in a piercing, nervy shriek.

 

Automatically drawn towards the light

cooking themselves in suicidal flight.

No reason to worry yourself to a froth,

It is only a common or garden moth.

© David L Atkinson November 2015 

Duck

 

A fowl which communicates in quack,

allows water to flow from its back,

that waddles, dabbles and paddles in equal measure,

allowing the casual observer endless pleasure.

 

Colourful or drab but always waterproof,

charming, amusing never aloof,

a delight for every quality cook,

our garrulous, feathery and tasty duck.

© David L Atkinson June 2025 

Owl

 

Death on silent wings whispers by,

searching the Earth with keenest eye,

ominous and powerful in the darkness,

poised to strike with lethal directness.

 

Exudes a calmness in the daylight,

stares at humans, eye clear and bright,

this bird is no common fowl,

but the silent and powerful owl.

© David L Atkinson December 2015 

God Bless 

Writing - Conspiracies

 Conspiracy theories are explanations for events or situations that assert the existence of a secret plot by powerful, sinister groups, often with negative or malevolent intentions. CTs can spice up a story and provide a motive, but if you read the mainstream media, they are the stuff of the confused and malcontents. Many examples are created on All Fool's Day and at the advent of a significant event, like landing on the moon. 

Are all conspiracy theories just so much fiction? Let us consider fake news. President Trump spends considerable amounts of time castigating the main news sources in the US as spreading fake news, but in reality, much of what he says is terminologically inaccurate and has been proven so. 

For example, Putin fought in the 2nd World War when he was in fact born in 1952. This is just one of many inaccurate statements made since January this year. 

The point is that news sources are being manipulated. In the case of the US, currently, those manipulations are obvious and only the selectively blind refuse to see the truth. However, what about those half-truths that we are unclear about. Perhaps we haven't found out all of the facts about the actions of the government of the UK during the COVID-19 crisis. In time, the truth will come out if it needs to. 

A sage piece of life advice I received from my father was to never believe everything you see and hear on the news. In my opinion, this wasn't my dad being a conspiracy theorist, but rather a man who was fully aware of the owners of newspapers and their influence over what is published. Once again, all you need to do is follow the US news as reported by Fox News and then by the other purveyors of news in the United States. The fact that they are different should ring alarm bells in the collective lugs of the populace. 

As free-thinking and intelligent people, we then have a duty to research information to verify the truth of situations. 

God Bless 

Poetry Thursday 99 - Chilly

 The heatwave, the second in recent weeks, is beginning to dissipate and this poem is a reminder of what it is like to be cool. Read it and enjoy the chill.

Chilly

 

By heck its chilly,

and the wind is blowing willy nilly,

chilling the parts it shouldn’t reach,

I wish I was lying on the beach.

 

My goodness it really is cold,

the temperature is making me feel so old,

you know age causes your blood to thin,

this is an argument I cannot win.

 

Oh it’s absolutely freezing,

no I don’t want to go out playing,

even my big coat feels inadequate,

give me a nice coal fire and blanket.

 

‘It’s so cold I’ve got goosepimples,’

‘That’s ok it’ll match your dimples,’

‘Out you go and have some fun,’

but outside there’s only a big, cold sun.

 

‘A little cold will do you good,’

toughen the skin and thicken the blood,

the air is thin and so very clear,

it really makes you want to cheer.

 

It is so very chillingly bright,

to stay inside doesn’t seem right,

wrap up warm and put on a hat,

don your gloves and go out like that.

 

It is so cold it you feel more alive,

wrapped up so tight, to move you strive,

the blood is coursing in your veins,

working the heart stimulating brains.

 

Enjoy the chill stimulation of the senses,

fizzing brain cells the cold arouses,

go out into the world and enjoy nerves’ jingle,

watch nature’s response and life will tingle.

© David L Atkinson February 2021 

God Bless 

Writing - Developing stories

 You have the idea for your story and even a strong beginning, but how will your tale progress? The chances are that you have a solid plan, but then, while you're writing one of your characters does something unexpected! 

I have read of several authors who state that the characters take over their stories, and that may seem fanciful, but I know that it's true. Patrick Steele was my creation, but once the action is set, it is his skills and attitudes that lead the direction of the tales. There is a logic in that statement. When you have invested in building characters, the process includes all human aspects of personality, so unsurprising that the character imprints itself on the development of your story. 

Don't fight it! 

In the case of the above 'wonky' house, part of an unfinished idea, what should be added next? In this case, I will decide. It may be that I add a broken-down stable, or a bicycle, a path leading to a cave/cliff/pond/river, and so on. Whatever, I will decide according to the house as it is, with all of its faults and facilities. It is that aspect of story writing which is most exciting because even as the creator, you're never quite sure. 

The finished picture.

God Bless 

Poetry Thursday 98 - VE Day (not that one)

VE Day - Voluntary Euthanasia Day  

The media, perhaps influenced by the dark state, have already suggested using AD for assisted dying. It is anathema to me that the process has been developed. A better title would be state-sponsored suicide. The government has a duty to care for its population, but this process can divert attention away from care in a person's final years. No one should suffer because the health service should be developing palliative care to cope with all situations. Countries around the world have adopted AD, and they are modifying their original safeguards to permit disturbing developments. eg. 2 European countries are making it available to children. 

VE Day (not that one)

 

It began with the Iron Lady,

her financial dealings rather shady,

to include profit in every crevasse,

to the detriment of every service.

 

Then came OzbCam on millionaire’s row,

Skinner’s target and rightly so,

for their mantra was to impose austerity,

with maximum range and unfeeling asperity.

 

We were repeatedly called an aging population,

reminded of being an expensive collection,

in spite of paying tax for donkey’s years,

then, perversely, taxed as pensioners.

 

Into the horizon AD has arisen,

available to the wealthy in a Swiss canton,

but, like a phoenix rising from ashes,

appearing on international personal agendas.

 

Politicians clarion the solid safeguards,

protecting us from familial disregard,

a guarantee which they can only ensure,

until a different party is in power.

  

AD will divert constructive thinking,

from NHS and the role of care giving,

putting pressure on the sick to use AD,

a blow to true humanity.

 

The signs that safeguards are slipping,

will be an increase in assisted dying,

slackening of criteria to qualify,

a reduction in expertise to ratify.

 

If accepted it will take little time,

for this potentially ubiquitous crime,

to have us celebrating VE Day,

the anniversary when we sent grandad away.

©David L Atkinson June 2025 

God Bless