Thursday Poetry 93 - MYGGWY

 It would be incorrect to describe me as a deeply religious person. I do believe in a higher being, and it seems that in spring there are more signs for me than at other times of the year. A friendly vicar reminded our congregation to look for the moments when He speaks to us. 

MYGGWY

 

A fact everyone should know,

irrespective of who we are or where we go,

it can happen without having to seek,

but at some point It will speak.

 

In a language of Its own,

universally familiar to all yet unknown,

that must be literally sensed,

 rather than experienced.

 

Seen in vivid natural colour,

in some well-known place or other,

or heard broadcast on a device,

while sitting doing something nice.

 

Or perhaps on an everyday chance,

a place visited during life’s usual dance,

when you are suddenly stricken,

when you feel your heart quicken.

 

Perhaps the clarity of a musical note,

or the intensity of a colourful mote,

then you know It has spoken through,

the senses creation has given you.

 

Only a few of daily chances,

to be receptive to deified advances,

in a language that is perceived,

which some deny that can be believed.

 

Observe carefully as you travel through,

and may your God go with you.

©David L Atkinson May 2025 

God Bless 

Writing - MYGGWY

 It would be incorrect to describe me as a deeply religious person. I do believe in a higher being, and it seems that in spring there are more signs for me than at other times of the year. A friendly vicar reminded our congregation to look for the moments when He speaks to us. 

I have a theory. Consider the arts. Music, sculpture, painting, drawing, writing and so on. As a cynical and impatient child, I believe that I once said that art was a waste of time, along with any other aesthetic activity. Thank goodness for the growth of wisdom with age. Not that I am a particularly sagacious person, but I have learned enough to appreciate beauty in a wide variety of things. But what has this to do with God? 

Consider the photograph of the rose above. It was one of many on the bush growing in my neighbour's garden. However, it wasn't the physical appearance that struck me first, it was the perfume. Now I know humans with the help of AI and 3D printers could produce something almost identical, but it has been happening on our planet for millennia. 

The point being that the colours are rich, there a slight variations and the scent is amazing. The colours in the little flower above are graduated perfection. 

Now, of course, art has many forms and is intensely subjective; the skills involved can be taught, but the ideas are more ethereal in nature. You can range countless examples, beautiful music, amazing paintings, meaningful sculptures, and amazing storytelling. It is in that aspect of art that your God speaks to you. In fact, the message is intensely individual. Music has lots of examples, such as a beautiful song that appeals or a violin piece that grates. The truth is that the beauty of a piece is in the realm of the beholder. Quite often, the differences between good and not-so-good can be indistinguishable to an outsider. 

For example, I am not a great fan of violin music but really enjoy the theme tune to the movie Schindler's List. On the other hand, the ever-popular 'Lark Ascending' I find turns me off totally. 

It is my belief that all forms of art speak to everyone on an individual level. It is my hope that when I produce poetry, it strikes a chord in someone's mind as it did in my mind when I wrote the piece. 

God Bless 

Poetry Thursday 92 - Nowhere

 Inspiration this week came in the form of a song written about 60 years ago. Who knew that John Lennon and the Beatles could be so prophetic? 

More of that in a moment. I was encouraged to search out a poem I wrote five years ago that seemed appropriate. 

Camaraderie

 

How do we know what the future will bring?

Here we are at an uncertain time,

guessing the viral outcomes of the thing,

not knowing the end of this pantomime.

 

All we require is a hint or a clue,

it is central to our current drive,

what will result from this big ballyhoo,

how many of us will die or survive.

This is just aspirant speculation,

over which we have little mastery,

instead we need to turn the attention,

to fellowship and camaraderie.

 ©David L Atkinson April 2020 

Nowhere man 

This was the first song performed by the Beatles that didn't involve romance or love. The lyrics, or some of them at least, are so relevant to a certain political situation pertaining to the present day. 

He's a real nowhere man
Sitting in his nowhere land
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody
Doesn't have a point of view
Knows not where he's going to
Isn't he a bit like you and me? 

https://youtu.be/8scSwaKbE64?si=30BojxVXYDdY8mb4

Click on the link above to hear the full song. 

 

God Bless 

Writing - Interpretation

So you have created your first book/article/poem, and after editing and rewriting, it is ready to present to the outside world. The scary bit. After all, everyone's a critic or budding author. Irrespective of your marketing process, you need to prepare yourself. 

Most comments are very kind, but some may seem a tad barbed. Avid readers may treat you as if you have invaded a sacred place. I could list a number of comments that at best could be described as being 'cruel to be kind '. One attitude to adopt in self-defence is that people read for a myriad of reasons and an equally massive number of styles. Don't take it personally. 

I write poetry because it is intensely personal and the audience is incidental, as are their opinions. 

Even so, the stories we produce are our offspring, and it is natural to be protective. So be proud of your efforts and accept the fact that people are entitled to their opinions. You don't need to be offended,  after all, there are lots of folk out there who struggle to write in sentences. 

God Bless 

Poetry Thursday 91 - Folly Garks

 Definition: Folly Gark - a person of great wealth and influence who believes that capitalism matches well with politics in the delivery of services to the general populace, and can be profitable. 

FYI - those of this type usually leave politics poorer for the experience. 

Folly Garks

 

When the great and the good have gone,

when the infamous and celebrities have passed on,

after the glitter and gloss has tarnished,

and the liars and cheats have been banished,

who is left behind,

to remodel and unbind?

 

After all where lies their interest,

what motivates them to believe they are best,

why are we dazzled by confidence,

that allows them to exert influence,

when we are left behind,

to pay and unwind?

 

To them, your interest in politics is folly,

not another toy to make you more lolly,

and when you become bored with the game,

and channel your greed to a different aim,

have the bottle to admit that you’re  culpable,

for the mess to be cleared by the real people.

©David L Atkinson May 2025 

God Bless 

 

Writing - Planning

 Yours truly is addicted to consequences, which leads to planning. When writing, irrespective of the nature, it is important to consider the audience and the purpose. At that point, I would appear to be behaving in an hypocritical manner. I plan initially, but then the stories develop their own energy and direction. 

A hotchpotch 

The collection of sketches above is testimony to beginning with a plan but then ....!!! 

So I planned a face sketching exercise beginning with Julian of Norwich. That then evolved into significant people like Winston Churchill and John F Kennedy, which developed into people interesting to me. Roy Orbison, John Wayne and Charles Dickens, to name a few. 

In the end, I achieved my initial aim and produced a collection of interesting faces that allowed me to develop shapes and shading of a variety of character full faces. 

This exercise then led to something more focused. 

Roles of Mark Rylance 

One of my favourite actors who has played a variety of roles in some very different movies/TV series. I tried to capture his versatility in 3 such roles. So we have Maurice Flitcroft, the BFG and Thomas Cromwell. I could have selected others, but that may be overkill, and besides, people who may be interested could well research his other roles. 

This is why I plan loosely, because I enjoy the surprise consequences that become available as a result. 

God Bless 

Poetry Thursday - 90 - Another Year

 Another year has passed for me and what do I know that's new or different? 

Shrinkage

 

Your arms are shorter

Your legs are shorter

Your sight is shorter

Your belt is shorter

Your patience is shorter

Your temper is shorter

Your breath is shorter

Your memory is shorter

Your time is shorter

Your years are shorter

Your months are shorter

Your weeks are shorter

Your days are shorter

Your hours are shorter

Your minutes are shorter

You died

© David L Atkinson April 2025 

When I was young, the time was filled with recovery from WWII, and since then, over the next seven decades, there has always seemed to be some huge threat to human existence. Sometimes, we humans are the threat, and sometimes it is natural disasters. Increasingly, human choices such as capitalism before caring. 

Time Thief

 

You will never snatch a glimpse of him,

and not because the light is dim,

by the time you realise what’s been lost,

he’s long gone leaving you to bear the cost.

 

Not always clear what’s been taken,

years later it can leave you shaken,

when you realise what could have been,

and all the things you should have seen.

 

What were you doing when he stole your years,

was your busy mind befuddled by beers,

or was your attention wandering free,

unfettered, allowed to go ignoring me.

 

You’re aware of what you wanted to know,

that youthful developments come and go,

but still you allowed your mind to wander,

leaving you to regret inattentive squander.

 

He won’t allow you to rewind your time,

to revisit that which was there in its prime,

you have to live with residual memories,

and remain alert for future discoveries.

  

To keep the thief away from your door,

allow you to appreciate life’s wonders galore,

focus attention on living in the today,

value that which he’d steal in some way.

© David L Atkinson January 2021 

God Bless