Poetry Thursday 170 - Time Before

 Being retired means all kinds of things, including indulging in nostalgia. 

The Time Before

 

In the time before television, 

we would gather round the wireless,

and share our views

on events in the news,

then listen to comedy’s,

Navy Lark, Goon Show and Round the Horne,

then altogether on Christmas morn,

singing carols while Mum prepared lunch.

 

And in the time before mobile phones,

with on the street red boxes and press button B,

in an emergency a sprint to the phone box,

when rapid contact was by first class post,

cursive texts no one else could see,

no Google search or asking Alexa,

but off to the family encyclopaedia or the library.

 

And in the time before family cars,

 When no one could afford a taxi,

the bus ruled with reliability,

taking folk to school, work and on holiday,

whether a jaunt for the day,

or a fortnight trip,

timetables operating with nary a slip.

Always a conductor to sell a ticket,

to help those less active,

controlling behaviours on every trip.

© David L Atkinson February 2024 

God Bless 

Writing - Brain Magic

 I’m not referring to tricks, but more to a medication for the brain. Losing yourself in a good book is better than alcohol or drugs and a good deal less harmful.

Escapism is what we’re aiming for when we jump on the writing conveyor. I want my readers to be mentally transported out of their everyday life into something different.  It is providing the opportunity to de-stress, to allow oneself to think outside the box and experience total relaxation.

Of course,  to achieve that requires the ability to empathise. I have taught children to practice empathy, which, depending on age, can be a lot of fun. I’ve found that as it is an age related/maturity controlled skill needs refreshing periodically. As we have seen in the case of Donald Trump,  some folk never achieve the ability. For those people, getting into a good book must be extremely difficult. As a writer, you can spend more time in the minds of characters you have created than in your own. Sounds like what insanity could be like. 

However, it is stimulating to plunge into behaviours one would never dream of trying in everyday life.  The generation of adrenaline and other feel-good chemicals in the blood without ever leaving your armchair is truly cheap entertainment. 

An exercise I was taught as a child was to imagine you are your favourite animal. For me,  it was always a dolphin. Then imagine your life beneath the waves. Some would be a bird soaring across the skies. You can then progress to superheroes or particular occupations. The key being to have fun.

 

As a creator of scenarios and characters, exploring how different relationships work is important in creating alternate realities. 

God Bless 

Poetry Thursday 169 - AI

Alexa continues to grow; now she has a warm and friendly female voice.

AI Taped

 

Alexa play gentle classics for 51 minutes,

that’ll keep her on her toes,

won’t do to have her in control,

humans in charge as everyone knows.

 

Alexa what’s the weather forecast,

it’s okay I know it will rain,

just checking the location is right,

nothing wrong with my brain.

 

Alexa put cat litter on my shopping list,

I can remember on my own really,

but saves me writing it down,

a convenient aid to my memory.

 

Alexa ask question of the day,

a fun daily exercise for the brain,

I still do sudoku and crosswords,

she provides a handy bedside game.

 

Alexa set my alarm for 7:00am,

saves me buying an alarm clock,

those things have evolved dramatically,

her timing is as solid as a rock.

 

Alexa what is my flash briefing,

BBC news every minute of the day,

I don’t have to wait for auntie,

depressing knowledge without delay.

 

Alexa can you sing me to sleep,

personal services at your elbow,

who needs other people,

when Alexa is next to your pillow. 

Alexa can you cheer me up, 

*******************

*******************

thank you and good night.

© David L Atkinson February 2024 

God Bless 

Writing - Moderation

 One of the tenets that my parents used when they were bringing me up.  The thing is does it apply to your writing? Well, the answer has to be yes in certain circumstances.

 The example that comes to mind immediately is the opening scene in Charles Dickens Great Expectations. In that situation, so that the author can grab the attention of the reader, he indulges himself in a very intense description of the conditions of the marsh near Pip’s home, where Pip bumps into what he believes at the time is a convict from a nearby prison ship. 

Abel Magwitch 

If you were writing this yourself, you would decide at what level you wanted to absorb the reader into the story at this point. Dickens seemed to want a full absorption and spent paragraphs describing the weather conditions to the point that you could believe that you were standing next to Pip in the marsh. 

Imagine you have been swimming and have left the water and removed your swimming costume only to be persuaded to get back in the water. The feeling of putting on a soggy costume is wet and difficult to manoeuvre over your body, not to mention cold. It makes you feel even more wet than when you were swimming. That is the feeling that Dickens encourages you to imagine as you read. 

He creates a 3D experience on a 2D medium. 

In your version, you may decide that the glowering appearance of Magwitch is of greater significance than the weather. In my opinion, Dickens is creating a literary memory that you carry with you through the rest of the story. In your story, it is worth spending some time in preparing a 'hook' such as this, which will be better for planning. 

In HMS Ulysses by Alistair Maclean, there is a page and a half of description of the sea conditions in the North Atlantic, and be warned: when reading it you need to have taken seasickness medication. 

It is important that such an element can not only sell your books but can set you on the ladder of literary significance. 

God Bless 

Poetry Thursday 168 - Mind Mouth

The inspiration for this poem was an advert for a brand of chewing gum. It raised the question in my strange mind about that little voice in your head that can provide reminders of the consequences ofbehaviours. 

Mind Mouth

 

If your mind had a mouth what would it say,

would it tell the world your state of play,

divulge each individual whim,

no secrets hidden from  him.

 

Would mind mouth provide useful advice, 

help you avoid risk at any price, 

keep you on the straight and narrow, 

flying to your target like an arrow. 

 

Or has mind mouth loose lips,

will it sink all your ships,

deviously formulating it’s own plans,

taking power from your hands.

 

Is mind mouth a helpful conscience, 

or laden with doom filled scenarios in abundance, 

preparing for you the blackest mood 

to face situations increased stress accrued.

 

Mind mouth is in your control,

both useful and the other end of the pole,

can give you strength in your need,

and restrictions from which to be freed.

©David L Atkinson October 2026

God Bless 

Writing - and Reading

 When writing, we need to keep reading. A statement of the obvious, perhaps, but in my opinion, worth repeating. Even if you are writing technical documents, reading 'other' stuff is important. The importance comes from the variety. Language is continually evolving, and even dry technical stuff can be presented in a more user-friendly way; after all, technical articles are written for humans to read. 

Reading is and always will be a source of knowledge and entertainment. It is also something that needs practice. On occasion, I have had the opportunity to read from the bible in school and in church, and I always ensure that I have practised the piece to be presented. This came as a result of advice from a vicar and from a lecture where it was demonstrated by one of the listeners who was asked to read a piece from a physics text without the benefit of practice. Inevitably, he stumbled over certain factual words, which brings me to the fact that reading aloud is important also. 

Obviously, I have re-read my own work, but it is not my favourite task. I hate editing my own work, being of the 'once it has been done, never to be revisited' school. However, when writing poetry, it is incredibly important to read aloud from the point of view of rhythm and balance. I still relax last thing at night by reading fiction. 

God Bless 

Poetry Thursday 167 - Tick Tock

 A eulogy to those who have attempted to buy online and come unstuck. 

Tick tock

 

 Click goes the mouse tock goes the clock,

times passing it feels right to take stock,

to call a halt and yell stop.

ponder what we get when we shop.

 

Click goes the mouse tock goes the clock,

a lifetime since hickory dickory dock,

and what have we learned in all of those clicks,

that we need to beware of retailers’ tricks.

 

Tock goes the clock and click goes the mouse,

whether we buy for ourselves or the house,

what arrived  may not work, or fit,

you’ll get a refund so what of it.

 

Click goes the mouse and tock goes the clock,

what of manufacture quality shock, 

no control over shoddy goods,

oh yes refunds causing delivery floods.

 

Click goes the mouse and tock goes the clock,

customer service at the bottom of the rock,

like a refund means it doesn’t matter, 

avoiding negative feedback chatter.

©David L Atkinson October 2026 

God Bless