Poetry Thursday 107 - Not Evolving

Humans have been on the Earth for approximately 300,000 years and we have evolved, or at least for much of that time. However, in the last 20 years we seem to have hit the buffers. 

Evolution

 

As an outsider, observing the human race is pain,

watching how they don’t develop again and again,

hoping for improvement in everything they do,

admiring new trends which they accrue.

 

Humans race forward ignoring history,

repeating mistakes, a confusing mystery,

plunging the race into familiar conflict,

after years spent making peace a construct.

 

Opening hearts to the plight of less fortunates,

while rewarding the rich with shiny coronets,

removing the rules for public safety,

but claiming interest in all humanity.

 

Creating collectives like NATO and G7,

to discuss securities and fiscal heaven,

when really the welfare of the millions of many,

is of little concern to rulers’ activity.

 

Global warming, inflation, war in Ukraine,

issues to test the sharpest brain,

yet they are saddled with Donald J Trump,

he wants a prize for being a golden chump.

 

Evolution of species is inextricably linked,

to whether they continue or become extinct,

judging by the quality of international leaders,

we are about to revert to bottom feeders.

©David L Atkinson August 2025 

God Bless 

Poetry Thursday 83 - Gulf of Sunderland

t1As I've been referring to memory being rather like an inland sea, I am continuing that metaphor this week but have named the body of water as the Gulf of Sunderland. What's good enough for the TT is good enough for me. 

Out of the Depths

 

From the gulf of Sunderland,

out of the deepest part of the sea,

occurrences affecting the family,

hidden for eternity.

Stored in the gulf of Sunderland, 

tucked away for future reference,

not intended for general conference,

meant to maintain the balance.

Out of the gulf of Sunderland, 

for occasional historical share,

for those for whom you care,

for trials of life to prepare.

Inside the gulf of Sunderland,

to wallow in warm nostalgia,

part of later life’s agenda

or to dispel a thorny dilemma.

Illusive as the gulf of Sunderland,

a source of pure enjoyment,

daily trial abandonment, 

fostering life’s accomplishment.

© David L Atkinson March 2025  

God Bless 

Writing - From where you're at

 It is often true that writers write from where they're at. As writing is an intensely personal activity this is almost inevitable. Even when producing fantasy or science fiction the nature of the characters and interactions will probably find their roots in the author's past. 

Of course, you could take the bull by the horns and make a conscious decision to use someone from your past in your writing. In my case it was a man called Bill. 

I needed a sort of grandfather figure at one point in my stories and this guy who I worked with in the 1980's had been a great support to me during a difficult time in my life. In fact, it was his ability to 'read' me that made him an obvious shoe into my stories. 

Bill came to work as a technician at my place of work. He'd retired from a career in engineering and wanted something to keep him busy in his retirement. The position of lab technician in a middle school suited so he came to us. 

Bill was a Yorkshireman through and through. He could appear short and brusque but in fact was the epitome of kindness and he was talented. Whatever we needed Bill could create, and whatever broke he could fix it. He turned his hand to set building when we were putting on shows, and producing equipment for science experiments. A real asset in every aspect of work and also dependable. 

Sadly, he had some breathing problems and died in an accident while working on his car engine in his garage. A great loss to all who new him. 

When we write it is almost like we are standing on the shores of a deep lake filled with the characters, occurrences and interactions of our past. Why not delve into that lake? 

God Bless 

Poetry Thursday 77 - MoL42

 A deal of time is spent considering the meaning of our lives and reflecting on what we should or shouldn't do with our time on this earth. Is it possible that you have little or no influence in these areas and that we are of little relative consequence? 

MoL42

 

The issue is raised periodically,

an answer is never forthcoming,

solving it is possible, theoretically,

is the solution a matter of winning?

 

Six weeks if counted in days,

Egyptian judges examining a soul,

Sun-Earth system ends in galactic years,

an Adams creation for us all.

 

Deep Thought’s response in 7.5 million years,

Marathon to Athens an identical numeral,

the total number of Tibetan rulers,

and column lines in the Gutenberg Bible.

 

Carroll used it in The Hunting of the Snark,

and for those feeling somewhat low,

not desirous of games or a lark,

the angle of light hitting water for a rainbow.

 

In reality MoL = 42 is Adam’s jest,

life is managing change with guile,

meeting death and strangers the best,

then, before you sleep look back on today and smile.

© David L Atkinson January 2025  

God Bless 

 

Writing - Spontaneity

 For those who don't like change you may not enjoy the suggestions in this blog. Some folk are so averse to change in their lives that they are quite vociferous in response to any suggestion of that nature. It actually amounts to a phobia in some cases when in fact it is a construct created by the mind to render the creator a sense of security. Hence the extreme reactions of some. However, even the most intransigent of folk allow occasional bursts of spontaneity. 

Spontaneity can actually enhance both the writing process and the quality of the work produced. If a writer becomes too formulaic in the works produced which may bore your readers. 

When I began writing my initial aim was to finish a book which I did. By the time I reached my fourth novel, I was ready to change. In the novels, I created a 'family' of central characters who worked together to help the main man, Patrick Steele, achieve his aims. But I was feeling that something had to change. There was one member of the team created around a very good friend who died prematurely, who provided me with the changes I was looking for at that time. 

What I did was simple and decisive. I killed him off. That action opened the door to introduce a new character who would support the widow and introduce computer technology into the stories. The simple spontaneous act of removing a character meant that emotions were running high and needed describing but also the change in the central team created opportunities to enrich their relationships. 

So from one minor character's demise created a deal of writing in depth that I felt enriched the quality of the final work.

God Bless 

Poetry Thursday 76 - LMF

 It seems to me that society has developed the strategy of blaming anything other than perpetrators for inappropriate actions and behaviours. While teaching it was not unusual to catch a child in the act of doing something wrong and yet be faced with a furious rebuttal of the action. Sometimes we need to hold up our hands and admit 'It was me!' 

Self-Control

 

It seems to me that there are more excuses,

for what we say and do in public,

our actions and unfortunate abuses,

must be the fault of influences cosmic.

 

Parental actions count for nothing,

society is the malevolent actor,

the cure must be carried out by teaching,

or by the overburdened doctor.

 

Perhaps the answer lies in time,

giving parents adequate funding,

to exercise this role sublime,

giving offspring strong grounding.

 

In time, alone we must learn to cope,

life will throw many curve balls,

alone we stand and live in hope,

that we can rise after the falls.

© David L Atkinson January 2025  

God Bless 

Poetry Thursday 75 - Mind Control

 The more the creative process is considered the greater the level of complexity plumbed. Although you can be creative and never wonder why. The poem 'Mind Control' is not about others controlling our minds but about how much control our minds have over us, in the realm of creativity. 

Mind Control

 

There’s nowt so queer as the human mind

it’ll take yer places yer nivver thowt you'd find

with companions possessing strange abilities,

passing to you developing facilities.

 

Breathing in watter so yer can swim wi’ dolphins,

 growing wings so yer can soar with avians,

readin’ minds ter identify yer foes,

healin’ hands to aid those with woes.

 

In the deep chill of the dark night,

the mind controls the path of your flight,

the conscious and moral compass stilled,

gives freedom to visit where it willed.

 

Pullin’ together events of the days,

intertwinin’ actions in unique ways,

the mind at the height of creativity,

beyond the comprehension of standard reality.

 

Enjoy the depth of the freedom given,

of earthly forces the mind is riven,

explore the created moments deeply,

safe in semi-conscious being, sleepily.

© David L Atkinson January 2025 

God Bless 

Writing - Mood

 Irrespective of what we are describing in our writing we have the capacity to control mood. I watched a spoof documentary over the holiday and was slightly disturbed when a couple of very intelligent people were obviously upset by the tone and questions of the presenter. This was plain to me as an observer by looking at the physical responses of the interviewees. 

Cunk on Life 2024 

If you look up 'body language' on Google there is a huge response with lots of attempts to provide coaching in how to interpret that phenomenon. The response below is an AI summary. 

Body language is a form of nonverbal communication that uses physical actions to convey information, rather than words. Examples of body language include: 

• Facial expressions: The human face is very expressive and can convey many emotions without speaking. 
• Posture: How a person holds their body can convey how they are feeling and their personality. 
• Eye contact: Eye contact is important in communication and can show that you are paying attention. 
• Gestures: Sharp, angular gestures can be a sign of aggression. 
• Space: Invading someone's personal space can be a sign of aggression

Nothing particularly new in that but just to add that context is important. Some situations are made for observing types of physical responses to interviews. Watching a politician being interviewed on a difficult subject is quite eye-opening. It is a demonstration of avoidance, as they often do not like answering direct questions, their physical reactions are indicators of avoidance and telling untruths. 

When you are writing dialogue between characters including information on body language is an enriching process and should stimulate the readers' imaginations. 

God Bless 

Poetry Thursday 62 - The Poet

 Sometimes it is necessary to experiment with self-reflection and voices. What emerges is different. I came across the following definition of a poet:- 

Poet: A writer or author (The title is usually reserved for writers of good poetry.)

I continued chasing what was meant by 'good poetry' and the bottom line is that it is subjective. In other words in the hands of the receivers so keep writing folks.

The Poet

 

I have rarely met the poet myself,

as he hides from that place on the shelf,

quite familiar with techniques and forms,

not lacking experience in what performs.

 

From the Land of the Prince Bishops’,

unfashionably beautiful countryside backup,

plethora of inspiration to generate words,

as plentiful as a murmuration of birds.

 

A darker view spawns negative feelings,

associated with human dealings,

generating a hackier mood,

the poet may tend to brood.

 

A walk on the sand or plodgin’ in the sea,

massages the senses to set the poet free,

from any darkening influences,

and bugger the consequences.

 

But it’s the people that really count,

we need to deal in some amount,

to engage our range of emotions,

and translate the interactions.

 

The poet finds the equations can be prickly,

leaving the psyche rather sickly,

researching types of avoidance behaviour,

providing alternatives as a saviour.

 

The natural world provides sanctuary,

in its wealth of colour and variety,

with the uncluttered nature of species,

and their obvious biological abilities.

 

Looking for dolphins from the pier,

smartly dressed with their superior sneer,

as if aware of human failings,

yet prepared to indulge in occasional savings.

 

Eating winkles with a pin from a hut on the front,

dodging noisy herring gulls on the hunt,

for scraps falling from our table,

fish ‘n chips the inappropriate staple.

 

Loving the ebb and flow of sound,

marvelling at power as waves pound,

sighing of relief from sand and pebbles,

as sea recedes gathering for the next battles.

©David L Atkinson October 2024 

God Bless 

Poetry Thursday 61 - Consequences

 Our current age could be described in Yorkshire, England as 'slack set up'. We no longer seem to allow disappointment at sub-optimal performance. As individuals, it is also okay to have some pride in the successful completion of even the most basic tasks. 

Consequences

 

A man failed to complete a task,

a job within his skillset,

his group have to do more than asked,

without a display of upset.

 

Another man failed to complete a task,

a job within his skillset,

his group have to do even more than asked,

without a display of upset.

 

At last a man completed the activity,

within his skillset but suffering injury,

the job is completed rather sketchily,

one of the group suffering accidentally,

because others failed to perform adequately.

©David L Atkinson October 2024 

God Bless 

Writing - Brainwashing

 One of the principles in George Orwell's 1984 is to keep repeating information even if it's incorrect. Eventually, if people hear it often enough they will believe it is the truth. Seems to me that that is the Conservative Party's mantra for the public after 14 years of deception and dishonesty. This morning I witnessed James Cleverley the Kearns Home Secretary doing that very thing and hoping that people watching him on the news will believe that what he's saying is the truth. The fact of the matter is the Conservative Party is going to lose this election more because of their inability to be honest and straight with people rather than their policies and those policies have been divisive and elitist.

In the 1960s there was a tendency to believe that brainwashing was a thing used by villains and governments and was often used in stories and movies. Probably one of the most famous scenes of the time was The Ipcress File, which had actor Michael Caine put through what seemed to be an attempt to brainwash. 

Brainwashing, also known as mind control, menticide, coercive persuasion, thought control, thought reform, and forced re-education, is the concept that the human mind can be altered or controlled by psychological techniques. 

In short behaviour modification. In the film, sensory deprivation and hypnosis were the methods used to bring about behavioural change. 

The above film was released in 1965 but the concept of our precious brains being manipulated is very much a live issue. Nowadays, added to the above, is the incursion of AI into our lives and as with new technologies, the lack of consistent information and knowledge increases speculation and so the opportunity to stretch the imagination. Just do the research. 

God Bless