Poetry Thursday 88 - Stages

 Life is so busy, travelling at such a rate that we get sucked in to the speed with the risk of missing out on the enjoyable bits. 

Stages

 

At first all is simple,

as simple as an adolescent pimple,

a drive to succeed and live life at pace,

to prove one worthy as a member of the race.

 

Then less certainty and some serious hurdles,

tests to determine life’s significant boggles,

whether to take the left or right,

may determine how you sleep at night.

 

Then years on life’s production line,

sweetened by well-selected down time,

aiming for a lucrative final account,

towards enjoying the inevitable dismount.

 

At last when the bus is finally in park,

time is yours with which to savour and lark,

look to the success of nearest and dearest,

to assess the lessons learnt by those closest.

© David L Atkinson April 2025 

God Bless 

Witing - Cognitive Shuffle

 Cognitive shuffle sounds like a ballroom dance for those with two left feet. However, it is so much more and has nothing to do with dancing. 

In fact, it is not really to do with writing, but rather health. The concept is intended to aid those who struggle to get to sleep. It just seemed to me that the exercise freed the mind to explore and therefore lent itself to the writing mind. 

The idea behind the exercise is to quieten the busy mind and allow it to rest and go to sleep by considering things unrelated to the normal passage of a busy day. 

In short, instead of going over the events of the day and other sources of stress when we lie down to sleep, it is suggested that we think of a word that is unrelated to the day's events, and then to consider each letter of that word and create articles then picture them in your mind. Do that for each letter. I have never gone beyond the second letter. 

Example 

Word: brave - b = bicycle

                        r = radio 

                        a = arches 

                        v = veal 

                         e = eagle 

The above is my set of words and I've no doubt you all have a different set. As far as possible you should avoid examples that are too closely linked to your own experiences. 

It is my contention that the strategy would help the blocked writer and the writer who needs some suggestions to facilitate their work. 

There is no harm in trying the strategy - the worst that can happen is that you might drop off. 

God Bless 

Poetry Thursday 87 - Wednesday

 We are already into April, the fourth month, almost a third of the way through another year, yet it seems Christmas was only ten minutes ago. We are guilty of wishing our lives away when we have probably all heard some statement admonishing us for the same. So Wednesday, today, is halfway through a week. 

Wednesday Adams 

Wednesday

 

If you peer forward from woeful Wednesday,

you may catch a fleeting, teasing glimpse,

of a couple approaching promising play,

surpassing the week as away it limps.

 

Emerging from the gloomy grind,

a diamond eclipse of brightness peeks,

like the jewel of the sun threatening to blind,

unless in reflection the observer seeks.

 

A promise of brighter times ahead,

the opportunity for relaxing and rest,

two days of not ‘do as they said’,

but spend the time as you like it best. 

 

Enjoy the company of partner and kids,

go places that evoke good memories,

spend time but not as the other 5 bids,

rather as a source of various reveries.

 

Own time is carefree and fleeting,

responsibilities can get in the way,

plan for the work week’s completing,

enjoy freedoms of each weekend day.

©David L Atkinson June 2019 

Half Time

 

If you take away the weekend

Wednesday is half time,

for those of us whose backs bend,

and who long for easier time.

 

A sign for those of us who are old,

that children wish their lives away,

when every day should be like gold,

and used in their optimum way.

 

So take this limited period of time ,

embrace it in your best way,

to not enjoy is a personal crime,

take breath and love your Wednesday.

©David L Atkinson June 2019 

God Bless 

Writing - Pace

I try to be aware of pace when I'm writing but it is quite enjoyable to wallow in the glory of descriptive writing. You can find evidence of the same in truly good writers. Alistair Maclean in HMS Ulysses, spends a significant chunk of time describing the wild sea on the northern convoy routes during WWII. A brilliant read. Similarly, Dickens description of the misty marsh in the early pages of Great Expectations is great, but at times that tendency stifles the pace of his stories. 

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To help with pace, it is important to plan the actions that will take place in the stories. Within that process is the definition of the roles each of the characters you are guiding in your tale, and putting that together smoothly and fluidly. After that has been done, it is up to you how the outcome appears on the page. It would be naive to expect that there wouldn't be any description, but that, plus the overuse of dialogue, will slow the pace of the story. 

On the other hand, you cannot write an interesting and engaging story without developing the personalities, which means you have to decide on the balance between the pace and the development and that is why writing is so enjoyable but intensely personal. This is not a blog about how to write a story, there are other factors like adding twists to your tales, and like all advice it can be taken or left alone. 

God Bless 

Poetry Thursday 86 - April

 My favourite month I think. So many positive things happen in April. 

Welcome April

 

This fractured Earth’s demise could slow,

with England’s gentle, April rich flow,

ending the March chilly tirade,

with a colourful growth and birth parade.

 

The new smell of growth and petrichor,

warms the soul and craves for more,

of the gentle version of England’s weather,

that lightens the heart as a feather.

 

A rainbow, God’s covenant with the earth,

grows throughout this assuaging month,

filling everyone with positive feelings,

signalling a good year coming.

 

And as it leaves prepares the ground,

for warmer opportunities to abound,

now for the rest of the year enabled,

let’s be thankful for the month that is April.

© David L Atkinson March 2025 

God Bless 

Writing - Points of View

There's a BBC programme with the same name as this page. It reminded me of the tactic of enlivening narrative by recounting stories from different viewpoints. That is, as described in stories by two or more other characters. 

Take a situation and have two characters interact within the situation, and have them describe what they have experienced. This involves a writer in thinking like each of the characters they've created with all that entails. It is necessary to be inside those heads and to be consistent with what has been created and truly represent different viewpoints. 

In my Steele novels, I haven't used this ploy very often so I have created a bit of a silly example, but a bit of fun.  

If you look carefully you can see two pigeons in the background of this photo and they're being watched by my cat Ginny. Obviously, I'm taking the photo. 

As I see it, two scavengers have grown fat on their gleanings and they are scouting for more goodies in a neighbour's garden. The sight causes me to lament the loss of more native British birds such as sparrows, starlings, blackbirds, and thrushes. I also reflect on the noise the pigeons make because they are noisy. 

What is Ginny thinking? Food!!!!!!!!! How can I get out and catch the birds? 

Sounds as though she might be on my side but she would treat all birds no matter how rare. 

This sort of exercise can be very enjoyable, and it could enrich the quality of your work. 

God Bless 

Poetry Thursday 85 - The Lollipop

 Consider the state of things in the world in 2025. Frankly, even though we are supposed to be a forward-thinking and more sensitive world, the facts contradict that state. I could fill a couple of pages with facts and opinions on this but suffice it to say we have wars, we have starving people in rich countries, and we have global greed in obscene proportions. 

The Lollipop

 

Have we come to the end of our lollipop?

Have we extracted every last vestige of flavour?

Has the human race reached the top?

Is there nothing left to savour?

 

We’ve come a long way from hunter-gathering,

it’s taken many millennia to get here,

there are clues of the past, remaining,

will AI be controller of this sphere?

 

Will they allow us to continue,

 in a pointless war of acquisitions,

allowing mountains of waste to accrue,

and adding more toxic emissions.

 

Or will they farm us like aphids,

culling those of little value,

not accepting financial bids,

or evidence from those who can argue.

 

Or perhaps there’s a genetic ceiling,

signalled by isolationist greed,

that is already influence applying,

and poisoning human seed.

 

When you come to the end of your lolly,

right down to the final lick,

to strive on may well be folly,

when all you have left is the stick.

© David L Atkinson March 2025  

God Bless