Poetry Thursday 89 - Fauna

 Animals give us lots to talk about and enjoy. At various times, I have 'had a go poetically', some of which appear below. 

Rhinoceros

 

The rhino is a serious beast,

careless of where it places great feet,

wearing its suit of grey armour,

a dimly sighted herbivore.

 

A private, keratin-horned creature,

threatened by hunter and poacher,

if we fail to curb the rhino abuse,

loss of the creature's what we’ll produce.

© David L Atkinson April 2025 

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.

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 November 2015 

God Bless 

Writing - Relevance

Producing stories should ensure that the time period chosen is accurate according to the nature of the story. For example, if you are writing about WWII and the actors have mobile phones, it would not be accurate. Similarly, sources of information have developed rapidly over the last 30 years, and the information gathered should be factual rather than the opinion of others. 

There have been rapid changes in sources of information and how and where it is stored over the last 70 years. I remember frequent advertisements for The Encyclopaedia Britannica. My father used to buy compendia of historical events because he liked knowing factual information. 

Commodore Pet

In the early 1980's the government introduced computers into schools. At that time, there was no internet and data was stored on databases which could then be searched. The largest of this type of storage involved huge machines running data that was held on magnetic tape. Until Tim Berners Lee invented the World Wide Web. 

Along with the internet came search engines like Google and smaller data collectors like Wikipedia. I have used both of these when writing the Steele novels, and they have been invaluable. However, there must be a warning about the results of searches. 

When you ask a question of Google, you can get millions of responses, and not all of those are factual. They may be the opinions of other writers and researchers rather than the actual facts you are looking for. It is therefore important that the source of the article is checked for its authenticity. 

So keep it simple and make it relevant. 

God Bless 

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