Following on from last week's post - Poems on the Underground - here's my very own poem about the Underground.

Backward jumble
Random mumble
Cannot quit so...
Fudge it!

Details hidden
Lost in Help
Round and round
Makes me yelp

I only care
No change to spare
Everything equals
In zero sequels

Also fun
Is the dalliance
Makes for such
A lovely ambiance

Teresa Harrison-Best has written a very fitting, light-hearted tribute to Queen Elizabeth II on this very special day, when she becomes the longest-reigning monarch in British history – passing her Great-Great-Grandmother Queen Victoria … Long live our noble Queen!

Our Queen

Tell the Guinness Book of Records
that our Queen has done us proud.
She’s the longest serving monarch
and the cheering will be loud!

She’s usurped dear old Victoria,
that other long-lived queen.
Some monarchs have reached fifty years
that’s few and far between.

In sixty three most golden years
she has witnessed key events,
including twelve Prime Ministers
and as many Presidents.

The Berlin Wall was not in place
when she came on the throne.
No texting or the Internet,
just the humble telephone.

The moon was such a distant place,
no ‘giant leaps’ afoot.
With no annoying Paparazzi
and getting overlooked.

Beatlemania had not arrived,
or the sixty six world cup.
Britain wasn’t swinging yet
but things were looking up!

L s d were coins not drugs
and guinea’s were in use.
Imperial was measurement
when cooking our own goose!

Phenomenal changes she has seen
across the world at large,
God Save The Queen say all of us
long may she stay in charge.


Written by Teresa Harrison-Best

This is a poem I found in my Aunty's house. The message is so relevant and I like the style. A lot of my poems are similar in set up. Author Unknown.

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit -
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a fellow turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow -
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man;
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup;
And he learned too late when the night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out -
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit, -
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.

This post is a tribute to my Aunty Soni, one of my Godmothers, who passed away in Canada two days ago after suffering a massive stroke. 

I couldn't sleep last night, so, in the early hours of this morning I started writing a poem for my Aunty. I finished it within a couple of hours. Writing poetry is part of the grieving process for me.

For you Aunty Soni

In Your Moment

I had you at your best
You opened your heart to me
In your moment you were brilliant
That's all I wanted to see

I know you weren't perfect
But none of us are
And we don't even realise
Until we've gone too far

I lived in your moment
That was enough for me
You gave me your everything
So we could just be

Reminiscing and laughing
Talking endless books and TV
How I cherished those times
So very precious to me

My 25th and cooking for you
Skydive vids and travel tales
That job lot of slippers at your house
Pots of soup with random egg shells

Remember at Granddads funeral
The funny incident with the rose
I couldn't hear what you were saying
It's hilarious now, I suppose

And I wouldn't sit on Aunty's lap
I was being tough and strong
But it takes hindsight and wisdom
To show this was wrong

So ever since then
I've led with my heart
I'm crying and crying
And it's tearing me apart

We might only get the one chance
To say the things we need to say
I let my barriers down with you
And we played it our way

I try to see the best in people
Whether living or dead
So when the worst is upon us
The tears are easier to shed

They've been flowing for you
My dear, dear godmother
I know we had something
And we loved one another

Sleep easy my love
Be at peace with the world
Just you in your moment
No longer being hurled

From whatever your troubles
And the demons inside
They're gone and your safe
Let the pain now subside

I will miss you forever
Our memories live on
It's time to meet your maker
My dear Aunty Son

Here is some word play I remember doing in A Level English Lit. Love this. I find playing around with words revives the creativity when I'm feeling a little flat.

Some of my own were on the back of this sheet. Check these out:

Dwindle

dro
     p

E
  SC
       H
        E   W

backwards
                  forwards
backwards
                  forwards
backwards
                  forwards

I got so distressed about this, I decided to write a poem:

MY FIRST GREY HAIR

Oh my gosh
the time has come
to join the club
of the elderly one

Above my ear
I see you there
a little to the left
you nasty grey hair

I pluck and pull
with all my might
There's no denying
it's quite a sight

Panic strikes
Mustn't let myself go
Taking it easy
Taking it slow

This silvery wisp
can go do one
It cannot take away
all of my fun!

One of the most common spelling mistakes I see is defiantly replacing definitely. I don't know what makes a person choose "defiance" but it certainly makes me chuckle. It can give a sentence a whole new meaning, totally out of context with the style and subject matter, and one the writer probably didn't intend! As you know, I love words, so the uprightness of definitely as a positive and absolute word clashing with the rebelliousness and insolence of defiantly is sheer brilliance for me. I think we should hand them over to Harry Hill and let them fight it out ;)