I have chosen to put up the poem that inspired the Poppy Apeal accros the globe today not just in remberence but also to try and inspire peace accross the globe. we all need to get along.

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow,

Between the crosses ,row on row,

That mark our place in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly.

We are the dead,short days ago,

we lived,fell down, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were Loved and now we lie,

in Flanders Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe,

To you from failing hands we throw,

The torch : be yours to hold it high

If ye break faith with us who die,

we shall not sleep ,through poppies grow

In Flanders Fields.

written by lt.col John McCrae. in may 1915 after ww1

tonight at Dverse Laura Bloomsbury has invited us to write about something that evokes a memory. so i have gone something that reminds me of my granparents.

https://dversepoets.com/2021/11/09/poetics-in-the-light-of-other-days/

Toasting forks.

Ice covered window panes,

Looking out over cold city

Itchy but warm woollen blankets,

Pulled of by big brother,

Keeping cold morning out,

Until coal fire lit downstairs.

Warm feet into cold slippers,

Cold arms into warm dressing gown,

Sliding down staircase’s banister,

To grandfather’s chuckled irritation,

As he puts flame to his

first cigarette of the day.

Four long handled toasting forks glint in fire light,

Grandad cuts us each a slice off crusty loaf,

Nan’s summer jam waiting for toast,

The smells of toasting bread, burning coal and grandad’s tobacco

Instantly takes me back to fire side Christmas at nans and grandad’s.

© 09/11/2021 rog leach

written for tonights prompt at dverse pots pub. the prompt from Merril was to write a piece of prosery no longer than 144 words tat had to include a line from a chosen poem. the poem she chose was Planertium by Adrianne Rich and the line “i am bombarded yet i still stand”. she chose this because of the last year or so we have all just witnessed.

https://dversepoets.com/2021/11/08/prosery-bombarded/

Pretentious.

            Here I sit glass bottle in a paper bag. A park bench for tonight’s bed.

It was not always this way for me. I was once a pretentious poet putting down others. Cursed with the arrogance of a privileged childhood. I was a proper spoilt brat looking down on those I despised, those without a university education.

            I would bombard those of lesser social standing than me with abuse and ignorance. One day I over stepped the mark with a street poet calling herself Planetarium stood on a soap box on a street corner. “I am bombarded, yet I stand” was her response.

            This shook me to the core of what I believed. I got home seeing my pretentious father through new eyes. That was thirty years ago. I gave up all when I plunged a knife into his heart and walked away.

© 08/11/2021 rog leach  

Thanks Ingrid for this #dverse prompt on writing concrete poetry and the inspiration to attempt a #cadralor poem. i tried and ended up with five #haiku.

https://dversepoets.com/

Concrete Gnome sitting,

Under naked apple tree,

Garden now frosty.

Silent unlit house,

Enter through sunlit doorway,

Flick switch to on.

Hot oven contains dish,

Tabletop candles now flicker,

Once full plates now emptied.

Bubble bath now full

Warm towel over radiator,

Pyjamas folded.

Plump pillows fluffed,

Full hot chocolate tankard,

Bed now occupied.

© 2/11/2021 rogleach

hello Dverse poets i may have Careened off on a tangent here with this one.

https://dversepoets.com/2021/11/01/closing-in-on-the-end-of-2021/

The Fisherman’s Friends are a sea shanty group from port Issacs in Wales.

Listen to the Fisherman’s Friends singing Sloop John B by the Beach Boys on you tube(tried to post a link which would not work sorry) You will see where I have tried to go with this quadrille.

When I saw the word “careen” my first thought was the old navel term. Meaning to lay a ship over on her side for repair. I named the ship Queen purely on a rhyming whim.

Careening about like drunken sailors

Skipper worked us, as we larked

Heave Ho over she goes

Careen our Queen, preen our Queen.

Heave Ho over she goes

Haul away, haul away, careened queen

Haul away, Haul away Queen,

Seeing Queen Careened on golden sands.