Goodbye, Leonard Nimoy,
you were Mr Spock,
amongst other roles,
but Mr Spock was the career prize
on the Starship Enterprise.
You said: "live long and prosper"
and you lived long and prospered,
but now, sad to hear,
you've reached the final frontier.
RIP.
Friday, 27 February 2015
Thursday, 26 February 2015
BEEN A BIT QUIET ON HERE......
I've been a bit quiet on here in recent weeks because, rather than post new poems, I have been writing and submitting to magazines and other outlets - so I can't publish the new work whilst it is "under consideration".
I have also been paying a bit more attention to reading poetry and by that I mean reading poetry slowly to get more out of it - enjoyment, entertainment, inspiration, emotion and, significantly, education. I want to be a better writer, so studying published and established poets seems a good larder from which to draw nourishment....and to experience new hungers.
Back soon.
p.s.
I am happy to plug (not review) new poetry books on this site - cover plus publisher's blurb - free of charge (although, gratis copies are welcomed for my education, enjoyment....see above).
Anything I post is sent out to surf the ether via Stumbleupon, Reddit, Digg, Twitter and Facebook. At the time of writing these very words, my blog has had over 65,500 views in about four years.
Use the box to contact me.
I have also been paying a bit more attention to reading poetry and by that I mean reading poetry slowly to get more out of it - enjoyment, entertainment, inspiration, emotion and, significantly, education. I want to be a better writer, so studying published and established poets seems a good larder from which to draw nourishment....and to experience new hungers.
Back soon.
p.s.
I am happy to plug (not review) new poetry books on this site - cover plus publisher's blurb - free of charge (although, gratis copies are welcomed for my education, enjoyment....see above).
Anything I post is sent out to surf the ether via Stumbleupon, Reddit, Digg, Twitter and Facebook. At the time of writing these very words, my blog has had over 65,500 views in about four years.
Use the box to contact me.
Saturday, 14 February 2015
THE 13 DAYS OF COURTING
From Only Drools & Corsets (Funny poems and silly stuff about love, Valentine's, etc)
TO LOOK INSIDE, PLEASE GO TO AMAZON......
A sort of tale of the unexpected................
TO LOOK INSIDE, PLEASE GO TO AMAZON......
A sort of tale of the unexpected................
On the FIRST day of courting,
My true love sent to me
A gift box
With a small lock of her hair.
On the SECOND day of courting,
My true love sent to me,
Two nail clippings
And a gift box
With a small lock of her hair.
On the THIRD day of courting,
My true love sent to me,
Three tear-stained tissues,
Two nail clippings
And a gift box
With a small lock of her hair.
On the FOURTH day of courting,
My true love sent to me,
Four eyelash trimmings,
Three tear-stained tissues,
Two nail clippings
And a gift box
With a small lock of her hair.
On the FIFTH day of courting,
My true love sent to me,
Five laddered stockings,
Four eyelash trimmings,
Three tear-stained tissues,
Two nail clippings
And a gift box
With a small lock of her hair.
On the SIXTH day of courting,
My true love sent to me,
Six bitten toffees,
Five laddered stockings,
Four eyelash trimmings,
Three tear-stained tissues,
Two nail clippings
And a gift box
With a small lock of her hair.
On the SEVENTH day of courting,
My true love sent to me,
Seven toothpicks chewed,
Six bitten toffees,
Five laddered stockings,
Four eyelash trimmings,
Three tear-stained tissues,
Two nail clippings
And a gift box
With a small lock of her hair.
On the EIGHTH day of courting,
My true love sent to me,
Eight olive pips,
Seven toothpicks chewed,
Six bitten toffees,
Five laddered stockings,
Four eyelash trimmings,
Three tear-stained tissues,
Two nail clippings
And a gift box
With a small lock of her hair.
On the NINTH day of courting,
My true love sent to me,
Nine blobs of earwax,
Eight olive pips,
Seven toothpicks chewed,
Six bitten toffees,
Five laddered stockings,
Four eyelash trimmings,
Three tear-stained tissues,
Two nail clippings
And a gift box
With a small lock of her hair.
On the TENTH day of courting,
My true love sent to me,
Ten empty beer cans,
Nine blobs of earwax,
Eight olive pips,
Seven toothpicks chewed,
Six bitten toffees,
Five laddered stockings,
Four eyelash trimmings,
Three tear-stained tissues,
Two nail clippings
And a gift box
With a small lock of her hair.
On the ELEVENTH day of courting,
My true love sent to me,
Eleven ultimatums,
Ten empty beer cans,
Nine blobs of earwax,
Eight olive pips,
Seven toothpicks chewed,
Six bitten toffees,
Five laddered stockings,
Four eyelash trimmings,
Three tear-stained tissues,
Two nail clippings
And a gift box
With a small lock of her hair.
On the TWELFTH day of courting,
My true love sent to me,
Twelve effigies,
Eleven ultimatums,
Ten empty beer cans,
Nine blobs of earwax,
Eight olive pips,
Seven toothpicks chewed,
Six bitten toffees,
Five laddered stockings,
Four eyelash trimmings,
Three tear-stained tissues,
Two nail clippings
And a gift box
With a small lock of her hair.
On the THIRTEENTH day of courting,
I don’t know what she sent,
'Cos the strain and the stress
Made me change my address
And in answer to the choice –
Man or mouse? Mouse.
But at least a mouse
In a police safe house!
Friday, 13 February 2015
PAIRS - POEM FOR VALENTINE'S DAY
We go together
Like crackers and cheese,
Like thank you and please,
Like skip and rope,
Like water and soap,
Like moon and stars,
Like jams and jars,
Like Morecambe and Wise,
Like pork and pies
Like seek and hide,
Like Bonnie and Clyde,
Like comb and hair,
Like table and chair,
Like Ant and Dec,
Like Fiona and Shrek,
Like peas and pod,
Like hook and rod,
Like bread and butter.
Like mumble and mutter,
Like Minnie and Mickey,
Like glue and sticky,
Like Adam and Eve,
Like ho and heave,
Like Batman and Robin,
Like thread and bobbin,
Like Homer and Marge,
Like canal and barge,
Like Barbie and Ken,
Like cluck and hen,
Like Jack and Jill,
Like Ben and Bill,
Like Hansel and Gretel,
Like flower and petal,
Like Tom and Jerry,
Like Christmas and merry,
Like bacon and eggs,
Like stockings and legs,
Like Black and Decker,
Like wood and pecker,
Like bow and arrow,
Like wheel and barrow,
Like click and clack,
Like train and track,
Like fish and chips,
Like walnuts and whips,
Like Watson and Holmes,
Like barbers and combs,
Like Wooster and Jeeves,
Like autumn and leaves,
Like finish and start
(And, I do apologise),
Like beans and fart.
Like crackers and cheese,
Like thank you and please,
Like skip and rope,
Like water and soap,
Like moon and stars,
Like jams and jars,
Like Morecambe and Wise,
Like pork and pies
Like seek and hide,
Like Bonnie and Clyde,
Like comb and hair,
Like table and chair,
Like Ant and Dec,
Like Fiona and Shrek,
Like peas and pod,
Like hook and rod,
Like bread and butter.
Like mumble and mutter,
Like Minnie and Mickey,
Like glue and sticky,
Like Adam and Eve,
Like ho and heave,
Like Batman and Robin,
Like thread and bobbin,
Like Homer and Marge,
Like canal and barge,
Like Barbie and Ken,
Like cluck and hen,
Like Jack and Jill,
Like Ben and Bill,
Like Hansel and Gretel,
Like flower and petal,
Like Tom and Jerry,
Like Christmas and merry,
Like bacon and eggs,
Like stockings and legs,
Like Black and Decker,
Like wood and pecker,
Like bow and arrow,
Like wheel and barrow,
Like click and clack,
Like train and track,
Like fish and chips,
Like walnuts and whips,
Like Watson and Holmes,
Like barbers and combs,
Like Wooster and Jeeves,
Like autumn and leaves,
Like finish and start
(And, I do apologise),
Like beans and fart.
Wednesday, 11 February 2015
IN THE BRINY, VALENTINY SEA
Even underneath the sea,
Creatures love to play
And indulge in a little wooing
On St Valentine’s Day.
I think I’ve got this right,
As far as I understand,
An octopus’s favourite song
Is “I want to hold your
Hand, hand, hand, hand,
Hand, hand, hand, hand."
Paperback here: http://www.feedaread.com/books/Only-Drools-Corsets.aspx
Only Drools & Corsets
I was trying to think of a snappy title for this little book of love. Last year, I published a Christmas amusement called Only Yules & Verses, a slight take on a famous television series title. So, I went back to the pun trough once again. It’s a quirky collection in need of a quirky title. There aren’t many drools in here nor nether-garments, knickers, nor swear words nor anything blatantly offensive – unless the word fart causes distress. Most of this book tries to be funny. The last several pages are a little more thoughtful. I hope you enjoy the selection and share it with those you love.
ISBN: 9781784073367
Total Pages: 98
Published: 23 January 2014
Price: £4.99
POEMS & PICTURES BY CHRISTINA GABBITAS - EIGHT LINE RHYME COMPETITION
I am absolutely delighted to be involved as one of the judges in this fantastic project.
Christina Gabbitas is doing great and important work and I urge you to have a look and spread the word.
Here's the link to the Poems and Pictures Competition site, but, if you support creative, fun learning, have a look around the rest of the site too - and, maybe buy a book or two!
An Invitation to Capture the Primary School Nation......
And the link to the main Poems & Pictures website - http://www.poemsandpictures.co.uk/
Christina Gabbitas is doing great and important work and I urge you to have a look and spread the word.
Here's the link to the Poems and Pictures Competition site, but, if you support creative, fun learning, have a look around the rest of the site too - and, maybe buy a book or two!
An Invitation to Capture the Primary School Nation......
And the link to the main Poems & Pictures website - http://www.poemsandpictures.co.uk/
Sunday, 8 February 2015
NEW POETRY BOOK - VOICE OF FABLES BY M. R. ALI
I'm happy to mention new poetry books on receipt of a copy or a press release.
I haven't time to read & review but I am happy to share news of publications.
This blog post is distributed across a number of Internet channels including Stumbleupon, Reddit, Digg, Twitter & Facebook.
This is pasted from the Troubador website - www.troubador.co.uk
Introducing Deltaville – the ideal village with special creatures inhabiting mountains and glaciers with their very own languages, 'Animalic' and 'Deltonic'.
Voice of Fables is a beautiful selection of children’s poetry based on a variety of topics, focusing on the voices of the animal kingdom and the voices of the Deltaville.
Each poem uniquely connects each animal with a characteristic, for example the link between memory and elephants, loyalty and dogs, and powers and lions. This new attempt to put together animals that we know, with imaginary characters from the ideal village of virtue, provides a new perspective on children’s poetry. Such a combination gives an extra dimension in creativity.
Enjoy discovering your favourite fable!
Voice of Fables is an excellent schooltime read aimed at children aged 7 and over. It is fun and humorous, with a great variation of bedtime poems for the more relaxed and quieter times. With a wealth of subjects to interest everyone, Voice of Fables will appeal to children and parents alike.
I haven't time to read & review but I am happy to share news of publications.
This blog post is distributed across a number of Internet channels including Stumbleupon, Reddit, Digg, Twitter & Facebook.
This is pasted from the Troubador website - www.troubador.co.uk
Voice of Fables
Voice of Fables is a beautiful selection of children’s poetry based on a variety of topics, focusing on the voices of the animal kingdom and the voices of the Deltaville.
Each poem uniquely connects each animal with a characteristic, for example the link between memory and elephants, loyalty and dogs, and powers and lions. This new attempt to put together animals that we know, with imaginary characters from the ideal village of virtue, provides a new perspective on children’s poetry. Such a combination gives an extra dimension in creativity.
Voice of Fables is an excellent schooltime read aimed at children aged 7 and over. It is fun and humorous, with a great variation of bedtime poems for the more relaxed and quieter times. With a wealth of subjects to interest everyone, Voice of Fables will appeal to children and parents alike.
NEW POETRY BOOK - PATRIOTISM BY PATRICIA BAMURANGIRWA
I'm happy to mention new poetry books on receipt of a copy or a press release.
I haven't time to read & review but I am happy to share news of publications.
This blog post is distributed across a number of Internet channels including Stumbleupon, Reddit, Digg, Twitter & Facebook.
This is pasted from the Troubador website - www.troubador.co.uk
There are sins you can forgive or
Pretend to forgive, but can’t forget
My Africa, full of love
Peace and unity, of immeasurable richness.
Patriotism is a poetry book for readers of all ages, nationalities and walks of life. Touching on subjects including religion, love and hate, it reveals how different emotions can be strong in their own unique ways.
The words in Patricia Bamurangirwa’s poetry will show readers that it is possible to achieve your dreams, encouraging and teaching them to have hope for tomorrow. Inspirational in nature, the poems contain a message: that life doesn’t mind if you are rich or poor, that we are all the same and that sometimes people can be happy or sad in the same ways.
Written in English and also translated into Kinyarwandan, Patriotism will be enjoyed by poetry readers across the world, particularly those who have connections to Rwanda. It will also appeal to fans of the author’s two previous books, Rwanda Yesterday (2013) and My Mother’s Dreams (2014).
I haven't time to read & review but I am happy to share news of publications.
This blog post is distributed across a number of Internet channels including Stumbleupon, Reddit, Digg, Twitter & Facebook.
This is pasted from the Troubador website - www.troubador.co.uk
Patriotism
Pretend to forgive, but can’t forget
My Africa, full of love
Peace and unity, of immeasurable richness.
Patriotism is a poetry book for readers of all ages, nationalities and walks of life. Touching on subjects including religion, love and hate, it reveals how different emotions can be strong in their own unique ways.
The words in Patricia Bamurangirwa’s poetry will show readers that it is possible to achieve your dreams, encouraging and teaching them to have hope for tomorrow. Inspirational in nature, the poems contain a message: that life doesn’t mind if you are rich or poor, that we are all the same and that sometimes people can be happy or sad in the same ways.
Written in English and also translated into Kinyarwandan, Patriotism will be enjoyed by poetry readers across the world, particularly those who have connections to Rwanda. It will also appeal to fans of the author’s two previous books, Rwanda Yesterday (2013) and My Mother’s Dreams (2014).
Friday, 6 February 2015
SOME OF THE PLACES I'VE BEEN
Some of the places I've been.......
Irish Post, 2013 Belfast Book Festival, Belfast Telegraph, Irish News, BBC TV NI “Stephen Boyd: The Man Who Never Was”, BBC Radio Sheffield “Rony Robinson”, BBC Radio Ulster “Saturday Magazine”, BBC Radio 4 “You & Yours”, The Guardian, Tribune, NZ Management, The Grocer, Retail Week, Edge, Open Eye, Yorkshire Post, The Catholic Herald, Cambridge Evening News, The London Paper, Southern Cross, NZ Freelance, Writer’s News, Belfast News Letter, Irelands Own, Fortnight, The Dalhousie Review; Blithe Spirit; The Cannon’s Mouth, Poetry Monthly, Poetic Comment, Bard, Current Accounts, Candelabrum, Decanto, Inclement, Haiku Scotland, Time Haiku, etc.
Features, book reviews, radio reviews, poetry......
joecushnan@aol.com
Tuesday, 3 February 2015
ONLY DROOLS & CORSETS - VALENTINE'S DAY - PAIRS
From Only Drools & Corsets (Funny poems and silly stuff about love, Valentine's, etc)
TO LOOK INSIDE, PLEASE GO TO AMAZON FOR THE KINDLE VERSION......
TO LOOK INSIDE, PLEASE GO TO AMAZON FOR THE KINDLE VERSION......
FOR THE PAPERBACK, GO TO.....
Here's a sample -
PAIRS
We go together
Like crackers and cheese,
Like thank you and please,
Like skip and rope,
Like water and soap,
Like moon and stars,
Like jams and jars,
Like Morecambe and Wise,
Like pork and pies
Like seek and hide,
Like Bonnie and Clyde,
Like comb and hair,
Like table and chair,
Like Ant and Dec,
Like Fiona and Shrek,
Like peas and pod,
Like hook and rod,
Like bread and butter.
Like mumble and mutter,
Like Minnie and Mickey,
Like glue and sticky,
Like Adam and Eve,
Like ho and heave,
Like Batman and Robin,
Like thread and bobbin,
Like Homer and Marge,
Like canal and barge,
Like Barbie and Ken,
Like cluck and hen,
Like Jack and Jill,
Like Ben and Bill,
Like Hansel and Gretel,
Like flower and petal,
Like Tom and Jerry,
Like Christmas and merry,
Like bacon and eggs,
Like stockings and legs,
Like Black and Decker,
Like wood and pecker,
Like bow and arrow,
Like wheel and barrow,
Like click and clack,
Like train and track,
Like fish and chips,
Like walnuts and whips,
Like Watson and Holmes,
Like barbers and combs,
Like Wooster and Jeeves,
Like autumn and leaves,
Like finish and start
(And, I do apologise),
Like beans and fart,
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