Salutary advice

      When in the summer of you life, enjoy
       Live for the day and have a ball.
       The years will fly, too soon you're old
       And winter pains will take their toll.  


       Store memories to make you smile
       So you can live them all again,
       Recalling friends who've meant a lot
       But now are gone, while you remain.


                          Anne Grierson

Summer

We are going back to Blighty, to sample the summer air,
A trip across the Peninsula, the first step to getting there.
Can't take the heat any more, prefer it a little colder,
We loved the sun and all that fun, but not now, a little older.

The journey starts in humid heat, we go, no trepidation,
When we get home, we settle in to warmth with precipitation.
But we are hardy folks, brought up in tougher times,
When you come from "way oop North", you are used to harder climes.

We summer in the premier resort, Blackpool to be precise,
Most think of it as a dump, we think it's rather nice,
So if you make it back to see what makes us Northerners tick,
Give us a call and pop right in, we'll give you a little stick,
( of rock that is)

The stars appear each summer, the folks to entertain,
Who come from every corner, by bus and car and train,
So please don't worry if I'm stuck in rain and wind or fog,
I'll keep you all well informed, but you must peruse THE BLOG.

Tommy Frattaroli

A Northern Summer

Dreich days
allow no fun,
No heat haze,
No summer sun.

A wind, chill
from northerly breezes,
May make you ill
with coughs and sneezes.

A mountain mist
that can get you lost,
Whilst hills are kissed
with a touch of frost.

Black waves reach
for the nearest land,
And turn the beach
to damp, brown sand.

And shorter days
bring no cheer,
When everyone says,
"Winter's here!"

Ian C

Blogspot Day

At yesterday's meeting, members were encouraged to write on the subject of "Summer" and for the work to be published on this media. There was a limitation of 100 words or 5 verses of poetry. Needless to say they came up trumps with a variety of poems and prose, some funny, some serious, some colourful, some remembering their childhood days. Hopefully the authors will have been encouraged enough to publish them and showcase their efforts.

Ian C 

Poetry Writers of Stanza Mar Menor

Poetry Writers of Stanza Mar Menor met up once again before the heat of summer gets too much and before David has disappeared again to Murmansk, Douglas back to Scotland and Margaret seeking a cooler place in Sheffield.  I will be here until October.

Margaret challenged herself with a 'Love Poem' and we think that it is a 'Poem of Love'. The challenge was to create your own list of non-loving words and use them.  The first stanza contained the disaster element with the opening lines The day began like a farce/a comedy of events and then picking out two lines in the second longer Stanza 'You cooled and soothed me/with your hands and voice.

Douglas with his mind firmly set in Scotland gave us one 'On the Eve of the Vote' which produced an amended longer version written two days after the Independence result was known.  Amendments pending and so no comments.  He followed this with 'SignifaTory' and maybe we will see some small changes.  It is good to get political!

David asked us to comment upon his latest Tonka story which we did.  This is a subject that has enthused him ever since his first visit to Russia.  He now introduced 'Sex and Squabbles' based on his observations of House Sparrows and other birds he has seen around his house.  Then 'Barents Beauty' relating his own observations of that part of Russia.  Both so descriptive.

With Future Learn he is involving himself in lyrics and enjoying it.  His knowledge of rhythm and metre will be honed even further.

We may be only a small group, but there is a mix of work being produced.  I am involving myself in story writing which has been inspired by the themes of the Torrevieja Writers Circle. However, a poem is never that far away.

Our next gathering will be in late summer at the earliest although we will be in contact with new work through emails.

Another Wednesday Morning

After much discussion we consider that our blog is important for our writing group and it's continued regular use is an item to stay with us.  This subject was thrashed about for a good 15 minutes, and out of it, thanks to one members perseverance the following was agreed upon.

NEXT WEEK, the matter to be written upon, will be 'SUMMER'.  All are commanded to write something during the week for it to be examined, in full, next Wednesday morning.  That should not be too demanding as we are looking for a mere 100 words.

After considerable perusal it is intended that these efforts can be posted on the blog.

I am of the opinion that those daring to write and read their work should be the only ones to be allowed to comment upon another's work.  Being negative for a split second I feel that this subject does not excite me (at the moment), but since I will feel compelled to comment I will have to write!

No old stuff, please, although you can re-work something from the past.

Betty is excused this theme as she wants to write ' about her visitor from hell'.  It better had be fun and she can now relax and tell us all about her, now that the bitch has gone home.

Discussions on readings were many, they were varied and dealt with the words before them.  One discussion took the form of whether work should be 'polished' or recent and raw.  Although one can look ahead for themes to allow more time there is the other view that writing for every theme only gives the writer a few days.  Several members said that they wrote on impulse and hence their work was new.  So, your choice, take the gamble or edit it to death.

From a group of 18 attendees, 13 read some of their own work which created different ideas on the theme of 'Wedding Party'. Some were serious, some were funny and invoked laughter with some being poetic.  I have notes on all of them, but I have chosen to select two for different reasons.

Tommy gave us 'Rosie'.  This story has been in his head for 20 years and ought to have been written long before.  It was powerful.  It was compelling and written with a female voice.  Images were very well created with comments that resounded with us.  Like, when referring to two participants, as 'Bitch and a Fraud' and ended with with the recall of a dream.   Details of this story can be told later.

Andrea recently has joined us, challenged our senses, with a full account of a church wedding, but with a twist.  Beautifully crafted and read.  I won't say anymore as you could read it elsewhere.

Okay and finally this is group of writers and the challenge for next week is to write a hundred words on SUMMER - so get at it!

I have made this one shorter and I will not write up the next one.  Anyone prepared to do it?

COMMENTS please.

John Edwards 17th June.

Beyond Belief

You've always played with my mind,

Forever causing so much grief,

Always cruel, never kind,

You're so totally beyond belief.

Every day you stole part of my life,

So villainous, just like a thief,

While I tried to be a loving wife,

Why? It's just beyond belief.

A loving wife and doting mother,

Until you tried to cause mischief,

Accusing me of being with another,

Your imagination is beyond belief.

Everything that you say,

Has me trembling like a leaf,

How I ever got this way,

Is to me beyond belief.

From the games you've played,

There has never been relief,

I'll never know why I stayed,

It is so far beyond belief.

But I'm leaving now, without excuse,

And I'll hire myself a brief,

And he'll hear of taunts and abuse,

That I hope he'll think is beyond belief.

Ian C