Month: June 2023

#TheWildness. Day 3. Imagine you could transform into any animal for a day. Which animal would you choose and why? Please join Jane Dougherty and me in celebrating wildness all this month. I tried to get permission from the Wildlife Trust to use their #3ODaysWild as prompts but it was not forthcoming, so here are my own prompts with a little help from chatgbt. I will feature your draft published/unpublished poetry/short prose/artworks using the following prompts. Please include a short third person bio. Numbers refer to dates in June: Day 1. Describe the sounds you hear when you step outside your home. How does nature contribute to this musical work? 2. Write a letter to a tree or plant that you encounter on your daily walk. What would you say to it? 3. Imagine you could transform into any animal for a day. Which animal would you choose and why? 4. Write a short story about a magical encounter with a wild animal in your backyard. 5. Describe a peaceful moment spent observing a body of water. What emotions does it evoke in you? 6. Write a poem inspired by the vibrant colours and patterns of a butterfly’s wings. 7. Imagine you are a wildlife photographer. Describe the most breathtaking picture you have taken during your challenge. 8. Write about a favourite childhood memory spent in nature. How did it shape your connection with the natural world? 9. Create a dialogue between two different species of birds perched on a branch. What would they talk about? 10. Describe the texture and scent of wildflowers you encounter on your nature walks. How do they make you feel? 11. Write a persuasive essay on the importance of conserving and protecting local wildlife habitats. 12. Imagine you are a nature guide. Describe a walk you would take visitors on to showcase the beauty and diversity of your local environment. 13. Write a poem about the changing seasons and how they affect the behaviour of wildlife. 14. Imagine you are a detective investigating the disappearance of a rare animal. Describe your search for clues in the natural world. 15. Write a poem/flash fiction about a mischievous squirrel that causes chaos in your garden. 16. Describe a special moment when you felt truly connected to nature. What did it teach you about yourself and the world around you? 17. Write a letter to future generations, urging them to protect and cherish the natural world. 18. Create a detailed observation log of a specific species of bird that you have been monitoring throughout the challenge. 19. Write a poem inspired by the soothing sounds of a flowing stream or river. 20. Imagine you are a nature-inspired artist. Describe the masterpiece you would create using materials found in the great outdoors. 21. Write a short story about a group of friends who embark on an unforgettable camping trip in the wilderness. 22. Describe the most fascinating insect you have encountered during your challenge. What makes it unique? 23. Write a diary entry from the perspective of a tree, chronicling its experiences and the changes it witnesses over the course of a year. 24. Imagine you could communicate with one animal species. Which species would you choose and what would you ask them? 25. Describe a magical sunrise or sunset you have witnessed during your journey. How did it make you feel? 26. Write a letter to a future self, reflecting on the impact of the challenge on your relationship with nature. 27. Imagine you are a character in a wildlife-themed adventure novel. Describe the perilous situation you find yourself in and how you escape. 28. Write a poem celebrating the diversity and resilience of nature, even in the face of human challenges. 29. Describe the feeling of walking barefoot on cool, damp grass. How does it connect you to the Earth? 30. Write a short story about a hidden, enchanted forest where magical creatures dwell. What adventures await those who discover it? Feel free to adapt these prompts to suit your writing style or preferences.

/ The Wombwell Rainbow / 2 Comments

photo by paul brookes

Fox speaks

Fox-life is full, no moments empty, all eyes, ears, nose.
To be a man, one whole up and down of the sun?
So many moments of idleness. How to?

Man-earth is tree-tall, sun-bright, where all eyes peer.
Fox would dig deep below to curl in safe darkness
while the light shows too much.

Fox would sleep curled, while the curious sun
ferrets and wriggles through cracks.

Man-earth has a homeland, fenced
strong enough to keep out other men.
Earth entrances are barred, strong, tight.
Men know their enemies.
Fox would like such a fence too, such strong doors.

Night time, men sleep,
fox walks in the cool shadow-light.
All eyes, nose, ears,
they make the wide world sing and howl,
run fast as wind through the trees,
taste blood and fur, chase feathers.

Fox could not never give up such fierce life
for man’s sad idleness.

Jane Dougherty

Bios and Links

A few poems from Lawrence Miles inspired by various music

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davidlonan1's avatarFevers of the Mind

Bio:  Lawrence Miles is a poet living in White Plains, NY.  He has
recently been published in Post Grad Journal, The Wise Owl, and
Syncopation Literary Journal.

Two Door Sedaninspired by "Close My Eyes Forever" by Lita & Ozzy Not sure when I decided Going through the car wash in the car Was no longer a thing to do. So I walk to the other end of the car wash To stand with the others Waiting for their cars to come out Someone has lit a cigarette And a nearby radio plays “Close My Eyes Forever” by Lita and Ozzy Suddenly I am thirty years younger Even though the clothes I wear haven’t changed And I hold the same key to my current ride But I wonder if my old Chevy Citation With Crue in the tape deck blaring out of broken speakers Will come out of the car…

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Poetry Showcase: Jacquelyn Shah (inspired by poets, artists, music)

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davidlonan1's avatarFevers of the Mind

BIO: Jacquelyn Shah holds: A.B. (Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude), Rutgers U; M.A. English, Drew U; M.F.A. and Ph.D. English literature/creative writing–poetry, U of Houston. Her publications include a chapbook, small fry; a full-length book, What to Do with Red; and poems in various journals. She was Literal Latté’s 2018 Food Verse Contest winner and is a 2023 non-fiction book contest winner, memoir publication forthcoming. Iconoclast, she loves surrealism and all quirky poems!

Gordian KnotEnriched by words, phrases,  
   tangled, from a few 
   Bill Knott poems Concealed from the eye, out of most of one dozen autumn drops, a liquid moment adequately echoes the picturesque golden flights into my(s)elf when I am blown from consummate capsules. This extravagance of savage yearly tearfalls attempts to assert the wisdom of a sparsely inhabited archipelago–– in the opus of my wandering (s)elf. Ritual aggrandizements must adhere on the ledge, dottily…

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3 Poems from Glen Armstrong inspired by Jarmusch’s “Mystery Train”/ Tom Waits & Nick Cave

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davidlonan1's avatarFevers of the Mind

Bio: Glen Armstrong (he/him) holds an MFA in English from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and edits a poetry journal called Cruel Garters. His latest book is Night School: Selected Early Poems

Radio Station

Night falls on the radio station,
but its tower stands defiant, neon
call letters stacked, and topped with a crazy 
orange-red planet. I listen while eating
 
blackberry jam and butter on toast – 
a light, late supper – a chunk of salami 
and a beer. Sometimes, the energy
it takes to cling to this rotating
 
hunk of dirt amazes me. Gravity 
isn’t enough. Otis Redding, sometimes, is.
I listen imagining who else might
be out there hearing that same voice, that same
 
broadcast: lovers who will part forever
soon, young fools looking forward to their chance.

Requiem for King Oliver I disassemble each day’s events and put the pieces away as a sniper cases his…

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June 2 Wildness challenge

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Jane Dougherty's avatarThe Four Swans

In response to Paul Brookes’ June prompts.

Dear trees, listen.

How could I choose a single tree,
of all the trees I know and love so well?

I cannot read the bark-runes, have no skill
to scratch in bird-steps the words a tree could read.

Poplars ivy-bound about,
willows hollowed and bowed, sentinel oaks,
the wild white-bloomed plum and apple,
walnut, spindle and blackthorns,
I hear you all when the wind blows,
listen to your counterpoint when the birds sing,
walk gently where saplings shoot,
and stand beneath green canopies that hold up the sky.
Do you even know I am here?

Perhaps a flag would do, a banner,
long as the horizontal clouds,
brush-painted in carmine and flame,
carried by geese and cormorants,
river-bound, ocean-bound.

Perhaps the wind would whisper
what you couldn’t read.

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#TheWildness. Day 2. Write a letter to a tree or plant that you encounter on your daily walk. What would you say to it? Please join Jane Dougherty and me in celebrating wildness all this month. I tried to get permission from the Wildlife Trust to use their #3ODaysWild as prompts but it was not forthcoming, so here are my own prompts with a little help from chatgbt. I will feature your draft published/unpublished poetry/short prose/artworks using the following prompts. Please include a short third person bio. Numbers refer to dates in June: Day 1. Describe the sounds you hear when you step outside your home. How does nature contribute to this musical work? 2. Write a letter to a tree or plant that you encounter on your daily walk. What would you say to it? 3. Imagine you could transform into any animal for a day. Which animal would you choose and why? 4. Write a short story about a magical encounter with a wild animal in your backyard. 5. Describe a peaceful moment spent observing a body of water. What emotions does it evoke in you? 6. Write a poem inspired by the vibrant colours and patterns of a butterfly’s wings. 7. Imagine you are a wildlife photographer. Describe the most breathtaking picture you have taken during your challenge. 8. Write about a favourite childhood memory spent in nature. How did it shape your connection with the natural world? 9. Create a dialogue between two different species of birds perched on a branch. What would they talk about? 10. Describe the texture and scent of wildflowers you encounter on your nature walks. How do they make you feel? 11. Write a persuasive essay on the importance of conserving and protecting local wildlife habitats. 12. Imagine you are a nature guide. Describe a walk you would take visitors on to showcase the beauty and diversity of your local environment. 13. Write a poem about the changing seasons and how they affect the behaviour of wildlife. 14. Imagine you are a detective investigating the disappearance of a rare animal. Describe your search for clues in the natural world. 15. Write a poem/flash fiction about a mischievous squirrel that causes chaos in your garden. 16. Describe a special moment when you felt truly connected to nature. What did it teach you about yourself and the world around you? 17. Write a letter to future generations, urging them to protect and cherish the natural world. 18. Create a detailed observation log of a specific species of bird that you have been monitoring throughout the challenge. 19. Write a poem inspired by the soothing sounds of a flowing stream or river. 20. Imagine you are a nature-inspired artist. Describe the masterpiece you would create using materials found in the great outdoors. 21. Write a short story about a group of friends who embark on an unforgettable camping trip in the wilderness. 22. Describe the most fascinating insect you have encountered during your challenge. What makes it unique? 23. Write a diary entry from the perspective of a tree, chronicling its experiences and the changes it witnesses over the course of a year. 24. Imagine you could communicate with one animal species. Which species would you choose and what would you ask them? 25. Describe a magical sunrise or sunset you have witnessed during your journey. How did it make you feel? 26. Write a letter to a future self, reflecting on the impact of the challenge on your relationship with nature. 27. Imagine you are a character in a wildlife-themed adventure novel. Describe the perilous situation you find yourself in and how you escape. 28. Write a poem celebrating the diversity and resilience of nature, even in the face of human challenges. 29. Describe the feeling of walking barefoot on cool, damp grass. How does it connect you to the Earth? 30. Write a short story about a hidden, enchanted forest where magical creatures dwell. What adventures await those who discover it? Feel free to adapt these prompts to suit your writing style or preferences.

/ The Wombwell Rainbow / 1 Comment

Dear trees, listen.

How could I choose a single tree,
of all the trees I know and love so well?

I cannot read the bark-runes, have no skill
to scratch in bird-steps the words a tree could read.

Poplars ivy-bound about,
willows hollowed and bowed, sentinel oaks,
the wild white-bloomed plum and apple,
walnut, spindle and blackthorns,
I hear you all when the wind blows,
listen to your counterpoint when the birds sing,
walk gently where saplings shoot,
and stand beneath green canopies that hold up the sky.
Do you even know I am here?

Perhaps a flag would do, a banner,
long as the horizontal clouds,
brush-painted in carmine and flame,
carried by geese and cormorants,
river-bound, ocean-bound.

Perhaps the wind would whisper
what you couldn’t read.

Jane Dougherty

Bio and Links

Jane Dougherty

lives and works in southwest France. A Pushcart Prize nominee, her poems and stories have been published in magazines and journals including Ogham Stone, the Ekphrastic Review, Black Bough Poetry, ink sweat and tears, Gleam, Nightingale & Sparrow, Green Ink and Brilliant Flash Fiction. She blogs at https://janedougherty.wordpress.com/ Her poetry chapbooks, thicker than water and birds and other feathers were published in October and November 2020.

Book Reviews from Spriha Kant: “Swill and Daffodils” by K.P. DeLaney

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davidlonan1's avatarFevers of the Mind

Review of K.P. DeLaney’s book “Swill and Daffodils” by “Spriha Kant”  

The poet has dedicated this book to his poet family: Darryl Lovie, Sharon Toman, Magnolia, Tres K, and J.D. Greyson, which has proved to be worthwhile as it is a collection of a plethora of deeply heartfelt poetries.

Some poetries of the poet remind a few poetries by the poets Abel Johnson Thundil, Verde Mar, and Ratan Chouhan as well as the poetess Shiksha Dheda, as shown in the next four stanzas below:

Whatever message “Abel Johnson Thundil” conveyed indirectly through the poetry “Torture” in his book “Wilted: Poems of Modern Tragedy,” has been said directly in the last seven lines of the poetry “Monumental” by K.P. DeLaney.

The poet’s poetries “War” and War (Part two) are the burning furnaces as the chilling emotions in these poetries are enough to melt the hearts of the readers, this trait…

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#TheWildness. Day 1. Describe the sounds you hear when you step outside your home. How does nature contribute to this musical work?Please join me in celebrating wildness all this month. I tried to get permission from the Wildlife Trust to use their #3ODaysWild as prompts but it was not forthcoming, so here are my own prompts with a little help from chatgbt. I will feature your draft published/unpublished poetry/short prose/artworks using the following prompts. Please include a short third person bio. Numbers refer to dates in June: Day 1. Describe the sounds you hear when you step outside your home. How does nature contribute to this musical work? 2. Write a letter to a tree or plant that you encounter on your daily walk. What would you say to it? 3. Imagine you could transform into any animal for a day. Which animal would you choose and why? 4. Write a short story about a magical encounter with a wild animal in your backyard. 5. Describe a peaceful moment spent observing a body of water. What emotions does it evoke in you? 6. Write a poem inspired by the vibrant colours and patterns of a butterfly’s wings. 7. Imagine you are a wildlife photographer. Describe the most breathtaking picture you have taken during your challenge. 8. Write about a favourite childhood memory spent in nature. How did it shape your connection with the natural world? 9. Create a dialogue between two different species of birds perched on a branch. What would they talk about? 10. Describe the texture and scent of wildflowers you encounter on your nature walks. How do they make you feel? 11. Write a persuasive essay on the importance of conserving and protecting local wildlife habitats. 12. Imagine you are a nature guide. Describe a walk you would take visitors on to showcase the beauty and diversity of your local environment. 13. Write a poem about the changing seasons and how they affect the behaviour of wildlife. 14. Imagine you are a detective investigating the disappearance of a rare animal. Describe your search for clues in the natural world. 15. Write a poem/flash fiction about a mischievous squirrel that causes chaos in your garden. 16. Describe a special moment when you felt truly connected to nature. What did it teach you about yourself and the world around you? 17. Write a letter to future generations, urging them to protect and cherish the natural world. 18. Create a detailed observation log of a specific species of bird that you have been monitoring throughout the challenge. 19. Write a poem inspired by the soothing sounds of a flowing stream or river. 20. Imagine you are a nature-inspired artist. Describe the masterpiece you would create using materials found in the great outdoors. 21. Write a short story about a group of friends who embark on an unforgettable camping trip in the wilderness. 22. Describe the most fascinating insect you have encountered during your challenge. What makes it unique? 23. Write a diary entry from the perspective of a tree, chronicling its experiences and the changes it witnesses over the course of a year. 24. Imagine you could communicate with one animal species. Which species would you choose and what would you ask them? 25. Describe a magical sunrise or sunset you have witnessed during your journey. How did it make you feel? 26. Write a letter to a future self, reflecting on the impact of the challenge on your relationship with nature. 27. Imagine you are a character in a wildlife-themed adventure novel. Describe the perilous situation you find yourself in and how you escape. 28. Write a poem celebrating the diversity and resilience of nature, even in the face of human challenges. 29. Describe the feeling of walking barefoot on cool, damp grass. How does it connect you to the Earth? 30. Write a short story about a hidden, enchanted forest where magical creatures dwell. What adventures await those who discover it? Feel free to adapt these prompts to suit your writing style or preferences.

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The sound of outside

Open night window

emerges into day,

thrush, blackbird, oriole,

redstart, wood pigeon,

and woodpecker

pick up the air of the tiring nightingales, sleeping crickets, swelling into a tirade against the distant rumble of early morning traffic, declaring victory at 9.30am.

 

 

 

Bio and Links

Jane Dougherty

lives and works in southwest France. A Pushcart Prize nominee, her poems and stories have been published in magazines and journals including Ogham Stone, the Ekphrastic Review, Black Bough Poetry, ink sweat and tears, Gleam, Nightingale & Sparrow, Green Ink and Brilliant Flash Fiction. She blogs at https://janedougherty.wordpress.com/ Her poetry chapbooks, thicker than water and birds and other feathers were published in October and November 2020.