Poetry Report 16/07/17.

The day started off well with the sun shining and hundreds of multi coloured runners in tutu’s going past the library on their way home from ‘The Colour Run’ at The Broadwater Parklands, girls, boys, Mums, Dad and little kids, all in tutu’s and mostly blue or pink dye all over their entire bodies, one my daughters was in the charity event as well. It is an Australia wide charity event run by the Pyjama Foundation that supports children in foster care to develop life skills and confidence. The library is getting busier as it gets warmer and there was about 50 people waiting to get in at 11:30!! The coffee and snacks in the foyer were delicious and most of us enjoyed a yummy muffin or pie before the reciting commenced. The optional monthly theme of “Argument” and the optional first line “The coward punch can….”. Were both well represented in the poetry and many people also recited a poem on their own chosen theme. Apologies received for their absence from The Banjo Roger Marta Liseby and Kathy.

Bob started the day off with his words of wisdom of what he has leant about how to control your wife, zip!! He has conceded that she who must be obeyed is never wrong and if so she is till right!!! The elitists opposite gender are experts in emotional manipulation and the withdrawal of marital obligations is enacted should any man be stupid enough to attempt a coup. His second poem was on the coward punch theme and he remembers the good old days when two school boys or two men faced each other and sorted it out and shook hands and got on with life and accepted responsibilities for their actions, suggesting the death penalty for such murderous acts. He closed the day with some smart ass derogatory not funny poem about the NSW Blues blah blah blah I think he said.

Graham recited a funny poem he wrote about a 82 yo widow that lost her husband due to Mr Whippy stopping and playing Greensleaves over and over outside their house and it was the song that got him frisky!!!! Graham did a great performance reciting the great poem The Riding of The Rebel, written by William Ogilvy. Grahams third poem was equally as good and well performed, titled Limestone Creek.

John recited his poem about a fruit party with refreshing OJ Lime Juice Soda water alcohol and lots of sugar and it all ended in a bowl and he called it a coward punch!!! His second poem started out funny and then I got a sms from a poet that couldn’t attended and I missed the rest, all I got was him wearing a tin foil hat sneakers and a brunch coat, sorry mate.

Ted reminded us he is a lawyer and as a lawyer he is expected to argue a point for the beneficence of his client, so his poem was on the argument theme. He spoke of the issue with global warming and pointed out that the scientists that state it is a fact also require government funding to survive and that leads to the possibility of bias and it leaves the general public with wondering is it true or is it not, the for and against argument needs to be balanced!! He then recited his poem praising our group and all the poets in it, thanks mate. His third poem was inspired by the Mary Celeste, and The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere which was written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in 1797!!

Lyn was in an argumentative mood when she penned her poem about the continual domestic struggle for control of the remote control and how it leads to conversations about lazy prawns on the lounge, a full ironing box, driving styles and verbal diarrhoea

But ending with the promise of love and never going to sleep on a terse word. Lyn reminded us that two families are shattered when one person dies as the result of a coward punch and it is such a senseless waste of often a young innocent life, sad all round and a terrible part of modern society.

Judi returned to the fold after a two month absence due to a accident and time in hospital, she is nearly fully mended and was keen to come back and share some time with all he poetry mates and she received a round of applause before her welcome back recital began, her fist poem was about the value of friendship and how friends are the family that we get to choose ourselves and they are very much loved and needed. Her second poem was titled the Power of a Smile, a lovely poem about sharing a smile around the world and all the good that a simple act can bring to a stranger.

Joyce and Mac also returned after a two month absence and have now relocated to a new place to live and have completed the whole moving out and in process, at 90 or so that’s a pretty good effort, well done you two XX. Nice to see your smiling faces. Joyce’s first poem was on the coward punch theme she called anyone that does such a low act a lilly livered sook and that our communities do not need those sort of people in them and they should be permanently removed. Her second poem was about little Jimmy at school and a quiz with him Mary Lyn and Johnny, breakfast spelling bee, E.g.g t.o.a.s.t and bugga all!! It ended with Johnny stating the Pakistani border was upstairs in bed with Mum and that’s why he got bugga all for breakfast!! Her third poem was a tragedy poem about a man whose wife died when his horse kicked her after she had been nagging him all night and day and even in the field, at the funeral there was a ‘Joyce twist’ and the other framers all wanted buy the horse!!

Mac made his way to the mic and recited a poem made up of all the optional themes and first lines from our flyers, well done and was good poem, nice work Mac. His second poem was about his 68 years as a member of the RSL and his journey through 17 branches right across Qld and how he is very proud of that fact and equally as proud to be a member of poetry in paradise. Thanks mate and we all love you both.

Trish recited only one poem but it was a great poem and was all about the potential, beauty, innocence, hope, love and joy that can be seen in the face of a brand new little baby and how we all hope so much for the future of the child.

Manya shared her poem on the argument theme and made us laugh with her line about the embarrassing time that Grandma farted and a conversation was started and humour began and she wished the whole world could stop fighting and just have arguments and share more laughs instead of bombs and hatred. Her second poem was on the coward punch theme and she was equally disgusted with it as was Lyn and Joyce and she also highlighted that two families are shattered by the unnecessary violence. Manya’s third poem was about the loss of her Son ten years ago on the 17/07/2007 and it was now the 17/07/2017, a difficult time for her and all the memoires come back and she is also reminded of the passing of her other son 3 years ago.

Tom recited a poem inspired by a memory from when he was a young lad and his Mum worked at the Blackpool Luminations Festival in UK. His Mums boss was the centre of the poem and a stout lady named Mumma Ruth, she had a violent husband and back then it was a taboo subject and was never mentioned, on the evening before she left to attend the festival her callous husband died in his chair, she made the triumphant decision to leave the inconsiderate bastard there, went to bed and when she left the next day she said “don’t wait up for me”. His second poem was very emotional and so well crafted, titled “Little Children can be such Ratbags” a poem about his annoying little brother that used to drive him nuts and that he once got lost at the Autumn Fair and ruined everyone else’s day but he selfishly enjoyed himself while they all searched for him, then he served in Vietnam and when he came back the Ratbag rambunctious boy didn’t return and was replaced by a stranger, he would give anything to have that annoying little Ratbag back. His third poem mentioned when the rain tumbles down in July, his fourth poem mentioned sleeping in the river Clarion with Mary Oliver his final poem was about a prim and proper upper class English gentleman holidaying in Venice with his browbeaten wife when he suddenly could not locate her and was quite ‘put out’, then he saw her, arm in arm fading into the distance on a romantic interlude with a local gondolier. Stiff upper lip intact.

Thank you everyone for your attendance and for keeping our poetry group going and continuing to support our creative positive environment where we can share our words thoughts and hearts. See you next month and have a look at the website my daughter Aika built and I’m slowly adding to it. If you would like a poem on there let me know and I’ll post it when I get a brake in life’s chaos.

Your supposed to learn something new everyday and here’s today lesson.

Blackpool Illuminations is an annual lights festival, founded in 1879 and first switched on 19 September that year, held each autumn in the British seaside resort of Blackpool on the Fylde Coast in Lancashire. Also known locally as The Lights or The Illuminations, they run each year for sixty-six days,[1][2] from late August until early November at a time when most other English seaside resorts' seasons are coming to an end. Dubbed as "the greatest free light show on earth",[3] they are 6 miles (10 km) long and use over one million bulbs. The display stretches along the Promenadefrom Starr Gate at the south end of the town to Bispham in the north.In 2013 the Illuminations were meant to shine from 30 August to 3 November.[4] However, on 14 March 2013 it was announced that they had been extended by a week, shining until 10 November making it the first time ever the Illuminations will shine for 73 days.[5]This continued in 2014 when the Illuminations shone from 29 August to 9 November. The Illuminations have returned to shining for the regular 66 days since 2015.

In 2017 the Illuminations will shine for 66 days from 1 September to 5 November.