Welcome to my blog, where I take pleasure in words and pictures, be they my own or those of others. I'm a creative individual, and the crafty side I explore on my 'other blog', Picking Up The Threads, which I hope you'll visit too. I'm sure you understand that I have sole copyright of my original work and any of my contributions, so please ask if you want to use them. A polite request is rarely refused. So, as they used to say on the BBC's 'Listen With Mother' radio programme, many years ago: "Are you sitting comfortably? Then we'll begin."

Sunday 24 May 2015

Despair


The peeling paint, and rusty hook, 
The battered book,
The old straw hat,
The threadbare mat,
The furled umbrella, grey and torn,
The coat quite worn,
The shirt with holes,
The shabby soles,
The tattered bag and empty purse
The life, a curse,
Enough to make
The spirit break.
© Marilyn Brindley

Joining in with The Mag for the first time in ages, and returning also to a favourite verse form, ‘The Minute’ - sixty syllables exactly (8,4,4,4 x 3),  and also written in iambic rhythm and rhyming couplets, making it an interesting challenge. Thanks to Sandy Brownjohn’s ‘The Poet’s Craft’ once more for guiding me in the techniques, and to Tess Kincaid for the picture prompt as inspiration (1907, John Frederick Peto).

See also A Towering Talent and Trapped for other examples of my poems using The Minute.




10 comments:

  1. The strength in making lists.. even if it's a short list it says a lot.

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  2. a very sad dance within words

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  3. Great reflection of the painting

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  4. Good poem. My response to the picture is "charity shop? No, dustbin." Far less poetic.... :)

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  5. A beautiful way with words, but with such a sad air to it.

    Susan at: Family History Fun

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  6. Is that all there is? I feel a sad song coming on!

    Visit Keith's Ramblings!

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  7. Threadbare mat and shabby soles, your words speak volumes of feelings, excellent piece Marilyn. I saw you posted earlier, but I have to write my own magpie first, and I sense many directions for us all this week, I just love when that happens.

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  8. that sounds !

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