Gave the sawdust a shake, look what fell out. C. J. Black.

I was prompted to step outside my comfort zone by a fellow blogger ( HarsH ReaLiTy) and write on a subject other than continuously writing poetry, so this is my humble offering in relation to his suggestion.

To kick off I want to say how humbled I am at the response to my “scribbling”

I was coaxed into joining up with WordPresss and going “viral” thinking prior to doing so that if I went “viral” some bits of me might fall off and at my stage in life it was something I wished to give a miss.

O.K. so I’m digressing, back to basics – going viral –

I have been scribbling now for the past 20 years or so just for the fun of it.

Filling copy books and filing them under the bed.

Early in the 1990’s I spotted an advert in a daily newspaper; they were looking for “new work” “poetry” for an anthology they were publishing later that year.

So I thought why not give a bash, I was on my way to work, it was late September when I got the idea to write this poem (I will post it with this piece) and sent it off thinking no more about it.

Some weeks later I was informed that my poem had been accepted for publication – you could have knocked me down with a feather –

I had a further 16 poems published over the years – in publications for this group –

They would have different themes for each publication – they requested that you submit a poem fitting for the theme.

In the end I stopped sending poems, as to receive your poem you had to buy a copy of the anthology –

As I am the sort of person who likes to graze until I find a book I want to purchase,

Spending money blindly on a book eventually did not make sense to me as all I was doing was spending money to buy back my poem – so I continued writing and filing them under the bed.

Then I got set up as a “blogger”  to say that my gast was flabbered at the response is to tell you the honest truth and getting mentioned by writers so much more prolific than I, who write so eloquently at all times on a range of different subjects is again to repeat myself, humbling.

Since starting to publish last October 2012 I’ve gone from zero to my best day on 22^nd February, 29 views and 654 in total at time of going to print with this piece.

So a sincere word of thanks to all who have taken the time to drop by and sample my “scribbling”, I hope you continue to stop by and hopefully be entertained.

Those from as far away as, Australia, Canada, USA, New Zealand, Singapore, U.K. Ireland, Japan to mention but a few –

People such as Kevin Connelly, Fugitive Fragments (Mike), Fransi Weinstein Et Al, Sow, Sew, So, Mind Of A Mouse, Written Words Never Die, (Eric Alagan) this is just a sample of those good enough to take the time to follow and comment, if you care to drop by and check out my offerings and comment be my guest. I urge you also to check in on those who are gratious enough to follow my offerings.

I have been inspired by you all, as well as educated in the art of writing – it is, as I am wont to say – a bad day that you don’t learn something new, thank you for your time, until the next time may the force be with you.

 Shedding

See the trees with skeletal frame

Looking limp and rather frail

Not looking forward to autumn calling

When colours fade and their leaves start falling.

See them standing quite exposed

Naked and without any clothes

Dreading the time of snow and frost

A time when all dignity is lost

Wintertime can be a real worry

Hurrah, for springtime and February.

When trees again begin to flourish

                                                                                                 Nature trees begin to nourish,

During summer months they’re in full bloom

For them autumn will come around too soon.

C.J. Black

First published 1997 by Poetry Today

ISBN 1862260710

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Writer’s cramp! C. J. Black

Have you ever tried to write, a poem against your will?

I can’t remember if I ever did, but tonight I think I will

Some people it must be said can write at the drop of a hat

On a specific subject or perhaps on this or that

There are those who are prolific in the art of writing prose

While others, when given time can rattle off a poem in rhyme

While a journalistic piece is an art form which should never cease

Those who write flash fiction will tell you it’s an addiction

Those who write biographies will I believe never be short of juicy stories

Journalists who report and write on war unfortunately never have to travel far

Then you have the composer keen on writing a musical piece

Harking back to the year of dot this practice will never cease

I’ve tried on a number of occasions an attempt to write a song

The truth I tell is that inevitably it always turns out wrong

The art of writing I would hope no one should to destroy

Nor should the art of keyboard fingering be allowed to die

I once knew a stenographer who enjoyed each day in court

But I must admit I never have met a male or female escort

So now you see any one can write anything you wish

Pick a subject make some notes – end up with a tasty dish

Now I’ve finished what I started out to do – wrote a poem against my will

Time to head for a darkened room after swallowing my chill pill!

C. J. Black

23^rd February 2013.

 

 

Hows about that then?

I checked the thermometer it read -2 degrees

Atishoo – excuse me, here comes another sneeze

Go and write a limerick

One that’s bound to stick

One that will have the reader buckling at the knees!

Well there is no doubt about it but you failed miserably at this task

I’m really surprised at you, was it not an easy task?

At least I thought it was but at the first fence you fell

What a disaster it would have been if I’d requested a villanelle

To shun a request to write is really not at all like you

Perhaps the next three lines you write could per chance be a Haiku

Write a limerick me?

Sometimes it’s quite difficult

Haikus are more fun.

The initial challenge was to write a limerick –

 One with a bit of a kick

So I’ll give it a try

This is do or die

If it’s rubbish I deserve to get stick.

In case you are not already aware –

I’m a sucker for a challenge as you can probably tell

Especially one that proves to be a tad difficult

I’m now going to expose myself – not like that – I’m about to yell

I’m going to do my darnedest to write a villanelle

I know I’m giving myself hardship but I promise a result

I’m a sucker for a challenge as you can probably tell

I’m popping out for my magic wand so I can later cast a spell

If I don’t complete this you can cast insult after insult

I’m going to expose myself – not like that – I’m about to yell

It’s getting kind of tricky now wish I had someone to consult

Someone, who when I’m finished this, for me, might silently exult

I’m a sucker for a challenge as you can probably tell

Steady on I tell myself, you’re near the finish line, just six more hurdles to vault

 I never go and hide away I’ve no fear of the hard sell

I’m going to expose myself – not like that – I’m about to yell

 With only a few lines left after this It’ll probably finish by default

Never would this have got to float out in the blogosphere only for my friend Dell

I’m going to expose myself – not like that – I’m about to yell

I’m a sucker for a challenge as you can probably tell.

C. J. Black

22^nd February 2013.

 

 

 

 

 

Here he goes again!!!! C. J. Black

A little voice inside my head said you’ve written another cracker

I thought to myself perhaps they’re right I never thought of myself as a slacker

But I’d never go as far as saying – hey, I wrote a cracker of a poem

Sure there would be no living with me – they’d end up putting me in a home.

A home for bewildered poets now there’s an interesting thought

I’m sure those they’d put in charge of us – their nerves would be quite fraught –

After hours and hours of listening to crazy poets trying hard to scan

Going crazier by the minute because it just was not going to plan

What medicine can we give them you could nearly hear them think?

You mumble at them give us anything, just don’t take away our INK

Or if you do you could, have a riot on your hands

If we can’t put the world to right by telling of our plans

You wouldn’t like to see us with another bee in our bonnet

If we didn’t have a way to write another bloody sonnet

Or the others of us when we have a story of sorts to tell

Who turn to writing a 19 line villanelle?

I could go on for ever as I usually do says you

But I’ll end it here before the air around you turns a darker shade of blue.

A home for the bewildered poet, could you put a name on same?

Call it anything you like, I kind of like the sound of the “house of FAME”

I can’t tell you what fun I’ve had composing this “rhyming” poem

Try it some time yourself, by allowing your mind aimlessly too roam.

Most of what I write is done, with tongue firmly planted in cheek

I’m telling you this in confidence so please do not let it leak.

C. J. Black

22^nd February 2013.

No cop on!! C. J. Black

That’s it now, let the hair sit.

So the two way conversation went, as they sat across the table

Neither taking any notice perhaps they were unable –

 It appeared to me, to see the wood from the trees

This was more a hurricane than a soft zephyr breeze.

You could cut the tension with a knife

It seemed not to matter to them one little jot, as they gave each other grief.

As we sat across from them enjoying our fish and chips

We could hear the full blown argument; there was no need for reading lips!

We talked to one another in rather hushed silent tones

While they bitched at one another voices raised then moans and groans.

How two human beings could humiliate each other?

Trading blows off each other enough to make you shudder

This argument went on and on with no end in sight

Just as we got up to leave it turned from verbal into fight

First it was the dinner plates; they were smashed against the wall

Then cups and saucers and cutlery as far as I recall

When we went to make our move the air was turning blue

We found ourselves embroiled in this row when we were asked if we knew –

By Management, when they arrived what this matter was about

We were told in no uncertain terms by the couple to butt out.

We explained our circumstance to both parties that we did not wish to be involved

And we hoped they could amicably agree and that their issue could be resolved

We were then allowed to make our way away from the heated scene

Discussing between ourselves how people can be so mean

Those, when having a domestic why not seek an in-between

Or an advisor of some kind who might calm the situation

Public humiliation such as we witnessed, really should be a last station

Our hope for them was that they solved what ever differences they had

I continuously look at the world through rose tinted glasses – perhaps I’m the one who’s mad?

C. J. Black.

21^st February 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walking a tight rope!! C. J. Black

Life is like a circus full of chaos, full of madness

There are highs and lows it ebbs and flows through joyfulness and sadness

Will the cock crow three times will the mocking bird sing?

One never knows what the new dawn will bring.

For many night time can be never ending, as they lie awake pretending

Tomorrow will bring change; God is good, on You we are depending

God for us can take many forms of that there’s little doubt

It helps when we have no one else near by that might have a little clout

Someone to point us in the right direction as down the road of life we stumble

We are always bound to meet someone worse off, tell ourselves we must not grumble.

Yes life is like a circus full of clowns in pinstripe suits

Always there to slam that door while they continue in cahoots –

With those “power houses” sitting there conceiving another “evil” plan

To screw those on the lower rung woman, child and man

They tell us belts must be tightened – mine has reached the last hole

It’s not us but them that are the gambler we can’t afford another roll

It’s easy when you’re sitting there up in your ivory tower

Politicians, bankers, revenue collectors and the many more who wield power

How do you sleep at night knowing the grief you cause?

By appearing to us “underlings” to willy nilly bring in laws

Just to satisfy other fat cats who some where else are pulling strings

Who really don’t give a toss whether the cock crows as they further tighten our purse strings?

Realise this, those of you who live to aspire to power

That we “underlings” are no pushovers we can decide your final hour

So “underlings” of the world unite

Show them we are up for any fight

We can show them what is what

They never said a truer word when they said – there’s more than one way to skin a cat.

C. J. Black

20^th February 2013.

An occasion to write! C. J. Black

It’s nocturnal time again, the best time for me to write

As I pull the chair up the oak desk, remove cap from parker pen

Set the alarm clock for four hours hence it is now exactly ten.

Sitting in my writing den waiting for inspiration to flow – beautiful starry night

Hoping that ideas come my way and that there is not this dreaded blight

Have tried now on a few occasions to kick start this sonnet – must try again.

I will not be defeated by lack of success so far, I’ll push on with mind wide open

The feeling in completing your written piece quite honestly, fills the heart with delight

Using a Dictaphone, I then correct the words I’ve spoken.

The silence of the night without its distractions is also an added token

I never work for more than four hours so I can be fresh of mind come daylight.

I am my biggest critic it must be said and believe some of what I write is trite

So here I am now on the second last line, a sonnet nearly completed? – Amen.

To err is something I do quite often, but hope that when I publish, my mistakes are slight?

C. J. Black

19^th February 2013.

Living within our means. C. J. Black

Last night we went out on the town

Me in tux herself in ball-gown

A good time was had it must be stressed

Both of us complimented on how well we dressed

With a certain amount of blushing we accepted each compliment

We thanked each and everyone on leaving before the dance was over – as our money was all spent

This keeping up with the Joneses is not what we normally do

But when invited to a function it leaves one in a kind of stew

Both of us being out of work through no fault of our own

Luckily the family’s raised and from the nest have flown

With lives of their own to live our problems we keep to ourselves

They will never know of our plight once there’s food visible on our shelves.

Back to the shop next day to drop in ball-gown and my tux

We bumped into a few Joneses who gave us some strange looks

It turns out that most of them are suffering similar circumstances

But felt they had to keep up appearances when invited to functions and dances.

On our way home we made this pledge that the next function we attend

Will be far away from the Joneses where we will not have to blend –

In with the in crowd who just put on a face

So as not to disappoint and not to be seen to be out of place!

C. J. Black

18^th February 2013.

Mix and Match *5 C. J. Black.

There’s an Aussie “critiquer” known as Mike

Check out his blog and give him a “Like”

Do your self a favour

And get a Flavour

Of the works of this Aussie called Mike.

It’s not too late to raise a glass in celebration of an Aussies favourite Son

On the 17th day of February 1864 was born A. B. “Banjo” Paterson

A poet who must be read who was really on his game

You’ll know of him have no doubt He of “Waltzing Matilda ” fame

So do your self a favour before this day is through

You will enjoy his many works – It’ a bad day when we don’t learn something new.

C. J. Black

18th February 2013.

Plucked another from the poem tree! C. J. Black.

How about a rhyming couplet to start us off I said

The quicker we get one the quicker we can put this poem to bed

So who is going to be the brave one and give a kick start?

Thank you – yes you with the jumper cheers for taking part

So what have you got in mind as to where this poem should go

No hesitating please, I beg you not so slow

Start us off with whatever thought is in your head

We’ll be the judge of what goes down, this it must be said

As this poem when complete will be for a children’s class

Understand that the finished piece must be anything but crass

Think along the lines of a Humpty Dumpty rhyme

It can be done adults, believe me, just give it time

Cleanliness is next to Godliness so the saying goes

Always remember to be open minded some like rhyming, some prefer prose

So it is quite simple once you know which direction you wish to take

And no one but you will ever know how many mistakes you make

When writing a poem and getting words to blend

Look you’ve succeeded this is it – the end.

C. J. Black

17^th February 2013