Of Writer’s Block

This post has been brought to you by writer’s block, and a lovely evening at an acoustic music session at The Old Anchor.  I quite often end up writing here…when I can that is! It’s not for a want of ideas I can assure you. Please let me know what you think and as always, enjoy!

 

Of Writer’s Block

I want to write of falconry,
And literary critique.
Of mystery cats with stumpy tails,
For ideas I need not seek.

 

I want to write of new friendships,
And limping down a mountain.
Of adventuring in foreign climes,
I’m a veritable idea fountain.

 

I wanted to write for the past year,
And would sit with pen in hand.
Of ideas I wasn’t lacking,
But they wouldn’t come out as planned.

 

I want to keep on writing,
And end this long hiatus.
Of writer’s block no one’s a fan,
It always conspires to frustrate us.

23/11/2014

That last verse is being a pain still, but it’s so nice to get something down rather than have a hundred ideas and a hundred blank pages because they won’t transfer.

I’m Back!

At least I hope I am, conquered poetic writer’s block today for the first time in very nearly 14 months.  I shall try to keep the ink flowing to let the ideas I’ve been saving up get out.

I’ve recently been fortunate enough to do some flying with some Harris Hawks, who aren’t always in too much of a hurry to come back to your glove if they’ve found a nice perch and something interesting is going on in the next field.  So whilst pondering those times, I got a couple of lines stuck in my head, and the rest followed (with poetic licence) on once I found a pen.  Since he was the one I saw being a bit reluctant today, I’m naming this in honour of Harry the Harris Hawk (aka Nobby).  Please let me know what you think below.  Enjoy!

 

Harry

My heart beats fast,

With my hand outstretched,

Hoping he will come to me.

 

He looks away,

Turn turns his back,

And steadfastly ignores me.

 

I call his name,

Take one step closer,

Hoping he won’t simply leave me.

 

He looks around,

I call once more,

He makes a move towards me.

 

I reach out my hand further,

He spreads his wings,

And finally flies back to me.

 

Now he sits fed-up,

As I tuck in his jesses,

Safely under my thumb once more.

09/11/14

 

Some beautiful Harris Hawks enjoying the afternoon sunshine (even grumpy at the front)

 

If you’d like the opportunity to experience flying with a Harris Hawk, or getting to meet and handle some stunning birds of prey, then I personally recommend Wheatley Birds of Prey.  They really look after the birds there, charge a very fair price compared with some hawk walks I’ve seen, and Clive & Jayne are two very lovely people who really know the birds they care for.

Writers block – new challenges – Occily Diddily

I know it has been a ridiculously long time since I last posted anything, unfortunately, although I have dozens of ideas, not one is making it to paper.  Writers block has hit in the past, but usually wears off eventually, and I’m hoping that this does.  But whilst this door is temporarily closed, it seems a new one has opened as I’m starting learning to compose music.  Haven’t progressed beyond simple little tunes yet, but  wanted to share one of my favourites so this site wasn’t completely dead.  I hope to return to poetry one day, and as soon as I do, it will be up here.

As always, please let me know what you think in the comments here or on YouTube, and feel free to share it with people if you wish.  I’m still learning (both the instrument and composition) though, so advice is appreciated!

 

Sunrise Flight

I recently had the opportunity to go to California for a couple of weeks, and for various reasons, the best flight for me going over there left from Birmingham, UK at 6.25am.  Which meant I had to be at the airport for 3.25am, the airport being about 80 miles away from me, and the trains only ran until about 11pm before resuming at 5am.  Thankfully a couple of very kind-hearted, thoughtful and generous friends decided my airport sleeping idea was a silly one and arranged a hotel room for me.  Unfortunately, I was paranoid that I wouldn’t wake up in time for my flight.  You can see where this is going.

So it was a very tired (I’d been up since 5am Tuesday, the flight was on the Wednesday) and nervously excited (I LOVE planes, flying, and adventures) poet who got on the dinky little Embraer 195 that morning.  Being a small aircraft, and only an hour-long hop to Paris, there was no in-flight entertainment.  I’d thought ahead and had my notebook in my hand luggage so I could doodle ideas and maybe come up with some rhymes.

So whilst travelling at 500 mph, about 5,000ft above the ground, having not yet had any tea (!), this happened.  Enjoy, and let me know what you think.

Sunrise Flight

We step aboard in the cold and dark,

Strapped in our seats in this metal tube,

For some this is far from a walk in the park.

 

There’s silence then the engines thrum,

Pushing us back in to our seats,

The take-off flip-flops in my tum.

 

The city sprawls out far below,

Roads ribboning through the land,

Street lights bathe it in an orange glow.

 

Then the clouds close and intervene,

Enveloped in a world of grey,

A curtain for unveiling the next scene.

 

We emerge in a new land,

Like a snowfield in the fells,

So serenely beautiful and grand.

 

The clouds form hills and valleys deep,

And as the sun rises like burning amber,

Sure fiery beauty almost makes me weep.

18/09/2013

I forgot to snap Birmingham, so here’s my snap of LA instead. Same adventure at least

Roadside Diner

This one is the result of various sightings over the years.  When I told one of my friends the title, they were somewhat worried.  After they heard it, they were amused and admitted that it wasn’t what they had expected.  In a good way.  Hope you enjoy it to, please let me know, either in the comments below or through one of the half-dozen other ways of reaching me.

 

Roadside Diner

Down at the Roadside Diner,

We’ve all you can eat grass and leaves.

For rabbit, mouse, hare and deer,

But please keep near the hedge or the trees.

 

Down at the Roadside Diner,

Birds can come fill their crops with grit.

We’ve ants galore for green woodpeckers,

But please do try not to get hit.

 

Else down at the Roadside Diner,

You’ll get a free pass to our Scavengers’ Buffet.

A regularly replenished and varied spread,

Exclusively for red kite, crow, rook, magpie, jay…

 

Here at the Roadside Diner,

We’re proud of our all-natural food.

But must apologise for the noisy neighbours,

Their disturbing your meal is so terribly rude.

16/09/2013