Quote from Mary Temple on reviewing “Life is Eximius Ordo”-

“Now I see why you sent the other book-modern poetry-and good modern poetry at that. thank-you very much.

You undersell him on the back of the book!! I just thought they were diaries and being busy did not look too closely. I idly picked it up in a spare moment waiting for dinner to cook and suddenly the steamer was boiling dry. I did save the contents-just!

His poetry is beautiful and sad, one sees the ups and downs that bipolar presents BUT there is so much more than that. His poetry is at times quite deep, and rivals many of the older poets particularly those of those troubled ’70’s poets. Then one sees echoes of John Donne and the older poets. I  think among those qualifications of his was an A+ in English Literature. of course being bipolar his questions are quite profound. His faith seems to sustain him and let us hope that continues. It is a hard thing to overcome….he is a talented poet!!!”

 

You would be forgiven for thinking that the above quote would spur me on in some way, and therefore not this 2 year gap of writing on my website. Well it’s not much of an excuse to say I’ve been writing my latest book, “Terms of Engagement”,which is now finished. I’ve also just been in a tumultuous 2 year relationship which has also finished. Yet both have shaped me tremendously towards the better good. I was too ill at the time to promote “Life is Eximius Ordo” and I hope that is about to change. I’ll be putting up some poems from across the four other books I’ve written and intend to upload the spoken versions to Soundcloud as soon as time allows. I’m grateful to poetry for saving me oh so many times and for allowing me to free myself of stress in my times of need. It never ignores me, it never runs away when times get tough. It has shown me reliability and care like nothing else. It understands me without conditions or making unreasonable demands. It never undermines me, and has always shown faith in me.Perhaps the best thing is it never tests me. No, most of all it promises to always be there for me so I will be faithful to the one most dependable friend and partner I have ever met. That is why I wrote the following poem….

 

SECRET MISTRESS

On this night,

There are no words.

For tonight,

Nothing have I heard.

No words have passed her lips,

No thoughts have shared the day,

There was no caress by my pillow this morning,

Or warning of her going away.

Cast adrift with my loss,

I mourn for her and pine,

If only she would drop me a line,

For today she chose silence,

If that’s her-

I guess I’m fine.

But she graces me,

Now and then,

How I wish,

She would again.

She’s there for me,

In times of distress,

How I love poetry,

my secret mistress.

 

 

 

 

So……let’s just see what happens next….hopefully not too long………