Faked / Naked

A Study of Sylvia Plath’s Tormented, Lovesick Villanelle — Saturday Study #3 I have been unable to write a word of poetry this week. Instead, I have found myself reflecting on the life and work of one of my favourite poets, reading and re-reading today’s poem of choice, Mad Girl’s Love Song by Slyvia Plath, in preparation for this article. …

A Poem — I guess I expected better — The penguin smelled of paperwork. You were there somewhere. You just had to be. It was a very hungry place. The lights went on and off a lot; and there were others — Little hearts on fire. All of that went on for a…

A Villanelle — Of all God’s creatures, Jealousy comes first. Its teeth are sharpened on the hearts of men. It drains the mind of reason with its thirst. Such screams of anguish cannot be rehearsed — This menace reigns supreme from Terror’s den. Of all God’s creatures, Jealousy comes first. A heaving mass…

A Study of Robert Frost’s American Classic — Saturday Study #2 The second instalment of ‘Saturday Study’ explores Robert Frost’s iconic poem, ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’, which has become an enduring classic of American literature. Last week, I introduced this series of articles as a weekly, non-academic review of classic poetry that has influenced or touched me in…

A Poem — Roughly once a year, if I’m passing, I will call on my Grandmother — my Grandfather, too. It’s a short detour from a certain route. …

A Poem — In the northern gloom, dark days, dreaming of light. Saturnine, sullen clouds at the threshold of night. It’s a mourning mush — bland, bleak breakfast of gruel. Aching New Year lament, resolute to the cruel. Rain on the window, pain on glass reflection — The ceiling light flicks its staccato rejection…

A Poem — The sound of tears plays very low And hard to hear unless you know How pain and drama love to dance — So much of what is cried is faux. As sadness suffers to advance Beyond a mere consoling glance, It seeks to bind, possess and keep, And blossom, given half a chance…

A Poem — He liked solving puzzles, and challenging teachers. Always picked last for soccer — his strengths lay elsewhere. No one hurts the kid who scores the winner or has parties at the Leisureplex. Not quite the same for the bucktooth loudmouth, whose homework is always correct. As their fists rained down…

Fooling Around With Words — Gible is a rare Pokémon, and girls just want to have fun. A token must be tangible, but sometimes is not fungible. Ferrable — French for ironable; my Dad doesn’t understand trans. A husband should be malleable - his love is non-transferable. Trickle is the rate of escape from this need…