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Welcome to The Coffee Shop, just for you early risers
on Monday mornings. This is an Open Thread forum,
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“We need the voice of poetry in
times of change and world-grief.
A poem only seeks to add to the
world and now seems the time
to give”
– Carol Ann Duffy
March 27, 2009 – International Whisky Day is launched at a whisky festival in the Netherlands, to honor Michael J. Jackson, the English journalist and author of many influential books on beer and whisky, including Michael Jackson’s Malt Whisky Companion; he was also the host of the popular UK television series, The Beer Hunter. Jackson was born on March 27, 1942, and died in 2007 after a decade suffering from Parkinson’s disease, so this day also supports research on Parkinsons.
Terry Collett has been writing poetry since 1971, prose since 1995, and stage plays in 2005. He is married with 8 children, 8 grandchildren, and lives in West Sussex England. His two slim volumes of poems were published in the 1970s and are now out of print.
To read Terry Collett’s poem, “Sorting the Boys from Men” click: Continue reading
2003 – Tolkien Reading Day was first organized by the Tolkien Society, now held annually on March 25, the day of the downfall of Sauron
March 25 should also be noted in Tolkien lore because:
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Maybe you’re too busy today to read all of The Lord of the Rings, or even The Hobbit, but do not despair.
Gathered here are some Tolkien poems and quotes to savor so you can still celebrate with the rest of the world-wide fellowship of Tolkien-lovers.
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“West, North, and South the children of Men spread and wandered, and their joy was the joy of the morning before the dew is dry, when every leaf is green.”
― The Silmarillion, Of Men
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The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet,
And whither then? I cannot say.
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
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“We have a long way to go, and there is time ahead for thought.” — Treebeard
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Welcome to The Coffee Shop, just for you early risers
on Monday mornings. This is an Open Thread forum,
so if you have an off-topic opinion burning a hole in
your brainpan, feel free to add a comment.
______________________________
World Poetry Day, March 21, was adopted in 1999, during UNESCO’s 30th session in Paris. It encourages a return to the oral tradition of poetry recitals, promotes the teaching of poetry, supports small publishers, and helps poetry to regain its popularity, reversing the misconception that poetry is an outdated art form. It also supports linguistic diversity.
Beyond UNESCO’s lofty goals, it’s a day to ENJOY POETRY!
Shinkichi Takahashi (1901–1987) Japanese poet who was a pioneer in the Dadaist movement in Japan. He was a master of expressing large ideas in the smallest number of words. His Collected Poems won the Japanese Ministry of Education Prize for Art.
To read Shinkichi Takahashi’s untitled poem click:
Wilfred Owen was born on March 18, 1893. He was an English poet and a soldier, one of the most memorable and powerful poets of WWI, whose poems depicted the horrors of the trenches and gas warfare. Most of his poems which are now best-known were published posthumously. He suffered shell shock after being caught in the blast of a trench mortar shell, lying unconscious on an embankment among the grisly remains of a fellow officer for days. He was sent to Craiglockhart War Hospital in Edinburgh for treatment. While there, Owen met poet Siegfried Sassoon, who became his friend and mentor as a poet. After further recuperation on light duty in North Yorkshire, he returned to active service in France in July, 1918, and was awarded the Military Cross for his bravery and leadership during an attack in October. He was killed in action on November 4, 1918, exactly one week before the Armistice ended the war. His mother received the notice of his death on the day of the Armistice.
His best-known poems are full of the daily horrors of war, but this poem laments the terrible waste: all the young dead, including Wilfred Owen.
To read Wilfred Owen’s poem “Futility” click
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Welcome to The Coffee Shop, just for you early risers
on Monday mornings. This is an Open Thread forum,
so if you have an off-topic opinion burning a hole in
your brainpan, feel free to add a comment.
______________________________
March 11 is Worship of Tools Day.
Dave Bonta, self-described ‘digital poet’ says he often suffers from imposter syndrome, but not in a bad way — more like some kind of flower-breathing dragon, pot-bellied and igneous. He is the author of Mountain: An Elegy; Breakdown: Banjo Poems; Words on the Street: An Inaction Comic; and Odes to Tools. Bonta is also the editor and publisher of Moving Poems, a webzine showcasing poetry videos.
To read Dave Bonta’s poem, “Ode to a Claw Hammer” click:
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Welcome to The Coffee Shop, just for you early risers
on Monday mornings. This is an Open Thread forum,
so if you have an off-topic opinion burning a hole in
your brainpan, feel free to add a comment.
______________________________
Nicole Plyler Fisk
Gene Howington
FFS Guest Blogger
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Chuck Stanley
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wordcloud9
Flowers For Socrates 