Griffonner

2026-03-02
You are most fortunate, Ann. We are yet to see most flowers - seemingly only the May Trees have flowered, and the odd rape seed plants between the rows of over-wintered vines. We can see new buds forming, but we're perhaps weeks behind you. Blessings, Allen

2026-03-02
.... and part of the loving community which is The World. Blessings, Allen

2026-03-02
Thank you, Ann. Briliantly explained. Blessings, Allen

2026-03-02
I concur with Jim: These are truly powerful words, and words that need speaking time and time again - in defiance of their abject failure (choice?) to listen.
I frequently wonder what exactly is going on in their heads: Do they actually believe what they preach? In their heart of hearts do they not see what they are doing? Do they have ulterior motives for this choice of theirs? Too often they get revealed as being exactly the people they accuse others of being, or have deep rooted psychological problems with how they have interacted with women in their pasts.
It sickens me and it saddens me that their shield is a 'religion' which, whatever it is, is completely, completely unprovable at its core. I refuse to believe that the ultimate creator entertains vindictiveness and/or judges any thing or anybody, because anything that is not part of that creator is recognised as having still so much to learn. [Gets off soapbox and exits stage right....] Blessings and thanks for your sharing, Allen

2026-03-01
This is... special. Thank you Richard for sharing. Blessings, Allen

2026-03-01
Your words are strikingly correct. And hopefully what we write, will last for a very long time. But I wonder? Fifty years ago we would read our poetry from books, Those books are still around. The internet may have brought us many things, immediacy for one, world-wide distribution another, but in transferring from books, from the written page, to the monitor screen, I know for a fact that the longevity is lost. We certainly live in a throw away society in more ways than one, don't we. And we have become blase about the availability of poetry. We forget that being a poet is a lonely occupation. We forget to be grateful. Blessings, Allen

2026-03-01
Dead right, Ann. Time is shooting by, almost as if Nature can't wait to complete another cycle. I read it is time for the martenitsa. Is this something you do? Blessings, Allen

2026-03-01
Impressive. You paint the picture very well. I could actually see this. "Allow yourself to be yourself" Is a brilliant instructive isn't it. Blessings, Allen.

2026-02-27
What a heart warming poem this is! I think he is very fortunate to exist within your obviously generous and loving heart and mind.

It is so lovely to hear from your pen again, even on the anniversary day of someone's passing. Thank you for sharing. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-27
Such a powerful poem, Melinda. And so appropriate to the prompt.
I believe we create our reality with our thoughts, the person you describe has yet to learn/recognise that such negativity will only rebound. That is why gratitude is so vital in our thinking. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-27
I too needed to search for your fine poem's name. Only then was I able to see the real source of your joy. Not to worry, even before I had seen her style of dress, your poem encouraged me to form images substituting another genre of yellow - the symbol for my heartland. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-27
it follows! Three lines holding vast meaning. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-27
This poem poses a good question about letter writing. For me it is the 'writing' part that resonates because as I've gained more numbers to my age my handwriting has become uncontrolled. It is all about practise. The keyboard has become like the supermarket is to the corner shop. Who can be her Frank Doel? Blessings, Allen

2026-02-26
Beautiful. It is nice to 'see' and read. It happens too with your own children. I've learned not to second guess where it will all lead. My dancer has become a healer, my DIY assistant a marketing guru. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-26
The implied excitement is infectious. :) Blessings, Allen

2026-02-25
Perhaps you need to dive in too. :) A whimsical tale of a spurned muse. The penultimate stanza describes what happens in this disturbing world, in my case because there are too many things on my 'to do' list! Blessings, Allen

2026-02-24
What a lovely memory to have, inspired by a photograph. Maybe it is my age, but I increasingly find myself seeing and feeling more when looking at a photograph. They have become more valuable as they age. An interesting point of your poem is that the person in the photograph does not age, does not change, their personality, perhaps their spirit(?) a timestamp in your time. (That would taker me onto a way longer theory, so for brevity I will stop there!) Great poem. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-24
My wife has winter sad syndrome. She keeps it inside as much as she can. I try to bring blossoms into her life when I see it, but it isn't easy. You have my sympathy. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-24
I like this. Very much. Namaste. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-23
Love and loving makes you vulnerable. The depth of your vulnerability is directly proportional to the depth of your love. To give yourself in 'true' love, is an act never requiring compensation, never expecting reciprocity. It is the ultimate act of giving isn't it? I think you can't 'take back' love, but you have the ability to stop its flow, in any circumstance. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-23
An interesting write. A viewpoint rather unique I feel. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-23
I was filled with compassion for you when reading the second stanza. Such an awful thing to wake up to. :( But there was of course so much more in this fine poem, and its core premise was undeniably true. We do have the free will to turn the thing off, though, and I think it is something we should do more often. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-23
Thank you for pointing that out, Ray. I'm afraid my typing and my brain are letting me down now and then.... typing constantly. I put the accents in as well. :(
Blessings to you and yours, Allen

2026-02-21
There is great depth of thought in this poem I feel.
"Perhaps I can't live with the choices I've made." I rather feel you have no alternative but to do so in any circumstance I can think of.
I love the preface: One day it will be - at least in this dimension.
Blessings, Allen

2026-02-21
I like the juxtaposition of polarities here: Negative stanza followed by positive observation. The starkness is attention grabbing and at the same time rather reassuring. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-19
Will he wilt like a weed though? :D
Blessings, Allen

2026-02-19
Well written.

A true spring will win at last,
the thawing and seeding and flowering will start
all in good time, and chilly mornings will have passed.

I hope that too. We've had only 9 dry days since Jan 1st, and the ground is waterlogged.... as are we!

May your Spring emerge triumphant soon. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-19
Very wise words. Well put. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-19
Nicely done. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-19
Your poems are so often heartfelt ways of expressing the real life: Your real life. You are to be applauded, Alan, for your stoic determination to persist. Even amid the cacophony of the World your light shines bright. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-19
'Little Blue' manifests in many ways, I think. The poem is rather unique and requires several reads. I also think the concept of being judged in the way we humans think of it is extremely unlikely to be the truth, but that's just my take on it. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-19
May I applaud Marketa's warning. So wise. What maintains the existence of the whole of creation (i,e., everything) is surely able to manifest in any guise. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-18
The second word in the second line says it all! We all learn in life one way or another, sometimes it just takes a tad longer. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-18
There are so many aspects of we humans that we are able to adopt or evade. We can be imperfect in so many ways it makes me cringe!
Blessings, Allen

2026-02-16
Really well written romantic poem. And honest too in its approach to the subject of advancing years. Definitely deserves accolade. It gets ten from me. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-13
Newton's third Law herein:
"To every evil of wrongful action there is an equal and opposite rebellion"
So well expressed in your poem, Kee.
Blessings, love and power to you and yours, Allen

2026-02-13
For those who do not know, this poem of Alan's was definitely no picnic to write (or to Wispa!) A nice humorous diversion, my friend.
Blessings, Allen

2026-02-13
This poem really does deserve accolade! It is a well executed precise about time and ageing which other 'matures' will concur with by the bucket load!
There will be variations of course: Mine for example because I feel that I am still in the process of carrying 'the weight', and whilst I delight in those moments of communion with the Universe (in all its magnificence and beauty) there are fewer such moments than I would like. But as the poem says, they are there to comfort us - and, I feel, recharge us too.
Blessings, Allen

2026-02-13
This poem certainly does speak volumes. Three short stanzas that cover a whole lot of ground. Well written.
Blessings, Allen

2026-02-13
I enjoyed this rather sombre poem because it reflects thoughts that my wife and I have/had. I'm a great believer in the saying "You are where you are because you were meant to be there", and I think that applies to the kind of objects you describe - they will find their intended destination as the world carries on. It does, of course, bring up the question as to whether you will actually worry about such things after you have 'returned home'. But that is another question.
Blessings, Allen

2026-02-13
It is a very interesting poem. I always find it interesting to read how other people interpret such crossroads in life. The protagonist sounds as if he/she feels this choice is the final one to be experienced?
Blessings, Allen

2026-02-11
Hey what an interesting write! And that final line can be read at least two ways. I will be reading this more times for sure. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-11
When I first started reading this poem I formed the opinion it was talking about man's inhumanity to man which is all too evident in the world today. But the 'symbols and signs' tripped me up in that thinking and I was left with questions at the end. But this what all good writing does: Leaves you wanting more as a result of reading. Bravo. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-11
I feel this poem describes a relationship with such a strong bond. The use of 'brother' makes me wonder if in fact it is familial love the protagonist is speaking about, rather than cultural - which I formed the impression of at my first reading. A heartfelt rendering. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-11
Some things are just not meant to be. We grow in ourselves by realising that, but it can be a hard pill to swallow. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-11
A very poignant write as far as I am concerned. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-07
An enjoyable poem that just about covers all the aspects of that time of year. With pleasing rhymes and a smooth flow, it reminds me of the poetry masters of old. Thank you so much for sharing. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-06
Well, you write poetry for starters! :) I did enjoy this, Jim. There was a similarity, in your first stanza, with things my wife and I said at lunch, and the second, well, that created memories for me when I was a small child. Thank you for sharing. Blessings, Allen

2026-02-06
Is it really a false assumption? A really enjoyable read for me. It reminds me of somewhere I have fond memories of. I think it is fulfilling for the reader to find that empathy with the poet's words (and of course fulfilling for the poet to learn of it!) Blessings, Allen

2026-02-06
Nicely penned, Melinda. Reading it I immediately thought of Karma, which to my mind was what your words were imagining. I thought of the word retribution and wondered what would be the opposite... I concluded it is just LOVE. Blessings, Allen