Tuesday, January 23, 2024

"Us Two" by A. A. Milne

 
Wherever I am, there's always Pooh,
There's always Pooh and Me.
Whatever I do, he wants to do,
"Where are you going today?" says Pooh:
"Well, that's very odd 'cos I was too.
Let's go together," says Pooh, says he.
"Let's go together," says Pooh.

"What's twice eleven?" I said to Pooh.
("Twice what?" said Pooh to Me.)
"I think it ought to be twenty-two."
"Just what I think myself," said Pooh.
"It wasn't an easy sum to do,
But that's what it is," said Pooh, said he.
"That's what it is," said Pooh.

"Let's look for dragons," I said to Pooh.
"Yes, let's," said Pooh to Me.
We crossed the river and found a few-
"Yes, those are dragons all right," said Pooh.
"As soon as I saw their beaks I knew.
That's what they are," said Pooh, said he.
"That's what they are," said Pooh.

"Let's frighten the dragons," I said to Pooh.
"That's right," said Pooh to Me.
"I'm not afraid," I said to Pooh,
And I held his paw and I shouted "Shoo!
Silly old dragons!"- and off they flew.

"I wasn't afraid," said Pooh, said he,
"I'm never afraid with you."

So wherever I am, there's always Pooh,
There's always Pooh and Me.
"What would I do?" I said to Pooh,
"If it wasn't for you," and Pooh said: "True,
It isn't much fun for One, but Two,
Can stick together, says Pooh, says he. "That's how it is," says Pooh.

Line drawing of Winnie the Pooh teddy bear with Christopher Robin reading.
 
Winnie the Pooh is a beloved childhood nostalgia hit for me. I loved the poetry by A A Milne and its easy, flowing style. It takes a lot of work to get rhyme to flow so easily and naturally from the pen. :) 

But also it's an important thing to remember, sticking together is good. We can make the world better when we are not alone. 

Kia Kaha and happy Tuesday Poem flashback. :) 
A.J.
 

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Can you see the Silence?

I have nothing but words to shine into the darkness
There are no dollars to buy your opinion
No marketing team to tell you what to think
Only words, and even those are murdered,
Hidden under the rubble of truth

All while oil lights the water
And munitions light the sky
And the smoke, the smoke
Is choking, burning, like phosphorous
Right down to the bone

Can you see beneath the noise?
If you look very carefully, you'll see
The gold-plated shackles
Placed on our democracy
Stretch to

An instant of clarity before
Twisted
Lies
Are
Spruiked

Wound over our eyes
And through our hearts
Choking our souls and silencing
Our screams with the nightmare cloth
Of kleptocratic dreams

A shroud of complacency
Woven from green dye and oil
While money buys the signal
And buries the noise

Can you see the silence?
The voices fallen quiet

Can you see the silence beneath the screen?

 A.J. Ponder

Well, I'm not sure if enjoyed is the right word, but I hope the poem has sparked something for you. It's one of my #protest poetry pieces.

If you enjoyed it, you may also enjoy some of my other protest pieces linked below, or if you'd rather have some fairy tale poetry my Portal to Fairytale poetry is here, or one of my personal favourites, Time Wyrm.

Your Billionaire Overlord: Today, I'm making the millions...

It's a New Age: The world's moved on. Once, the mighty pen could tear down kingdoms...

The Circle of Life :We have let the snakes...


Sunday, December 24, 2023

Into the Underworld is almost here - Only 2 Days to go

 I’m excited to announce the release of my latest book! The third book in the Blood of the Fae series.

And it’s really close now, with only two days to go before you can join Ruby, her sister Pearl, and their kick-ass, bumbling grandparents as dragons attack the Library of Alexandria and Dream City falls to the skin walker, Wyrden.

Get ready to go Into the Underworld & pick up your copy today

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BR2KBQWV am aff link

Into the Underworld, Book 3 of the Blood of the Fae series

Start reading the series free on KU / Kindle Unlimited for a limited time

★★★★★ Edge of your seat action

★★★★★ A brilliant read

★★★★★ Non-stop battles, traitors, and surprises

★★★★★ A wonderful job bringing the Fae into a new light

★★★★★ Will have you entranced

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFBD3JGW am aff link

 

The Blurb for Into the Underworld

A daring unicorn rescue
A trapped librarian
A secret that will rock Brocéliande and change dragons forever

Ruby's daring rescue of her parents has failed. Queen Persephone has trapped her in the Underworld with her fairy godmother, Lettie.

Meanwhile, Ruby's sister Pearl is rescuing dragon eggs, unicorns and librarians, unaware of her family's fate or the secret her grandparents have uncovered that will change the fate of Brocéliande forever.

Journey into the Underworld with Ruby, Pearl, and their kick-ass, bumbling grandparents as dragons attack the Library of Alexandria and Dream City falls to the skin walker, Wyrden.

Don't miss out on the penultimate installment of this exciting adventure https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BR2KBQWV am aff link

 

Happy reading, Merry Christmas and a happy festive season

A.J. 

 

Friday, August 18, 2023

Into Faerland - Blood of the Fae, book 1

from USA Today Bestselling Author, A. J Ponder (yes, that's me!)

Into FaerLand

Humans seem to think fae are either flitting through the flowers drinking nectar,
or stealing children.

Well, only one of those is true.

We never steal children. We only swap them.

An eye for an eye, a child for a child.

Journey into Faerland, at your own peril.

And yes, I'm offering this 99c special for a limited time only (22 Aug).

*.•*´)¸.☆⚡️The Blurb⚡️*.•*´)¸.☆

“We never steal children. We only swap them. An eye for an eye, a child for a child."

Aiden is sent into demon territory to bring the Sword Master into New Avalon. The
mission doesn't go entirely to plan, and Aiden falls dangerously in love with the
Swordsmaster, Keera. She's pretty as a fae, and a strong, graceful fighter. With every
movement she makes, he falls harder. Keera and Aiden both ignore the warnings,
marry, and have two beautiful daughters.

Meanwhile, Keera’s swords, forged with cold iron, and adorned with silver and gold,
have angered the fae—and most especially King Hades and Persephone who rule
FaerLand.

Determined to pay the humans back, Queen Persephone orders two fae underlings, Lettie
and Zadie to switch their changelings for Keera and Aiden’s children. Lettie’s heart breaks
as Zadie tears her beloved changeling from her hands and replaces her with a snotty human
child. Now, the one person she loved in all the world is gone, she will do anything to bring
Nada back...

...including killing Keera and Aiden to end the fairy bargain.

Special price of 99c (Amazon aff link)

An icy Queen Persephone offers you these glorious books “Into FaerLand” for only 99c on a red button August 17-22<br /> “We never steal children. We only swap them. An eye for an eye a child for a child.  5 star reviews With “Great Drama” “Brilliant Read” “A story that weaves and twists” and Available on Kindle Unlimited.
Into FaerLand Am aff link: https://amzn.to/3sehWhk

 

Happy reading, A.J. 

P.S. If you love fae, you can also check out my collection of favourite Fairy Tale poems here, or my particular favourite
poem, Stolen Time, here.

 

Friday, June 10, 2022

Welcome to the propaganda war


Welcome to the war you never knew you were a part of.
Until the moment you did.

But once you arrive, how do you know which side is the side for good?
And which is the side for evil?
When there is no such thing as perfection.

No buts
No believe mes
No messiahs to rescue us
No billionaires who care about anything other than their billions

And when it gets too much
Remember we're all with you
Fighting in a hundred different directions, making mistakes and muddling through.

And we love you
Even if we disagree

A.J. Ponder

First published on Twitter 

I'd explain this poem, but does it need explaining? 
I think most of us have realised that there's a few things in this world that need urgent fixing. And that the world could be an amazing place, but as the authors of "Why Nations Fail" pointed out, the first thing that needs to happen, is we need to stop concentrate all the wealth, resources and power into the hands of a very few, and spread them around like muck.

Lets help all the flowers grow. Instead of piling it up into stinking cesspools of...


If you're looking for more poems of a similar ilk, here are two more swamp monster poems and The Masque of Anarchy by Percey Shelly to choose from. :) 

The Lords of the Sea

Draining the Swamp of all Human Decency

The Masque of Anarchy


\Happy reading, A.J. 

And if you're interested in my other writing, please check out what's new on my blog: https://ponderbooks.com

My books are available wide, and my favourite, Quest is now out in audiobook. (If you're in US Chirp is the cheapest option 😊😎)


Monday, May 16, 2022

The Fine Old English Gentleman: New Version by Charles Dickens

 (To be said or sung at all Conservative dinners)

I'll sing you a new ballad, and I'll warrant it first-rate,
Of the days of that old gentleman who had that old estate;
When they spent the public money at a bountiful old rate
On ev'ry mistress, pimp, and scamp, at ev'ry noble gate,
In the fine old English Tory times;
Soon may they come again!

The good old laws were garnished well with gibbets, whips, and chains,
With fine old English penalties, and fine old English pains,
With rebel heads, and seas of blood once hot in rebel veins;
For all these things were requisite to guard the rich old gains
Of the fine old English Tory times;
Soon may they come again!

This brave old code, like Argus, had a hundred watchful eyes,
And ev'ry English peasant had his good old English spies,
To tempt his starving discontent with fine old English lies,
Then call the good old Yeomanry to stop his peevish cries,
In the fine old English Tory times;
Soon may they come again!

The good old times for cutting throats that cried out in their need,
The good old times for hunting men who held their fathers' creed,
The good old times when William Pitt, as all good men agreed,
Came down direct from Paradise at more than railroad speed …
Oh the fine old English Tory times;
When will they come again!

In those rare days, the press was seldom known to snarl or bark,
But sweetly sang of men in pow'r, like any tuneful lark;
Grave judges, too, to all their evil deeds were in the dark;
And not a man in twenty score knew how to make his mark.
Oh the fine old English Tory times;
Soon may they come again!

Those were the days for taxes, and for war's infernal din;
For scarcity of bread, that fine old dowagers might win;
For shutting men of letters up, through iron bars to grin,
Because they didn't think the Prince was altogether thin,
In the fine old English Tory times;
Soon may they come again!

But Tolerance, though slow in flight, is strong-wing'd in the main;
That night must come on these fine days, in course of time was plain;
The pure old spirit struggled, but its struggles were in vain;
A nation's grip was on it, and it died in choking pain,
With the fine old English Tory days,
All of the olden time.

The bright old day now dawns again; the cry runs through the land,
In England there shall be dear bread — in Ireland, sword and brand;
And poverty, and ignorance, shall swell the rich and grand,
So, rally round the rulers with the gentle iron hand,
Of the fine old English Tory days;
Hail to the coming time!

So there we go, as relevant today as back when Charles Dickens wrote it.

If you enjoyed this, you may also enjoy, Rudyard Kipling's A Smuggler's SongSoliloquy on an Empty Purse by Mary Jones or the The Masque of Anarchy, Percy Shelley

Have fun reading,
A.J. 

Tuesday, May 10, 2022

Lords of the Sea

 And thus we fought for honour, Lord

T'was our honour lord, we lost. 

We faced the kraken, Lord
And couldn't take its arms

So we filled the seas with oil
And we filled the seas with death

And now that evil kraken
will take its final breath

But the fisherfolk can't eat the fish
And our soldiers die

And a new evil it stalks across the land
My lord, 'tis you and I 


A quick little poem this Tuesday, I hope you enjoy.

A.J.

More kraken poems:

The Kraken by Alfred Tennyson
Under the Surface

And if you're interested in my other writing, please check out what's new on my blog: https://ponderbooks.com

My books are available wide, and my favourite, Quest is now out in audiobook. (If you're in US Chirp is the cheapest option 😊😎)