Tuesday Poem wherefore art thou

Not only have I mislaid  Tuesday -
But I've mislaid it twice, or more depending on your point of view.  To mak eit worse I've somehow managed to mislay the poem that I intended to post today as well....

So what is happening?

Well, I'm busy trying to get myself organised and submit stories and/or poems to anthologies.  There was Baby Teeth, not so long ago, and the lovely Eastbourne Anthology being launched on Thrusday 5th December (2013)

https://www.facebook.com/events/430058710450461/434193453370320/?notif_t=plan_mall_activity

So that's it folks, I like to think I can post through everything - even Christmas but seriously it's just impossible with so many things happening at the moment. There are at least two more anthologies I need to try my hand at - and Mike's having what will hopefully be a conclusive test at Wellingotn hospital that will enable him to get the correct treatment for his condition.

So, many appologies but this is going to be a long Christmas break.  Will be back in February - after I've moved house...

Look after yourselves,
missing the poetry...

cheers,

A.J.

Tuesday Poem: The Hero - Movement 3 Political Evolution

Movement 3 Political Evolution

Today

All

Is still

Except the carrion call

Rising triumphant

Into the

First rays

Of the new dawn

Today

We shall eat

Drink and be merry

My fine vultures

Today we feast

on heroes 

A.J. Ponder

And that, my friends was the last exciting instalment of "The Hero." 

If you're interested the first instalment, Corpse Road is here at 

http://anafflictionofpoetry.blogspot.co.nz/2013/10/tuesday-poem-hero-first-movement.html

"Baby Teeth" signing pic curtesy of Matt Cowens

And the second instalment, Last Stand, is at  http://anafflictionofpoetry.blogspot.co.nz/2013/10/tuesday-poem-hero-movement-2-last-stand.html

Busy week this week, Baby teeth launch on the 30th and the White Cloud World Exhibition at Rona Gallery is still in pre-production - although it's certainly coming along, lots of work to do still though - and to make it harder, it's the Hobbit Fan Event today and Phil and I have tickets!  Totally crazy.  Totally shouldn't be going.  But so long as the world isn't about to end, we're going to have a blast - have some fun and then I've got to hurry back to work and sort out the catalogue etc etc etc 

Hoping to catch up with everyone's poems late Wednesday night, until then, why not get a headstart and check out the Tuesday Poem blog?

What I'm Up To: White Cloud Worlds

ok, normally this is my job, advertising events, but fortunately Paul Tobin from White Cloud Worlds did most of the heavy work including this part of the flier - so instead I've been running around in circles and accomplishing...who knows...

At least the launch for Baby Teeth went off without a hitch (well done to Dan Rabbarts, Eileen Mueller, and a whole tonne of other people)  Now it's wait and see how this all pans out, looking forward to the Opening, expecting lots of the artists, and quite afew Weta people - so if you want an invite now's the time to ask (Rona Gallery 562 8062) and of course the life drawing demonstration will be fun.  Gino's also threatened to break out the movie makeup on the 10th during the signing which will be seriously cool!!!!

Tuesday Poem: The Hero - Movement 2: Last Stand

The Hero

 Movement 2: Last Stand

Atop the bodies
Strewn akimbo
Awkward arms stretched out
in
Broken pleas for mercy

He stands

He falls

Pleas for mercy
Broken arms stretched out
Awkward
Akimbo
Strewn
Atop the bodies

A.J. Ponder

Another cheery little number, the final in the series might turn up next week - heck it probably will and if you're still with me after that maybe, maybe something with some laughs.  Of course if rallying dirges are your thing, The Hero - Movement 1: Corpse Road is lying in wait in this little linky here http://anafflictionofpoetry.blogspot.co.nz/2013/10/tuesday-poem-hero-first-movement.html

 And The hero part 3 "Last Stand" is here: https://anafflictionofpoetry.blogspot.com/2013/11/tuesday-poem-hero-movement-3-political.html 

Here I am ten oclock on a Monday night wondering if I should trust to a timer - and why not?  Let's see if I can convince the blog Tuesday is a good day to post.  After all it is the best possible day to catch all the Tuesday Poets at their watering hole right here at the Tuesday Poem.

Also my short story, "Friends" finds a home "Baby Teeth" -

a remarkably horrible, and occasionally funny collection of stories by well known authors in the Speculative Fiction community.

BOOK LAUNCH THIS WEEK!!!

October 30, 2013 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm

Quality Hotel
223 Cuba Street
Te Aro,Wellington 6011
New Zealand

Tuesday Poem: The Hero - Movement 1: Corpse Road

The Hero

 Movement 1: Corpse Road

This is your song

Death

This is the ruin

Of a ruined land

Hot and fetid as the breath of summer along corpse road

The stink

Overwhelming

Death moves on

To where legend breaks through reality

And the tune he sings

Is valiant

Victorious

A.J. Ponder 

Hi peeps, not going to try anything fancy this week, like timing the post - because last week it kind of didn't go as planned.  Nevertheless this poem is yet another failed attempt at a horror poem for an anthology - not because I don't like it but because it decided not to fit the theme.  Never mind - the poem is quite fun (in a macabre way) and even better, it has 2 more movements to look forward to.  Next week's was actually the movement I finished - because it did something remarkable/odd as I wrote it, turning in on itself.  Anyway it will be interesting to know if I like it as much next week as I do this.

 

Links for "The Hero" parts 2 & 3 

 

The Hero: Movement 2 Last stand

The Hero - Movement 3 Political Evolution

 

 

Of course I'd love to wish everybody a great week, and hope that whatever you do, you are successful - even if it's just successful at having fun :)  And talking about fun, why not check out some of the really great poems up on the Tuesday Blog? 

tuesdaypoem.blogspot.com

Tuesday Poem: Crashing - oh and randomly...cats

Everything Falls

Everything is bouyant-
until it falls

Every twig and and every branch
even the Great Tree
clutching the entire Earth in its roots
will eventually fall,
crashing to the
swamp below

The birds winging their way
across oceans,
continents,
the great divide
are strong
until gravity claims them
 

Everything rots
even empires
fall

A.J. Ponder

Happy Tuesday everybody, cross fingers for us, my son and I are having a little detour to the hospital for a test he's already failed because - well, because doctors are doctors. I'd argue he doesn't need it, hell I already did, but what do I know about medicine? - I can only read scientific papers - and the doctors? - well they haven't even corrected the cortisol chart on this page http://www.labdxtest.com/labdxtest/view/Davis-Lab-and-Diagnostic-Tests/425200/all/cortisol_and_challenge_tests which last time I looked still hadn't corrected (because apparently it's in the texts!).  I mean how hard is it to figure that 10x27.6 does not equal 28?

Maybe my uncle is right, if you have a tricky health problem, you're better off seeing a vet -

No, no - he's definitely a cat.  Been a bit off his food lately...don't worry about the lack of hair, he's a sphynx, Felis humanis sapisphynx to be exact - and yes - I guess he is pretty big for a cat...

Have a great day, poems are everywhere, but it's always worth dropping by the Tuesday poetry Blog for more.

And BTW, anyone else seen "Gravity"? it's everything the hype says it is - including not that great at phsyics - but who cares? ;)

Tuesday Poem: Circle of Life II (Snakes in the Henhouse)

Too long
we left the snakes in charge of the henhouse.
Pimped out,
and fat on eggs
they're complaining
about the service
as they hold us to ransom,
their bloated bodies
clogging the feed trough.

Too long
they've turned us against each other

as they tear down
our perches
and foul our nest.

In the name of liberty we are given cages
in the name of freedom our wings our clipped
in the name of greed we are denied the necessities of life

I'm tired of chickenshit and platitudes
the she'll be right pecking order of social disdain.

When will we break down this pyramid of want?

When will we be free?

A.J. Ponder

Part of the Circle of Life series

The Circle of Life I (2011)

The Circle of Life III (2016) 

Warning: Read no further: Go straight to cheer yourself up and visit the lovely folk at the Tuesday Poem hub.  For some reason I felt compelled to write the below to go with the poem, and have not yet found the wherewithal to delete it.



It seems lately that there are signs the world is going crazy, and people turn to find scapegoats down the pecking order.  It is easy to blame those who cannot speak up for themselves. (Apparently in Australia that includes over 50% of the population) But while money is tight, surely fiscal responsibility shouldn't mean, "not spending money." It should mean creating a better outcome at less cost.  So, given the poor cannot look after themselves, or they would not indeed be poor, then it is someone else's responsibility to help, not in an ad hoc way, but with universal care.  To that end surely it is not controversial to expect our government to spend taxes, not on obscene salaries for the rich, or their well connected mates, but...

on schools
on ensuring everyone is living in housing that will keep them (and their communities) healthy
on a health system that is proactive instead of retroactive
on creating a better interface between govt organisations and the people they are supposed to serve
on making the world a better place by protecting our environment and that of the planet in which we all must live.

Tuesday Poem: With respect to an explanation

Tuesday has come around again, and there is nothing left.
I can explain sensitivy and specificity
as the chances they got it right
and the chances they got it wrong
respectively
But respectfully there is
nothing
here
any
more

Been doing the hard yards for awhile now.  Sometimes life isn't easy sailing, so I find myself appologising once again for the lak of beauty in my post, the lack of fantasy, and the lack of wonder.  At least the lack of the type of wonder that you can take away and enjoy while picnicking out on the rocks.

But at least you've learnt something - so when the doc tests you for somehthing you can look up - and find out the chances that the test got it right.  After all, whatever happens it's you that has to live with the consequences.

Have a happy healthy week, and look after yourselves,

cheers,

A.J.

Tuesday Poem: "I Murder Hate" by Robbie Burns

I Murder Hate

I murder hate by flood or field,
Tho' glory's name may screen us;
In wars at home I'll spend my blood-
Life-giving wars of Venus.
The deities that I adore
Are social Peace and Plenty;
I'm better pleas'd to make one more,
Than be the death of twenty.

I would not die like Socrates,
For all the fuss of Plato;
Nor would I with Leonidas,
Nor yet would I with Cato:
The zealots of the Church and State
Shall ne'er my mortal foes be;
 But let me have bold Zimri's fate,
Within the arms of Cozbi!



This was going to be a post entitled, "Why I hate Doctors,"  but turns out I couldn't find any even half-decent poems around the theme.  Plenty of rants.  Enough to keep me sane for a while ;)  And while sometimes a little catharic rant can be good, it's even better to listen to other people and think - geez, lucky I'm not in their shoes. 

Now, more to the point, this poem is actually a fantastic song (by my Grandfather's favourite poet).  Apparently in the old testiment Zimri sullied himself to save his men or some such.  So I'm sure that's the point (saving his people), and not some of the mysogynistic themes a modern woman might take away from the story.  And that being so, what a marvellous piece.  Refusing the temptation of one's antagonists and turning murder onto hate itself.

He is a bigger man than I, which is not really a surprise, and also undoubtedly a better poet, so I hope you all enjoyed this big hearted piece from the Bard of Ayrshire. 

http://tuesdaypoem.blogspot.co.nz/

Have a great week people.  And if you have time, why not check out the other great poems up on the fantastic Tuesday blog
 A Poem For The Innocents by Geoffrey Philp
looks awesome.  Tomorrow, I'm hoping to have a better look, but for now, have a good night :)

Apologies, Tuesday was greatly missed - unlike this piece of Vogon Poetry

I know it's very nearly almost Friday - but I do want to apologise to all my regular readers for not managing my usual weekly post on Tuesday.  Not even a piece of fluff.

The people who know me will have heard that my son is having a tough time at the moment.  Well, last weekend and through to Tuesday were scary bad.  Fortunately for no apparent reason at all he's been better the last couple of days, but I've got to the point where my brain can't do much more than make it through the day.  So please excuse the "wibble"  and contemplate the vagaries of the universe, but let me assure you - normal service will be resumed as soon as I figure out what normal is....

In the meantime...

Oh freddled gruntbuggly,

Thy micturitions are to me,

As plurdled gabbleblotchits,

On a lurgid bee,

That mordiously hath bitled out,

Its earted jurtles,

Into a rancid festering confectious inner-sphincter. [drowned out by moaning and screaming]

Now the jurpling slayjid agrocrustles,

Are slurping hagrilly up the axlegrurts,

And living glupules frart and slipulate,

Like jowling meated liverslime,

Groop, I implore thee, my foonting turling dromes,

And hooptiously drangle me,

With crinkly bindlewurdles,

Or else I shall rend thee in the gobberwarts with my blurglecruncheon,

See if I don't.

by a Vogon (Jeltz)
an extract from Douglas Adam's, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

So Don't Panic :) and have a great TGIF and weekend, and hope to catch you all next Tues...

cheers, 

A.J.

A.J. Ponder's books are available through Rona Gallery, Amazon, Paper Plus and good Wellington bookstores.

Half Pie

Oh my goodness, it's Tuesday
And yeah I've been writing poetry.  The sorts of things that stop
half way
and find themselves inside a virtual bin
of unused files
never to be seen again

the kind of poems that don't say anything
and yet far more than they should

So half pie
without the filling

So chicken without the head

So incomp-


A.J.

And because this post is so half pie - how about...the little half pint...Robin the Frog singing the A A Milne poem "Halfway Down the stairs" ...  for a nostalgia hit. 


Oh, boy that was close, Tuesday finishing and no poem. Thanks for dropping by :)  
cheers,
A.J.

A.J. Ponder's books are available through Rona Gallery, Amazon, Paper Plus and good Wellington bookstores.

Tuesday Poem: The Upside to an Earthquake by Emanuel E Garcia

Just when I thought there was no way I could post a Tuesday Poem this week, my knight in shining armour arrives with this little uplifting gem. Can't say how much I appreciate it, given I needed a little smile, so many thanks Manny.  And with no more ado, here it is the "sequel" to The Downside to an Earthquake"...based on a true story...

The Upside to an Earthquake

The earth moved

And she threw herself into my arms

She was awfully cute,

Whoever she was

When the trembling stopped

We disengaged with grins,

Relieved and happy in the knowledge

That between two strangers parting

There would never be an

Aftershock

Emanuel E. Garcia

August 2013

emanuelegarcia@gmail.com

The Downside to an Earthquake may be found here, I highly recommend it

About the Author:

Emanuel E Garcia is an author and physician who resides in Eastbourne. His most recent book, Twenty-Four Caprices for Violin, is a collection of whimsical, fantastic, poignant, macabre and capricious tales, each of which features the violin. Set in wide-ranging locations and milieux, from Vienna to Nashville, Florence to New York, Venice to New Zealand, they capture the bittersweet and ridiculous nature of human follies — romance, repression, vanity, fidelity, ugliness, adultery, mischief, mastery, innocence and betrayal, and is available here  for only $2.99.

I was treated to a number of these stories at a reading at Rona Gallery, and they really did all the things the blurb says.  Unexpectedly fun, given there wasn't a single spaceship. Not even a wizard— unless you count the multitalented Emanuel E. Garcia himself.

...and don't forget the link to Twenty-Four Caprices for Violin to read this fascinating short stories.

cheers,

A.J.

A.J. Ponder's books are available through Rona Gallery, Amazon, Paper Plus and good Wellington bookstores.