Just a man
Lorna said:

Shades of Rudyard Kipling! Great rhythm..... loved it.

December 9th, 2021 14:59

Just a man
Coyote said:

Beautiful words and superb structure. Awesome write Chris.

December 9th, 2021 00:34

Just a man
Draven said:

These parting words are beautiful. xx

December 8th, 2021 16:18

Tall tales.
Doggerel Dave said:

Taller than that - needed oxygen by the time I reached the end.
Thanks Chris

October 5th, 2021 20:05

Stifled.
Caring dove said:

A really expressive poem ) an engaging read

October 3rd, 2021 14:15

Our young one wants an Iphone.
L. B. Mek said:

I imagine this was a necessary, therapeutic write for you, lol
loved the humorous cynicality, tone balanced on the right side of \'jest\'
and underneath it all there\'s a gentle theme of sincere love and care,
I hope she\'ll read these words and grow-up, determined
to prove you wrong
and in so doing: Make you Proud...
(a rare wholesome read, with subtly imbued warmth in every line, thanks for sharing, dear poet)

October 1st, 2021 03:44

Gone
L. B. Mek said:

my second time reading, I think
not sure if I commented earlier
but my response seems to be consistent,
the inevitability of death
and its allure of nothingness
seems romantic, when worded poetic
and yet, dear poet
if we could last a few days, alone
enveloped in our experience of nothingness
we, wouldn\'t have cultivated such a weak-willed society
who betray themselves daily, just for a sense of belonging
to something, someone: Anything
as-long, as they\'re not alone...
that\'s what we find so hard to grasp, that Death
is not some surrealist depiction of otherworldly ubiquity
its, an ending
an abrupt removal from experiencing
a shared sense of existence, with each other;
we can recreate that, at anytime..
we just become hermits and create that death by a thousand cuts of loneliness..
and so, I find little romance or value, in romanticising Death\'s finality,
rather, I find it desperately sad
that we are left with death, as some symbolic hero of the ultimate escapism..
and no, \'They won\'t miss us, after we\'re gone\'
if we didn\'t constitute a presence in their lives for them to miss,
so its what we do, when we\'re alive that matters
not what people miss or don\'t when we\'re, immersed in existence\'s finite song...
(thanks for sharing and inspiring my little scribbled reply, dear poet)

September 17th, 2021 03:04

Looking back.
Goldfinch60 said:

It is always so good to reunite with old friends.

Andy

September 4th, 2021 00:28

The toupee in the pub.
Doggerel Dave said:

With the hat no need for the toup. Feels to me like Your pub\'s habitues had runout of conversational topics - footy , the weather, and were glad of the distraction. Sounds like they were a solid lot though and you would have had no problem keeping order.

Witty enjoyable write, Chris - Thanks.

August 29th, 2021 18:14

Gone.
L. B. Mek said:

\'Gone as in yesterday.
When looking back is miles away.
You join this life and end this life alone.

Long gone is worse than gone.
Long gone is getting lost in time.
Time is always gone, though we’re trying to hang on to it.
Because we believe to waste it is a crime.\'
a timely write! ( no pun intended, but still quietly celebrated)
\'ahem\'... lol
I think a lot of people can relate
to your general sentiments, although
maybe not worded so depressingly, stark
(remember people take sugar, with their tea
let alone an expresso - shot, of unfiltered reality...) lol
thanks for sharing, dear poet

August 26th, 2021 03:23

Unfinished business,
Steve0875 said:

This flowed so nicely. Very well done. Thanks feel your pain.

August 23rd, 2021 14:45

Corporal Punishment
Chris Duffy said:

Thank you Dave. I\'m glad you got the message.
I used to run a pub and a couple of ex paras used to come in
Nice guys but lost in Civvy St.

August 22nd, 2021 07:11

Leave it there !
L. B. Mek said:

So many points to highlight, but I\'ll try and limit my excitement
your ability to showcase, each and every detail
of that thought process you\'re unfurling and distilling
is very impressive, almost like a mini novel
with a well flushed-out character,
would be great if you can find the time
to do a version, voicing Her side
then maybe add a third \'Act\' - or finale, that can highlight
the commonalities and misunderstandings
between the two \'poetic voices\',
admittedly, would make it a little lengthy
but it would be a great poetic accomplishment,
or maybe I\'m just getting carried away
anyway, what do I know...? lol
just rambling, because your poetry
was a delight to read, dear poet
thank you! for sharing

August 20th, 2021 04:27

Shake Down.
L. B. Mek said:

\'Who cares about hereafter.
When you’re trying to live today.\'

\'Taught people to be tribal.
Your lies and deception
Your version of the bible.\'

\'The way things are a mess.
It’s time for you to right the wrongs
Pay for your excess.\'
(wonderfully defiant words! although
while I relate to the fervour
and measured, choice wording
of your write, sadly I can not agree
with its Anarchist themes,
Royalty or Representatives
of the General public - were first chosen
and elevated, to their position of influence
because: We the minority Needed them;
we \'Burdened\' the first elected few Individuals
who realised, similar positions of Authority
to Help ourselves, because
without a Symbolic final Voice to insure
all our disputes and misunderstandings
ranging, from the minor to the major
can be Judged, with some level of impartiality
our supposed \'Society\', will once more
devolve
into the chaos of the middle ages
where the Might of a single individual
or Gangs of people, who come together
for greed or vengeance, will
undoubtedly Rule over
the majority, peace craving physically \'weaker\' citizens.
Do not ever be mistaken
that is all that Anarchy: Promises and will bring
that is what awaits us, if we knowingly demolish
what Semblance of Civility and common Decency
we still have in our society;
you need only witness, all the looting and menace
people randomly act-out, upon their own
neighbourhoods and fellow downtrodden
when giving the excuse of a large rally or march!
No, dear insightful poet
only by choosing the more accomplished
and experienced members of our society
to represent and uphold
those common Agreed-Upon, pillars and foundations
to Humanity\'s Civility, can we maintain
our essential capacity to govern ourselves
and we must never allow, our blinkered view
of Today\'s Struggles
to persuade us of an Alternative Mirage.
Instead, we must once again
take that Responsibility: to insure
only the very Best and Humble members
of our society, go-on
to realise positions of influence and authority.
If we can not, find a way to do this
then all our other actions, to instigate
and achieve, meaningful Change, will be worthless
for - like now
we will have no way, to insure we can Sustain
those changes and Verify - continually
those new changes, don\'t Regress
back to the ways, that constituted
our need for change: to begin with!
Like Trump, the Royals
are a nice scapegoat
for us to envisage lynching and plundering
but have you seen those French, across the pond
did anything meaningfully permanent, get achieved
by barbarically murdering thousands
of the supposed elite or royals?
Apart from momentary self-gratification
that is...)
thank you! for sharing
such a wonderfully worded poetic read, dear poet
and for inspiring, my little scribbled reply
please, forgive me
if you find my response in any way rude.
and one last point, if you permit me
is that, I too 100% agree
if we want to put a finger, on the moment
any thread of self-limitation and restraint
was removed from those empowered
to govern in the name of a civil society
we need look no further
than Henry the Eight\'s, comprehensively vile acts
of Pure selfishness and barbaric chauvinism
just, so that he can \'sire a son\';
when in actuality, he gave birth
to one of History\'s greatest: Queens...

August 9th, 2021 04:08

Looking back
Coyote said:

Wow, this is good stuff! A very relatable poem for me and very well penned.

August 7th, 2021 17:35