Comments received on poems by Paul Bell
The man on the street
sorenbarrett said:
A chilling poem that seems right out of the news, so well written it is haunting
September 9th, 2026 11:37
sorenbarrett said:
A chilling poem that seems right out of the news, so well written it is haunting
September 9th, 2026 11:37
Jesus saves
Doggerel Dave said:
Observation, guarded affection and a story well told. There was nothing Jesus or you could have done.
Great read Paul.
September 8th, 2026 16:49
Doggerel Dave said:
Observation, guarded affection and a story well told. There was nothing Jesus or you could have done.
Great read Paul.
September 8th, 2026 16:49
Jesus saves
Syd said:
Hi Paul,
I really enjoyed this. The wordplay around proof and doubt is brilliant, and I love the dark humour too. I come from a family of alcoholics so it\'s also relatable.
Very clever writing and I love the ending.
- Syd 🍄
September 8th, 2026 10:33
Syd said:
Hi Paul,
I really enjoyed this. The wordplay around proof and doubt is brilliant, and I love the dark humour too. I come from a family of alcoholics so it\'s also relatable.
Very clever writing and I love the ending.
- Syd 🍄
September 8th, 2026 10:33
Jesus saves
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Incredible piece, Paul! The percentages become faith, uncertainty, intoxication, and self-deception all at once. As a pastor with my own history involving alcohol, that glowing promise across the street cut especially deep...present, visible, and still unable to interrupt the tragedy. Phenomenal write, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
September 8th, 2026 08:56
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Incredible piece, Paul! The percentages become faith, uncertainty, intoxication, and self-deception all at once. As a pastor with my own history involving alcohol, that glowing promise across the street cut especially deep...present, visible, and still unable to interrupt the tragedy. Phenomenal write, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
September 8th, 2026 08:56
Jesus saves
orchidee said:
I never get drunk cos I always drink the empty half of the bottle! lol. Makes sense to me. heehee.
September 8th, 2026 08:44
orchidee said:
I never get drunk cos I always drink the empty half of the bottle! lol. Makes sense to me. heehee.
September 8th, 2026 08:44
Jesus saves
arqios said:
Quite heartbreaking, tender and sorrowful poem. Quietly devastating. 👍🏻🕊️
September 8th, 2026 07:45
arqios said:
Quite heartbreaking, tender and sorrowful poem. Quietly devastating. 👍🏻🕊️
September 8th, 2026 07:45
Jesus saves
sorenbarrett said:
We drink what we have then look for more my friend. What else are we going to do and Jesus but it does save (at times). Good one Paul the metaphor is a great one with the bottle, the intoxication of a girl and the glass half empty (only half full when she is there and hopes are high). As I write this and think of it more the multiple metaphors within make me like it more and more like drinking when each glass makes life better. I\'m becoming intoxicated one read isn\'t enough I give it a fave.
September 8th, 2026 07:16
sorenbarrett said:
We drink what we have then look for more my friend. What else are we going to do and Jesus but it does save (at times). Good one Paul the metaphor is a great one with the bottle, the intoxication of a girl and the glass half empty (only half full when she is there and hopes are high). As I write this and think of it more the multiple metaphors within make me like it more and more like drinking when each glass makes life better. I\'m becoming intoxicated one read isn\'t enough I give it a fave.
September 8th, 2026 07:16
The bare tree
Doggerel Dave said:
Sometimes I do wonder if a departure from reality may not be an altogether bad thing...
Your write held me to the end, Paul.
September 7th, 2026 18:08
Doggerel Dave said:
Sometimes I do wonder if a departure from reality may not be an altogether bad thing...
Your write held me to the end, Paul.
September 7th, 2026 18:08
The bare tree
Tristan Robert Lange said:
What a powerful poem, Paul. The crow and the bare tree gradually open a door into buried fear and memory, and by the end that same place of danger has become somewhere of acceptance and rest. Dark, moving, and beautifully done, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
September 7th, 2026 14:21
Tristan Robert Lange said:
What a powerful poem, Paul. The crow and the bare tree gradually open a door into buried fear and memory, and by the end that same place of danger has become somewhere of acceptance and rest. Dark, moving, and beautifully done, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
September 7th, 2026 14:21
The bare tree
sorenbarrett said:
This seems to be me yelling at my children when they did stupid things that would put them at jeopardy. A great metaphor and personification in this write Paul. A fun story as well for what we see as common sense for others may not be. Many birds do not seem to mind getting wet and as for a lightning rod leaves would not protect. When I go out in lightning I and tap my head and say put it right there a challenge to nature. Have had some close calls but no hits yet.
September 7th, 2026 08:07
sorenbarrett said:
This seems to be me yelling at my children when they did stupid things that would put them at jeopardy. A great metaphor and personification in this write Paul. A fun story as well for what we see as common sense for others may not be. Many birds do not seem to mind getting wet and as for a lightning rod leaves would not protect. When I go out in lightning I and tap my head and say put it right there a challenge to nature. Have had some close calls but no hits yet.
September 7th, 2026 08:07
The bare tree
arqios said:
Mr Crow like a shaman of memory, or psychopomp of remembrance! 🙏🏻🕊️
September 7th, 2026 07:47
arqios said:
Mr Crow like a shaman of memory, or psychopomp of remembrance! 🙏🏻🕊️
September 7th, 2026 07:47
The bare tree
Abhijith EP said:
Interesting poem combined with effective rhymes.
September 7th, 2026 07:25
Abhijith EP said:
Interesting poem combined with effective rhymes.
September 7th, 2026 07:25
Carver
Thomas W Case said:
There’s a gleeful absurdity running through this, with Carver’s complete inability to recognize that prison, courtrooms, cranes, and MI6 all operate according to rules that apparently don’t apply to him. The repetition and escalating dialogue are the strongest weapons here—especially the 54-inch TV, “Cranes R Us,” the disappearing crane driver, and Carver casually returning from the prison kitchen with sandwiches—which gives the whole thing a wonderfully British, Monty Python–meets–sitcom kind of madness.
September 6th, 2026 07:48
Thomas W Case said:
There’s a gleeful absurdity running through this, with Carver’s complete inability to recognize that prison, courtrooms, cranes, and MI6 all operate according to rules that apparently don’t apply to him. The repetition and escalating dialogue are the strongest weapons here—especially the 54-inch TV, “Cranes R Us,” the disappearing crane driver, and Carver casually returning from the prison kitchen with sandwiches—which gives the whole thing a wonderfully British, Monty Python–meets–sitcom kind of madness.
September 6th, 2026 07:48
Carver
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Paul, this is absolutely bonkers in the best way. Carver has that perfect mix of arrogance, charm, and total chaos...every room he enters immediately becomes less stable. Hilarious stuff, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
August 31st, 2026 08:37
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Paul, this is absolutely bonkers in the best way. Carver has that perfect mix of arrogance, charm, and total chaos...every room he enters immediately becomes less stable. Hilarious stuff, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
August 31st, 2026 08:37
Carver
sorenbarrett said:
A humorous write (well maybe not) in that it bears more truth than fiction. Preferential treatment of prisoners has been around for a very long time. Based on status, political alignment or just plain likeability by the warden and guards. I have visited many on both ends or the stick. Nicely done my friend
August 31st, 2026 06:54
sorenbarrett said:
A humorous write (well maybe not) in that it bears more truth than fiction. Preferential treatment of prisoners has been around for a very long time. Based on status, political alignment or just plain likeability by the warden and guards. I have visited many on both ends or the stick. Nicely done my friend
August 31st, 2026 06:54
Full Bloom
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Paul, this is wonderfully twisted. The cheerful domestic calm sitting beside something absolutely horrific makes the whole thing even darker…and somehow funnier. Brilliantly macabre, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
August 30th, 2026 21:49
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Paul, this is wonderfully twisted. The cheerful domestic calm sitting beside something absolutely horrific makes the whole thing even darker…and somehow funnier. Brilliantly macabre, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
August 30th, 2026 21:49
Full Bloom
Kevin Hulme said:
Yes I like this . The dark Humour is Wonderful.
Could see Hitchcock filming this.
A fave.
August 30th, 2026 08:48
Kevin Hulme said:
Yes I like this . The dark Humour is Wonderful.
Could see Hitchcock filming this.
A fave.
August 30th, 2026 08:48
Full Bloom
Thomas W Case said:
There’s a damn deliciously macabre comedy here, with the bright summer setting making her utterly matter-of-fact murder even more absurd. “You’ll be wanting your steak well done / A bit like yourself” is the standout—cold, ridiculous, and perfectly suited to the dark punchline underneath it all.
August 30th, 2026 06:50
Thomas W Case said:
There’s a damn deliciously macabre comedy here, with the bright summer setting making her utterly matter-of-fact murder even more absurd. “You’ll be wanting your steak well done / A bit like yourself” is the standout—cold, ridiculous, and perfectly suited to the dark punchline underneath it all.
August 30th, 2026 06:50
Full Bloom
sorenbarrett said:
It is the absurdity of the situation and conversation that makes this great. Insanity when something snaps and everything is out of proportion and meaning. The big picture ignored for the sake of details. Then again it must be a metaphor as Criptic proposes, but then is not all of life but a metaphor, a satire, ironic a play of fools? A fun read that with afterthought has much deeper and darker meaning. I have seen a few cases similar and they seldom end well the answer a pill. A fave my friend
August 30th, 2026 06:25
sorenbarrett said:
It is the absurdity of the situation and conversation that makes this great. Insanity when something snaps and everything is out of proportion and meaning. The big picture ignored for the sake of details. Then again it must be a metaphor as Criptic proposes, but then is not all of life but a metaphor, a satire, ironic a play of fools? A fun read that with afterthought has much deeper and darker meaning. I have seen a few cases similar and they seldom end well the answer a pill. A fave my friend
August 30th, 2026 06:25
Full Bloom
arqios said:
This could be read as a metaphor for relationships that rot and spoil from the inside while the outside may still look idyllic. Perhaps even stretching to “full bloom” being a satirical inversion of this internal ruination. 🙏🏻🕊️
August 30th, 2026 05:20
arqios said:
This could be read as a metaphor for relationships that rot and spoil from the inside while the outside may still look idyllic. Perhaps even stretching to “full bloom” being a satirical inversion of this internal ruination. 🙏🏻🕊️
August 30th, 2026 05:20
Two For One
Thomas W Case said:
The first is a neat little joke about how quickly we judge people by appearances, and the clipboard makes the setup nicely ordinary. The Superman punchline is classic bawdy absurdity—the invisible man getting caught in the middle is what gives it the final kick.
August 25th, 2026 07:00
Thomas W Case said:
The first is a neat little joke about how quickly we judge people by appearances, and the clipboard makes the setup nicely ordinary. The Superman punchline is classic bawdy absurdity—the invisible man getting caught in the middle is what gives it the final kick.
August 25th, 2026 07:00
Two For One
Tristan Robert Lange said:
What a hilarious double feature, Paul! The first punctures the authority of appearances, while the second turns heroic confidence into one spectacularly awkward mistake. That final reveal still gets me every damn time! 🤣🌹🖤🙏🐦⬛
August 24th, 2026 08:17
Tristan Robert Lange said:
What a hilarious double feature, Paul! The first punctures the authority of appearances, while the second turns heroic confidence into one spectacularly awkward mistake. That final reveal still gets me every damn time! 🤣🌹🖤🙏🐦⬛
August 24th, 2026 08:17
Two For One
Doggerel Dave said:
You have a way of telling them Paul, and that one is very near the top.🤣
\'Hope I can sleep tonight - the image is just too much.
August 24th, 2026 08:06
Doggerel Dave said:
You have a way of telling them Paul, and that one is very near the top.🤣
\'Hope I can sleep tonight - the image is just too much.
August 24th, 2026 08:06
Two For One
sorenbarrett said:
Paul you made me laugh and that alone gets a fave. A most fun read my friend
August 24th, 2026 06:33
sorenbarrett said:
Paul you made me laugh and that alone gets a fave. A most fun read my friend
August 24th, 2026 06:33
The Priest
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Paul, this is wickedly funny. The narrator’s shameless rationalizing builds perfectly toward a form of pastoral care I definitely missed in seminary...yet somehow it feels entirely appropriate. Fantastic write, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
August 23rd, 2026 12:56
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Paul, this is wickedly funny. The narrator’s shameless rationalizing builds perfectly toward a form of pastoral care I definitely missed in seminary...yet somehow it feels entirely appropriate. Fantastic write, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
August 23rd, 2026 12:56
The Priest
orchidee said:
Doh! There was a priest who said \'I\'m a man of peace, and if you don\'t agree with me, I will punch you on the nose!\'
August 23rd, 2026 07:53
orchidee said:
Doh! There was a priest who said \'I\'m a man of peace, and if you don\'t agree with me, I will punch you on the nose!\'
August 23rd, 2026 07:53
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