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New Poetry Book- What The Poemster Found

I am very pleased to announce the release of my third poetry anthology- What The Poemster Found -poems from places poets roam'

The poems in this new collection capture real-life experiences while exploring past events and numerous small moments. Among the poems gathered inside the pages of this anthology, I light heartedly reflect upon the untimely death of Brutus the Budgerigar. I also share some wheel bad news, the ride of the sky witch, the sad tale of Norman Neets, some secret conversations around a kitchen table, and all the reasons why science rocks. This is just the start of a joyful jaunt through the places poets roam.

What The Poemster Found does deliver some fun verse hopefully providing a rollicking journey through the far reaches of this poet’s inspiration. However, I have also tried to balance the humour with some quite deliberate attempts to provoke thought about issues, for as Nikki Grimes, American poet said so importantly:


'Children are emotionally and mentally complex human beings. Don’t limit their poetry exposure to humour. They deserve a more varied poetry menu than that.’

The word 'Poemster' was gifted to me by a small boy in a school near the city of Adelaide. I was sitting outside the main office waiting to be taken to meet a group of young poets, when a boy wandered past and stared intently at me before asking, 'Hey mister, are you the poemster?'  The rest is history. 'Poemster' is now forever immortalized in the title of my book. 

Here is a tasting from my new book

Opposite Positions

I think the opposite of skinny
Is the bottom on my Auntie Minnie
What is the opposite of dark?
A flashlight beam- bold and stark
What is the opposite of fit?
Someone who prefers to sit
The opposite of sweet, I think
Are my brother's shoes-they really stink
The opposite of underwear
Are the clothes on top, we wear out there
The very opposite of happy
Is someone cranky, nasty, snappy
It's screaming, yelling, don't come near
It's go away, don't want you here
The very opposite of morning
Is late at night when I start yawning
It's darkness falling around
When nightfall covers all the ground
And if purple has an opposite
I'm certain I can't think of it.


The Ride of the Sky Witch 
(For Walter de la Mare)


Upon her broom a witch goes riding.
Cloaked in darkness,
Dipping, gliding.

Away she sweeps across the sky.
All cackle and howl,
And mournful cry.

In the gathering evening gloom.
She hovers in shadows,
And swoops with her broom.

Spells are muttered to the darkened sky
And then with a whoop,
Away she will fly.

Along the laneway, through the street
Her evening ride,
Is short and sweet.

A final swoop above the town
Then homeward bound,
Her broom heads down.

Never the Whole Family

Rummaging through a box of old photographs
Images from the growing years
My days of greyscale memories
Snapped with stories attached.

Images from the growing years
My sister, me and a kangaroo
Mum and Dad at Blackburn Lake.

My days of greyscale memories
Seated on my father’s lap
Mum holding my sister, the baby.

Snapped with stories attached
Subgroups of a larger family

Never the complete set.


Wants and Needs

Danny wants an X-Box
Shani wants a bike
Kelly wants some high top sneakers that constantly glow in the dark
Khalil wants his mother to stop crying

Michelle wants a holiday in a tropical resort
Charlie wants new soccer boots –bright, shiny red
Olivia wants a new laptop computer
Khalil wants the bombs to stop falling on his town

Mandy wants a basketball
Joel a new CD
Max wants a motorbike and a new wetsuit

Khalil wants to spend a night without wailing sirens


All poems by  Alan j Wright


Comments

  1. Congratulations on the new book! Yay for poemsters everywhere, and witches and wordplay and those complicated young people we all write for. Thank you for sharing... I'm quite fond of the opposites one, which has that zany where-will-he-go-next Shel Silverstein vibe.

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    1. Thanks Irene. I too like the Opposite Poem. So much so that it leads off the book!

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  2. I seem to be following Irene around, agreeing with her completely. Congratulations on the book. Poemster is such a wonderful word and title. I too love the opposites one and the never quite knowing where you would go next.

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    1. Thanks Liz. I have a small boy in a school in Adelaide for the word 'poemster. It was his creation and a word too good to ignore - so I snaffled it for the title. The opposite poem seems to be getting the tick of approval. It was a delight to write, I must say.

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  3. Congratulations on this new book, Alan. I like the idea of "greyscale memories" in that middle poem, & yes, not all the family are there. Someone had to do the camera long time ago! I used to do a 'wants and needs' exercise with my students, would have loved your poem when that happened. Your lines with Khalil speaking right in there with the other lines is powerful.

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    1. Thank you Linda. It was important to me to heed Nikki Grimes's words as I was considering which poems I wanted to include is this anthology. I am pleased that you have picked up on this in your remarks. I love humour, but I have tried to extend the range here.

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  4. Congratulations, Alan. May the poemster inspire many budding poets - and readers! Loving your opposites poem which has a lovely rhythm and humorous touch. I so agree with Nikki Grimes' words. So often these days, kids are given humour. But the want and need heart, too. They respond to it!

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    1. Thanks heaps Kat. I like your thoughts regarding heart.

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  5. I agree. There is no opposite for purple, the Queen and King of all the colors! (My favorite, in case you couldn't tell!!!)

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  6. Congratulations on the new book! These you shared are delightfu. And I love the word poemster.

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    1. Thank you Kay. Glad you enjoyed the poems I shared. The word Poemster just tickled my fancy. It became irresistible.

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  7. Congratulations Alan on this inspiring new poetry collection. While I loved the first two rollicking poems I am very taken by your closing poem "Wants and Needs," and how grand to be a "Poemster," thanks!

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    1. Thank you for your generous remarks Michelle. Glad you liked the wants and needs poem in particular. It is an example of poetry that asks a little more of the reader- that's my hope anyway.

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