Poets respond. They are frequently prompted by events occurring in the world around them. Local and global matters compel a poet to respond.  Therefore,  I find myself needing to write about the conflict once more taking place in the Middle East. I write from the perspective of innocent lives lost on both sides of this hideous, rolling conflict.  Poets have long written in the political sphere. This poem has been swirling around in my head all week. I must respond to this internal tension. These became words I felt compelled to write.  My poem is a triversen poem.  The Continuing Conflict   For the duration of my life this narrow strip of disputed land has been a conflict zone.   Daily atrocities pour forth from news reports, where innocent people fall victim and terror is written on children’s faces.   Wailing sirens duly announce the firestorm of destruction and the sky rains death.   Any thought of a two s...

I quite like quirky news stories and go looking for them in newspapers whether in print or on-line. It is a diversion from the endless tsunami of bad news to which the media frequently flocks.  There is gold to be found among all that negativity. We just need to bring our keen observer's eye. I urge poets of all ages to strike out as text detectives in search of the unconventional and unusual, the wacky and the weird.  The recent story of the diver who was swallowed and then spat out by a humpback whale is one such amazing story.  I  make sure to keep these stories in my notebook for later reference. This story regarding attempts re-introduce beavers to urban London caught my eye immediately. It has also allowed me to revisit the Triversen poem structure. Beavers Are Returning to Tottenham   After some considerable time away Beavers are returning To inner London.   The fair folk of Tottenham Want them back Living wild and free.   Th...

The 'Triversen' is a poetic form developed by William Carlos Williams. It presents as a flexible poetry form where the sentence plays a key role in forming each of the six three line stanzas. A Triversen poem has the following characteristics: Each stanza equals one sentence. Each sentence/stanza breaks into 3 lines (each line is a separate phrase in the sentence). There is a variable foot of 2-4 beats per line. The poem as a whole should add up to 18 lines (or 6 stanzas). Here's my attempt at a Triversen poem. It sets a tone of sadness, but in this case that was my brief as a poet. Earl's Funeral when they buried old Earl a murder of crows sat in a nearby tree the shadow of a cloud passed over the  mourners who shuddered in the cold air Earl was buried in an old suit his favourite battered hat and a photo of his dog. can't remember the last time I saw Earl  but we shared a few words A life gets recounted ...