As poets we must endeavour to practice being keen observers of our world as well as our personal relationship with things within that world.  We learn much from reading the words of fellow poets and the way they rise to meet these expectations. This poem is for Billy Collins who possesses a masterful ability for keen observation of these critical considerations and has taught me much.  'Good poetry can penetrate your writing like smoke gets into your clothes.' John Poch Adoration of Things In My World - For Billy Collins   Late in the afternoon As I strolled along the beach I found myself infatuated With piece of sun-bleached driftwood. Later on While walking home along the reserve I fell in love with a butterfly Resting on a bougainvillea And the frenzied flight of rainbow lorikeets.   Back home in the kitchen I felt a yearning for a cup of Earl Grey tea And a growing passion for the last Tim-Tam In the pack. I have previousl...

Ideas are all around us... They often reveal themselves when we sit or stand still in any given place and take time to indulge in a little close and considered observation. Look and learn moments.  A walk of some 300 metres from my back gate along the reserve to the beach delivered this poetry moment on a winter's walk back in July. It reflected a small, yet notable part of that day's events. As poets, capturing small moments others pass by, forms a significant part of our existence.  I have been waiting to share it with you... Morning Mist  Over Fisherman’s  Beach On this grey, winter’s morning Mist spreads across the bay wispy like cigar smoke  It settles just above the water’s surface Hanging like a stage curtain  Over Fisherman’s Beach Cloaking the horizon with an air Of mystery and intrigue. This perfect backdrop for pirates, smugglers Or secretive sailors, -A haunting morning Complete with shivers. I stand at the shrouded shoreline Peering at the sea ...

I have for many years encouraged teachers to not only share their writing, but also the process they undertook in safely landing those special words on the page.  It is vitally important for inexperienced student writers and poets to be shown the tricks up the magician's sleeve, thus answering that enduring question- How did you do that? The poem, 'Poembrew' hopefully shines a little light on my own particular process when writing poetry. You may see yourself doing a number of these things as well, as you prepare to go about your writing. Our personal writing process is a unique undertaking. At the same time it may also involve some universal actions and thoughts that hold the potential to assist young poets to better navigate the writing terrain.  So, let me take you to one of my worlds where I am reading aloud 'Poembrew'  -a poem from my most recent anthology, What The Poemster Found.' It is once again Poetry Friday and our host, the talented  Bridget Magee  b...

Clogyrnach Poems Besides being another intriguing word to say 'clogyrnach ' is also a poetic form, both challenging and engaging to write. A  form of poetry, Welsh in origin, typically a six-line, syllable driven stanza with an ab rhyme scheme:   Line 1: 8 syllables with an a rhyme Line 2: 8 syllables with an a rhyme Line 3: 5 syllables with a b rhyme Line 4: 5 syllables with a b rhyme Line 5: 3 syllables with a b rhyme Line 6: 3 syllables with an a rhyme So when I stumbled upon it recently, I thought I must try this. My desire to meet this new poetry challenge was compelling. Here is my Clogyrnach Poem.   The Wind On A Winter's Night A winter's night, without the moon The wind directs the fall leaves -swoon It rattles the doors Shaking trees, it soars The night roars Wild tunes. ©Alan j Wright It is once again Poetry Friday and our host this week is Irene Latham . Irene is exulting all things autumnal in her post.Please call by to find out...

Kimo poems are an Israeli version of haiku. It is claimed that there was a need for more syllables when writing  haiku style poems in Hebrew. That said, most of the rules are still familiar to traditional haiku: 3 lines.  No rhymes. 10 syllables in the first line, 7  syllables in the second,  6 syllables in the third. The Kimo focuses on a single image (kind of like a snapshot). So it's uncommon to have any movement happening in Kimo poems. So, here is my kimo poem. Give it a try... Nature's Cathedral I stand in awe among the giant trees This glorious cathedral While silence surrounds me. ©Alan j Wright It is Poetry Friday and our host this week is Laura Purdie Salas   . Laura shares some Tankas about autumn for the #PoetryPals challenge. She also has a new book coming out: If You Want To Knit Some Mittens!

We all display behaviours that set us apart, identify us. Oddities and quirks that have become part of our way of operating- our habits. They are often referred to as idiosyncrasies (distinctive individual behaviours).  We frequently perform them unconsciously. It is often the observations of others that draw attention to our strange and wonderful ways. Some quirks are quite odd such as the behaviour of the character, Robert Barone in the TV series ' Everybody Loves Raymond ' who would touch his chin with snacks before placing them in his mouth. Some quirky behaviours are driven by superstition such as one I recall from my childhood when we were told never to step on cracks in the concrete for such action would surely break your Grandmother's back-'Don't step on a crack or you'll break your grandmother's back.' We were impressionable enough to comply with this horrifying edict. Some of our quirks are driven by order and repetition of certain actions. So ...

This week I am sharing information regarding Rondelet poems. The rondelet is a typical French form with rhymes and refrains.  Here are the basic guidelines for this poetic form: 7 lines Lines 1, 3, and 7 are refrains Refrain lines are 4 syllables long, other lines are 8 syllables Rhyme scheme: AbAabbA So here's my attempt at a Rondelet poem... Let Me Lift Your Spirits Just let me know If you need words to make you smile Just let me know I can bring you love and laughter I could walk with you awhile We could celebrate with style Just let me know Alan j Wright It's Poetry Friday once again... Our host this week is Tricia at Miss Rumphius Effect   Please visit to discover more about the effects of grief on the human condition. 

It was BOOK Week in Australia last week and while Covid tried its hardest, it couldn't dampen our collective spirits for books and all things literate.  So, while I couldn't visit schools in person,  I was able to contribute and be part of the celebrations with on line sessions reading poetry and presenting a range of poetry forms for young poets to try for themselves. I read some poems from my books and also presented some more recent poems- freshly made, still warm!  The idea was to share the good news that ideas for poetry are all around us. Anything can become the focus of our poetic attention. We must try to become observers and curious explorers! Here are three of my latest poems about a range of matters.  Poems that have bubbled up while trying to remain creative in these Covid times.  Hope you enjoy them... It is once again Poetry Friday and our host this week is Heidi Mordhorst   at ' My Juicy Little Universe .' Heidi's post focuses on a number of ...

 THE BANANA POEM CHALLENGE Here's an idea that came from UK Poet, Liv Torc and I am more than happy to bend with it. After the quite serious nature of my last post, this was a most welcome, frivolous and enjoyable distraction. Write a poem on a banana every day for a term, a week, a month or for as many days as you can be bothered. Send them to school with your kids, or invite your kids to write their very own (make sure they agree, -consensual bananas only) and see what happens. In time we may become members of a new banana republic!  At the very least we can trigger a real banana revolution together. I have not considered other fruit forms, and this project is certainly not recommended for fruit you just happen to randomly meet in the supermarket aisle... Are you ready to go bananas? It's once again Poetry Friday and our genial host this week is Elisabeth Norton at Unexpected Intersections   .   Elisabeth is celebrating the writing of Jane Yolen, the acclaimed writ...

 Sometimes  poets  experience a strong need to respond to current events -global or local. Poets across many generations have frequently taken a position on matters enacting around them. They raise their voices, they speak out and  write their words.   Sometimes they are directly affected, at other times they are keen observers...  For this reason I felt compelled to write about the sad events currently occurring in Afghanistan, a country that has already endured two long decades of war and disruption. There is so much uncertainty surrounding life for the vast majority of the Afghan people. I am aware of my ineffectualness here, but I must speak my truth at this time.  I am both sad and angry regarding this lamentable outcome. My words reflect deep disillusionment regarding past and present actions. Life and poetry often converge in the thoughts arising from these emotional peaks and troughs we all encounter. Afghanistan Falling Weak resol...