The Poetry Place

Open Studio

A writer's blog

Trevor Millum, Teachit poet in residence The aim of the blog is to try to show the process of writing. It's a bit artificial because you can't reproduce all the thoughts and crossings out that take place either metaphorically or literally.

However, it might help to show students that poems do not spring fully-formed onto the page.

Previous blogs are archived: see the list at the right of the page. Quite a few have been inspired by existing poems (by Edward Thomas, Duffy, Heaney, Armitage and others) and there are also villanelles, sonnets and lots of light verse. I enjoy this - and it keeps me writing! Any comments welcome.

What will this turn out to be?

Monday, 10 December 2018 10:34:56

What will this turn out to be?
Monday, 10 December 2018 10:34:56

I didn't realise how long I'd been away from the Poetry Place writing desk. Lots of things happening. I've been promoting a book of sonnets and starting work on a book of advice for teachers and librarians about poetry with fellow poet Bernard Young. But back to this poem...

The list of things above is a bit disjointed. Is there a theme or is it just a random list? Lines 2 and 3 go together but don't fit with line 1 oor 5, for example.

I don't like line six - it seems cliched. So either a complete reworking or it gets binned!

I think 'I'm sad' can go. Let the readers make up their own minds.

Lost causes which no one else fights
Are his to ponder on long winter nights
After the party when no one came.
Now he looks round for someone to blame...

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What will this turn out to be?

Thursday, 22 November 2018 16:54:53

What will this turn out to be?
Thursday, 22 November 2018 16:54:53

I discovered some jottings from a long time ago. I know it's long ago because of the font: it's one that was in use with early word processors, probably on a BBC B computer. I wonder if anyone remembers them?

Some of the lines could be re-used, I think.

I'm sad for lost causes which no one fights

for tightly drawn curtains on long winter nights

The annoyance of newly laddered tights

the birthday party when no one came

a soldier's grave that bears no name

in a hundred years it will just be the same

that makes me sad

I'm not even sure that I wrote them. Perhaps it was from a writing class I gave? Anyway, they are some raw material...

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