Poem for Barbara who is semi-blind (Cheerful Poem 11)

Barbara is centre front. I am on the right front. Karl Blau back left. Simon Varley top right.

I've missed sending Barbara a Christmas card. Maybe I can send her a happy New Year card. I would like a card which plays a stone or sings a song. You should be able to create one yourself using something like siri. I think you can buy cards which enable you to record a brief message. First you have to compose the message.

Bright Future

by Angela Lansbury

My darling I think of you every day
I'm always hearing of you doing good
Even when I am not passing your way
I've sent this greeting as fast as I could

I'm so glad to hear good news when you're well
And I'm so sad to hear when you've been ill
So I hope all next year you'll be happy
Then brighten when you recall my goodwill

We can't count the future days life may bring
But our shared past's full of good memory
We can't count the days when we'd talk and sing
Joys we've shared with others, for cash or free

Smile and recall our successes with glee
If I call when you're away or asleep
Whisper I'm glad she's still thinking of me
We've good memories we share, and we'll keep.

Copyright Angela Lansbury 2015
Draft poem. Version 2
I was going to find a thesaurus page to change three lines ending with me, but the rhymes free and glee popped into my head.
Running through the alphabet I find: be, see, fee, he, knee, pea, sea, tea, sympathy
I would like to make some money from my poetry.
You may forward it with correct attribution in the hope that it reaches somebody who can use it commercially and pay me. Thank you

I know Barbara through Harrow Writers' Circle. Unfortunately, I missed the annual party because I was away at a prior engagement.

Please look at my posts on travel. You can follow my travel posts, follow me on Facebook, Link to me on LinkedIn. Maybe meet me at a Toastmasters speakers' club meeting. Look at or buy my books on Lulu.com and Amazon. If you buy one of my books and meet me at a Toastmasters meeting I'll sign the book for you and write a personalized rhyming couplet for you.
You can also see me reciting and talking about poetry on YouTube.
Angela Lansbury

Ooh! Poem by Angela Lansbury (Cheerful Poem 10)

Rhyme of the day from Angela Lansbury

Ooh!

Oh, dear me, there's a stinky poo
Has it come from the dog, or me, or you?
It really doesn't matter who
Just get rid of that stinky poo.

Copyright Angela Lansbury Dec 24 2015.

You may quote me for non-commercial use with attribution and written/email permission. 

This was not written after any event. It just seemed to rhyme nicely. I was thinking of the sort of rhyme I or anybody else might make up if we went into an old people's home and started developing Alzheimer's. One of the signs is talking in rhyme. Oh dear!

After I'd written it, I thought, oh dear. Have I half remembered this from somewhere else, from Michael Rosen or another writer for children.

I often get this sensation of panic, if a poem is easy, not endlessly rewritten. I then google all the words. Often you get ten variations on a line, or a rhyme, everywhere from the bible to pop songs, articles about them, and more.

Yet even by changing one word the whole implication of the sentence has often changed. 

If I wrote, 'Has it come from the king or queen or you', that would have one meaning, probably humorous, to make toddlers hiccup, only half understanding, but seeing a parent laugh. But 'from the prime minister or you'  written from a member of one political party to another, on the occasion of a gaffe, or controversy, or court case, would be totally different, political commentary, satire, or even slander. 

Written with an illustration of an owner of a woebegone dog in the park, and a pooper scoop, it could be an advertisement for cleaning up after your dog, to keep dog owners and children on side. Written as, 'from the cat or dog or you', with an illustration of three cute, guilty looking pets, would again be humorous but totally different, a comment on animals, but a fond one. 

Angela Lansbury, author of Poetry Pets And Pests (lulu.com).

Poem Living Dead (Cheerful Poem 9)

Reviving Dreams of the Living Dead
by Angela Lansbury

In my dreams the dead are living
My creative mind keeps giving
Life to them, it keeps beguiling
As they stroll around, still smiling

They walk and talk, don't whisper, shout
But, independent, roam about
Yet in the cruel truth of day
Their images just fade away

The day moves on to fresh new joys
To little laughing girls and boys
'til, clearer than my struggling pen,
Silk pillows lift my dreams again.
-ends-
copyright Angela Lansbury Oct 9th 2015

The Duty of a Poet (Cheerful Poem 8)

 

The Duty of a Poet

by Angela Lansbury

The duty of a poet

Is to spread a little light

To teach the eager children

Night follows day, day wipes night

I’m sorry I’ve often heard

People died reading bad words

Bad news, debts, prompt suicide

Farmers, even doctors died

And yet, my dear, don’t forget

Souls who claim great escape

Air crash, prison, kidnap, rape

Saying poems, chanting rhymes

Held visions of better times

They told themselves - and captors

Life’s filled with joys and raptures

Out and about or at home

In company or alone

Move to soothe, let your hands write

Create sweet words, spread the light

A simple poem lights the dark

Like spotlit paths lead through the park

A promise that though one soul dies

A million stars shine, light wide skies.

The duty of a poet

Is to shed a little light

To teach the eager children

Night follows day, day wipes night,

Like your mother or father, 

Your teacher or your preacher

Show what is wrong and what is right,

The duty of the poet

Is to spread a loving light.

-ends-

copyright Angela Lansbury April 29 2015

For the opening of a course, school term, conference, festival. 

Spring has Sprung (Cheerful Poem 7)

Spring Has Sprung

by Angela Lansbury

Say goodbye to winter

Dark nights and winter chills

Say hello to springtime’s

Bright yellow daffodils

I saw the first spring flower

Overnight the spring had sprung

Neighbours smiled and gathered round

Now even the old feel young.

-ends-

Copyright Angela Lansbury

First version March 6 

Ups and Downs on Santa's Sleigh (Cheerful Poem 6)

Ups and Downs On Santa’s Sleigh

by Angela Lansbury

version 2

Happy Santa’s still on his way

Paid overtime since Boxing Day

Driving his blue-nose reindeer sleigh

To new rich, old poor, childless, gay

Carol singers rapped on our doors

Charity junk mails never pause

Though each claimed they’re a better cause

We’re all in debt to Santa Claus

Driving through the misty sky

Roads blocked by rocks, better to fly

Drones his gift-wrapped parcel post

Vogue nonsense parents love to buy

Leading parades on a music float

Beard hides wrong notes, loved bright red coat

Boards his Noah’s Ark size boat

Circles a moat, gloom’s antidote

Sometimes after New Year’s Day

That old, stretched outfit’s packed away

In January’s delayed snow

To which warm land should Santa go?

When frost mists London’s window panes

Pensioners jet to cut price Spain

Drink with two sunny kings again

Single Mums crowd Sales - don’t complain

You cannot blame poor Santa Claus

If weeks later your gifts seem junk

Good kids are helping Santa rise

Not driving, walked, tripped, what’s he drunk?

He’s stored or sold his grand regalia

Or shipped it off to warm Australia

North in Finland, so I’ve heard

His huskies join migrating birds

Springtime’s better, warmer, wetter

After finishing yule logs, eats venison, or hot dogs

Breeds more huskies or red setters

Answers children’s long dead letters

Next year, learn lessons, no mistakes

We’ll tell him where and we’ll say ‘when’

Give Christmas but not tipsy cake -

Hope dear great grand-dad lives ’til then.

-ends-

Copyright Angela Lansbury March 2nd 2015

World Poetry Day March 21 inspired this poem by Angela Lansbury (Cheerful Poem 5)

The Perfect Poemby Angela Lansbury

Written (on Feb 27 2015) for World Poetry Day MARCH 21 (established by UNESCO to promote the spoken word.)

I'll unfold for you words in your mind's scroll
Fit for every person in every place
Which speaks even to those who know no words
Like a baby's smile lights each passing face

Link to the deaf, speak with beckoning hands
Turn delicate fingers which flow, sway, stop
Lead loud applause for a worthy cause
Make you tap feet, Mexican wave, roll, rock

See the world in mothers' or mentors' hands
Watch the sea froth white, cleaning gold, shell sands
Like jigsaws of palms lean neat when complete
You're a small, vital piece in life's dance plans.

***
Illustrations:
scroll
smiling baby
deaf language translation
oriental dancer's hands
Jigsaw of palm trees

A chorus line (movie B Berkeley?) and a circular dance (Hindu)

My first line was originally
I would like to write for you my best poem ...
I thought that might grab every would be poet or poetry teacher, and suit the day.
My second thought was that this sounded to simple and prosaic and self-centred. I should paint a picture, use a metaphor.

I thought of calligraphy, but the syllables were too long. What image of a writer, a finger, a quill - too old-fashioned. Scroll was a short, one syllable word. Also added an air of elegance. It was something you could imaging. Also something you could illustrate.

See the whole world in kind mentor's hands - I changed to
the world in your mother's or mentor's hands

You're a small, vital piece in life's dance plans.
My  second draft reads
Your day's vital piece dances in life's plans.
The new version was more interesting but a tongue twister, too complicated to say and not a clear message at the end so I returned to the original version.
Next step is to improve the rhythm. 
I have time between now and March 21st - in fact the rest of my life. Suggestions for improving the rhythm by shifting the order of the words or changing words and phrases to synonyms will be welcome

When You Are Feeling Very Poor (Cheerful Poem 4)

When you are feeling very poor

by Angela Lansbury

When you are feeling very poor

You wash sesame seeds dropped on the floor

You shut the curtains and lick the plates

Instead of sweets suck stones from dates

You feel each meal owes you some more

Once rich, retired, now feeling poor

You cut a chocolate into three

You asked your dieting friends to tea

“No, please,  you have the bigger half!”

’though feeling poor, we feast and laugh

The plates’ licked, washing up’s no chore

Life’s still good ’though we’re feeling poor. 

-ends-

Copyright Angela Lansbury 20.Feb 2015

Cat-friendly house (Cheerful Poem 3)

😻

Cat-friendly house
by Angela Lansbury

A just read of a cheerful man
Who rescued cats and had a plan
To make the most cat-friendly house
With all delights except live mouse

It was the most amazing scene
With sloping shelves all in green
He had cat-friendly spirals, too
I'd love to live there - wouldn't you!
-ends-
copyright Angela Lansbury Jan 31 2015

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2933115/The-man-turned-house-feline-fantasy-Builder-creates-utopia-14-cats-complete-ledges-tunnels-soothing-music.html#comments

Posy of Poems - January (Cheerful Poem 2)

A Posy of Poems

by Angela Lansbury

January - 2015

This year I see the winter pass

Just like the ones before

Dark outside, mould on shut curtains

Draughts, cake crumbs on the floor

Once again chilly January

So we are stuck indoors

With clutter left from Christmas time 

Gifts - don’t send or spend more

Though we didn’t get white Christmas

We enjoyed Christmas lights

Our streets festooned, spruce trees with stars …

Still alive, eat and fight

Relieved, we think the risk has gone

So back to work we go

But trains and cars are deluged by -

Too late for Christmas - snow.

-ends-

Jan 28 2015

Copyright Angela Lansbury

A Poem On The Present Of A Tree For You (Cheerful Poem 1)

I was researching author quotations of the day for my Quotation Diary and was looking at poet Shelley. The poem I recognized from my school days was Ozymandias, apparently about a ruined statue of the king better known to us by the name Ramsses. The poem was possibly written to celebrate the forthcoming exhibition of Egyptian statues in London.  But when I saw the two poems written by Shelley and his friend and friendly competitor poet Smith, I started to update the poems into modern language, then decided to rewrite the poem more positively.

A poem on the present of a tree for you
by Angela Lansbury

Ozymandias? I lèave his statue, move quickly on

Why should I care for him? He would not care for me!

Don’t waste time with one who ruled by fear and slavery 

I thank my family I live elsewhere and free

I see his statue, turn my book’s page

Glimpse highs and lows through endless eternity

Memories of last night’s darker age

Teach me to see how good all brief life should be

I’d rather leave a pretty poem with a message for the passer-by

Don’t stop and stare, nor sigh and mope

March on and work, and live and laugh

Be like me, creative, happy, full of hope

Our future’s a sweet baby 

You’re dear friends I shall never see

But I'd rather plan to leave olives, dates, grapes, wine and shade

So for you I’ve planted vines, plums, pears, coconut palms - and pruned this apple tree.
-ends-
To my son and possible grandchildren