Tag Archives: poetry book

book reviews, fantasy, free book, Poetry

A Review of ‘From January to June’: Dive into Poetry

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I recently looked at the reviews I received for my poetry book, From January to June ; One Poem a Day, and was delighted to find this.

From January to June (One Poem A Day Series Book 1)

imagemarjorie mallon

A variety of poems to enjoy

December 13, 2024

From January to June. V M Sang

As a poetry enthusiast I was keen to read V M Sang’s poetic observations: From January to June.

It’s a eclectic collection with a variety of topics such as Spring, Family, Communications (how they change through time,) music, travel, (France and UK,) amusing poems, and daily life.

Some of my favourite poems: Grandma’s Hands, Son, Songbirds, Teddy, Dark Creatures, Doorway, Home Sweet Home, New Mown Grass, The Internet, and I Am A Writer.

Something for everyone, some short, like this haiku.

‘The bees are humming.
Gentle breeze quivers the leaves
And a poet dreams.’

Some poems are longer, some telling a tale. A good way to discover more about the author and what makes them tick!

I enjoyed, and can recommend – 4 stars 🌟

And now to whet your appetite, here’s today’s poem from the collection.

February 17th

Another one from a prompt. This time it was to write a poem with the following words. Lavender, horn, gold, hooves, trot.

Unicorn

I heard a sound in the wood.
And thought, “What can it be?”
I kept silent where I stood
Hoping I would see
Something wonderful and rare.
Perhaps a shy and timid deer.
But there is magic in the air
And stranger beasts live near. 

A glimpse of lavender appeared
Between the beech trees tall.
My brow I furrowed. This is weird.
I could not work it out at all.
Then from the trees a unicorn
Trotted out so that I
Could see his unique horn of gold
And cloven hooves and clear, bright eye.

I held my breath to see this beast.
I felt my heart beat fast.
My mind was filled with thoughts of peace
As he trotted past.
He paused and took away my pain.
I knew not what to say,
But he shook his lavender mane
And trotted on his way.

If you would like to read more of my poetry, you can get the ebook for free. by clicking the button below or the cover in the sidebar.

It is available from your favourite bookstore in ebook, paperback or hardcover versions.

Get my book here

I would like to thank Marjorie Mallon for her kind review.

Do you enjoy poetry? What is your favourite kind of poetry?

announcement, book release, Cover Reveal, Poetry

Cover Reveal

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I was going to post some pictures from my recent holiday today, but I received the preview cover from my publisher this morning and so decided to run with that. Hence the delay in posting.

Here it is, alongside the first book.

These books have one poem to be read each day for a year. Here is the blurb about Book 1.

Take a lyrical journey through the first half of the year with V.M. Sang’s FROM JANUARY TO JUNE.

This anthology captures the essence of everyday life, nature, and the world around us through the versatile medium of poetry. From haiku to narrative poems, and the humour found in limericks, From January To June is a diverse collection of poetry.

A calendar in creativity, a diary in verse; this collection is the perfect companion for daily reflection and inspiration, providing a poem for each day that resonates with the diverse experiences of life.

And a review from Amazon.

Sashadoo

5.0 out of 5 stars Clever and unusual, a unique blend of poetic styles.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 December 2023

Verified Purchase

I thoroughly enjoyed this unique collection of poetry from V M Sang. I say unique because it’s rare to find such an eclective collection of different styles, forms and subjects in one one book, all by the same author. From Haiku to full length poetic pieces, covering a wide range of topics from the weather to personal feelings and the rare beauty found in the more mundane, everyday events in the poet’s life. Definitely something for everyone and I have no hesitation in recommending the book and giving it a 5 star review.

Here is a poem from Book 2 to whet your appetite. It is the first poem in the book, dated July 1st.

It’s deep into peach season, so I wrote this in honour of that delicious fruit.

Peaches

A peach with skin so soft.
Breathe in the sweet scent
As to my nose it wafts.
Made just to tempt.

Bite into the flesh.
That scent did not lie
The flavour is so fresh.
That I cannot deny.

Juice runs down my chin.
The peach is so sweet
It must be a sin
To enjoy such a treat.

The book contains many poems of different types, like the first one. I will keep you informed as to when it will be released. It should be sometime next month.

If you can’t wait, then you can get the first book by clicking on this link, or to get my previous poetry book, Miscellaneous Thoughts, you can click here.

Or click on the book cover in the sidebar.

Do you like the cover? Does it tie in with the first book, to show they are linked?

announcement, Cover Reveal, Poetry

Cover Reveal

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I’ve had the suggested cover back from the publisher and have accepted it. I like it. What do you think?

Should be out in time for Christmas, so if you are stuck for Christmas presents, here’s an idea. Details of where and how to buy coming when I know them.

In the meantime, if you would like a short story to read, completely free and exclusive, click on the button below.

Send me my free story

Maria and Tom have bought an antique table for the old cottage they have bought. When they hear strange noises in the night that sound like crying, they worry their house is haunted, but the sounds seem to come from the table.

They set about trying to find what is causing the disturbances. The answer is stranger than either of them had thought.

(Clicking the link will add your email address to my email list, but don’t worry, you can unsubscribe immediately if you wish. Nor will you get any spam. I only send out an email each quarter, or if I have any exciting news–like a new release.)

Uncategorized

A Halloween Poem.

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Tonight is Halloween. This is an ancient festival that we have adapted to our own times. This poem harks back to those times when people really believed that the spirits of the dead could return to Earth, including demons and other malevolent creatures.

Hallowe’en

 

The moon has hidden her face tonight
Turned away from the Earth.
The clouds are scurrying away in fright
From what the night may give birth,
For tonight the veil is thin.

The wind is blowing the leaves around.
They hide in crannies and nooks.
Cowering, shivering, hope not to be found
By phantoms, ghosts and spooks,
For tonight the veil may tear.

Build a bonfire, create some light.
The spirits are afraid.
They like the shadows, shun what’s bright
And lurk within the shade
For tonight they cross the veil.

Ghouls and spectres, wraiths and shades
Return to Earth tonight.
We’re filled with dread as daylight fades.
The smallest sound will give us fright
For tonight the veil has gone.

This poem appears in my poetry book, Miscellaneous Thoughts. It is available in your favourite store, as ebook, or ‘real’ book.

There are more Halloween poems there as well as others from the various seasons, the countries of the UK, limericks, Haiku and many other things.

Most of my poetry is rhyming poems, so if you enjoy that kind of poetry, you will probably enjoy my poems.

Get your copy by clicking on the image of the book in the sidebar or the button below.

Get your poetry book here.

Did you like my poem? All comments will be read and answered. Add yours in the comments box.

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A New Book of Poetry by Kevin Morris

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I am not a fan of modern poetry. I’ve said this before. I’m not saying many of these poems are not poetic, and beautiful in many ways, I just can’t recognise them as poetry. To me, poetry should have at least rhythm, if not rhyme. (And as someone who has written poetry, it is much more difficult to deal with rhythm and/or rhyme.) Many of these modern poems, or Free Verse, would not be recognised as poetry if they were not in lines. (In many cases, seemingly random line breaks.)

My friend, Kevin Morris, writes poetry that I recognise as poetry. He writes humorous verse along with other more philosophical ones, and they rhyme and have rhythm.

He has been featured, reading his own poetry, on Canadian Radio on more than one occasion.

He showcases some of his poetry on his blog. (address below).

I am delighted to announce to you all that Kevin has a new book of poetry out. It is called Leaving, and Other Poems.

Here is an example of one of the poems from his latest collection.

Blackbird

I see the sun shine,

Think on the divine

And the tick tock

Of the ever-present clock.

I hear the blackbird,

Who has heard

Nought of clock

And my fleeting word.

(Blackbird can be found in Leaving and Other Poems, which is available from Amazon in Kindle and paperback, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09R8NG6WQ/).

Connect with Kevin on the following sites:

Links:

Blog: https://kmorrispoet.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drewdog2060_

The review below was of Further Selected Poems of K. Morris, also available on Amazon, as Leaving and Other Poems is only just out and it has not got any Amazon reviews yet.

Hannah Symonds

5.0 out of 5 stars

Funny yet thought provoking

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 March 2021

Here we have some funny but also thought provoking poems and limericks. I have to say I do prefer the limericks that are in this book as they are very amusing. My favourite poem in the book is Sparrows in the tree as we get a lot of sparrows in our garden, they are very common in the UK. Now every time I see a sparrow I will be thinking of this poem. My favourite limerick in here is There once was a turkey called Paul, just from the title alone you know it is going to be funny. I laughed my socks off on this limerick. Thank you once again to Kevin who has written some truly fantastic verses.

And a bit about Kevin.

Kevin was born in the city of Liverpool on 6th January 1969. Having attended The Royal School for the Blind and St. Vincent’s School for the Blind in Liverpool, he went on to read History and Politics at the University College of Swansea.

Having graduated with a BA (Joint Honours), and an MA in Political Theory, Kevin moved to London where he now lives and works.

Being visually impaired, Kevin uses screen reading software called Job Access with Speech (JAWS) which converts text into speech and braille, enabling him to use a Windows laptop.

Much of Kevin’s poetry is written in his home, which overlooks a historic park in Upper Norwood/Crystal Palace, a suburb of Greater London.

 Have you read any of Kevin’s poetry? Let me know in the comments box.

How about a free, exclusive story? You can get one, by me, by clicking on the link below.

Maria and her husband, Jack, have moved into an old cottage. They want to furnish it with period furniture and buy a medieval table.

That’s when the mystery begins. Strange sounds in the night. Have they bought a haunted house? But a medium tells them it is not a ‘lost spirit’, but something else she does not recognise.

What is it that is causing them to lose sleep? The answer is more unexpected than anyone thought.

Send me my free, exclusive story.

By clicking on the link, you will join my quarterly newsletter. But don’t worry, you can unsubscribe at any time, including as soon as you have downloaded the story, if you wish.

I won’t spam you, either. You will only get a newsletter every 3 months, but I might occasionally send you a present, or some exciting news, like a new release.

book release, interview, Poetry

Guest post from kevin morris, poet.

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Today I welcome one of my favourite poets to my blog.

Kevin Morris is a poet who writes both humorous and serious poetry. I will hand over to Kevin now, and he can explain about his poetry much better than I can.

Welcome, Kevin. Please tell us about your poetry.

I have, for as long as I can remember, been a lover of poetry. The first poem I recollect having read is Alfred Noyes’s “The Highwayman”, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43187/the-highwayman. I was (and remain)entranced by the rhythm of the poem and how it matches the beat of the horse’s feet, as the Highwayman approaches the inn:

“The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees.   
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas.   
The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,   
And the highwayman came riding—
         Riding—riding—
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door”.

I find good rhyming poetry profoundly beautiful, and much of my own work is written in rhyme. Take, for example my poem “Autumn Fly”, which appears in my forthcoming collection, “Light and Shade: Serious (and Not so Serious) poems”.

Image by FRANCO PATRIZIA from Pixabay

“An autumn fly
Buzzes around my head.
Summer is dead
Yet will not die.
Seasons pass.
We are brittle as glass,
This fly
And I”.

Whilst sitting in my study, in late autumn, a fly began buzzing around my head. This brought to mind the mortality of this tiny insect and also that of man. Hence the above poem was born.

I have many happy memories of strolling through the woods with my grandfather and it was from him that I gained my love of nature. This affection for nature was, I believe encouraged further by my reading of poems such as Keats “Autumn”. Much of my own poetry touches on the theme of nature. Take, for example my poem “Rain”.

Image by AlbiF from Pixabay

“The rain
Patters amongst these leaves.
I listen again
And ascertain
That it’s the breeze
Midst these trees.
Yet it sounds the same
As rain”.

As with “Autumn Fly”, “Rain” came to me naturally as a rhyming poem. I could not have expressed what I wished to convey had I utilised free verse, as rhyme comes naturally to me, whilst other forms of poetic expression do not.

Whilst there exists some wonderful poetry composed in free verse, to me much free verse is poetic prose rather than true poetry. Many poems written in free verse are beautiful. However, for me their beauty resides in their poetic prose, they are not, in my opinion poetry as I understand it (I.E. with real rhyme and metre).

One can not always be serious, and section 2 of “Light and Shade” is devoted to my humorous verses. Take, for example my poem “Jane’s Sad Refrain”:

“A young lady named Jane
Sang a most mournful refrain.
I could repeat her song,
As it wouldn’t take long,
But it’s copyright of Jane!”

To conclude. Poetry is, for me about rhyme and its rhyme with which I feel most comfortable. There is, as I said, some wonderful free verse poetry out there. However, for me at least much of this (but by no means all) is poetic prose rather than poetry proper.

(“Light and Shade: Serious (and Not so Serious) Poems”, by Kevin Morris will be available in the Amazon Kindle store, and as a paperback in July 2020).

Links:

Blog: https://kmorrispoet.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/drewdog2060_
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6879063.K_Morris

Thank you, Kevin, for telling us more about your poetry. I agree with you about free verse. It’s something I’ve thought for a long time. I have written poetry that doesn’t rhyme, but it always has rhythm. And I love the poem about Jane!

I would encourage everyone to search out your poetry books and to visit your blog.

Good luck with this latest one. I look forward to its publication.

If you have any comments to either myself, or Kevin, please enter them in the comments box. Feel free to reblog this.