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Marc Latham’s latest Folding Mirror poem draws an analogy between natural disasters and human wars. Are human wars as natural, unpredictable and unstoppable as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Human history up to the current time suggests so. The poem is shaped like a volcanic eruption, with the lower half of the poem preceding the upper half narratively.

Here’s the poem:

Natural Disasters

nuclear winter clouds all
bombers above radar
missiles fly silent
artillery arches
shellshock
war erupts out of earthquake words
propaganda
leaders launch
masses find voice
ideology under religion
culture clash tectonic impact

Marc Latham’s central site is the Greenygrey (http://www.greenygrey.co.uk).

Reblogged from WordPress.com News:

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Well explained update on new wordpress features.

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Marc Latham’s latest Folding Mirror poem was inspired by darkness descending on a clear evening while writing up the last poem post on this site. And here it is:

Changing of the Guard

duel at dawn
between night and day
light always emerges
with seed of moon

Yin zen Yang

sun leaves evening all
dark envelopes sky
in the second leg
of cosmic balance

Marc Latham’s central site is the Greenygrey (http://www.greenygrey.co.uk).

Both poems were first featured on this site. Caroline Gill’s accepted poem was Thalatta, Thalatta; Claire Knight’s was Hourglass of Time. Thanks again to Lewis, Caroline and Claire for their creativity and time.

Here’s the image that appears on the Odd and Invented forms blog. Viewing it as a clock face, Caroline Gill is at about 5 o’ clock and Claire Knight is at about 9 o’ clock:

Image via Wikipedia

Marc Latham’s latest FM poem is a jolly little ditty for a January monday in the northern hemisphere, but the poem and day are not all doom and gloom, with
venus already bright in the light,
looking like a diamond coloured kite
above pink contrail ribbons
in a clear sky  sunset.

Here’s the FM poem:

Dying to Live, Living to Die

In Death
we find
what we’re looking for
our role’s rendezvous
rehearsed
not knowing the part

Life is learning and losing

returning to the magic
unknown
nature’s voluminous  void
promise of innate discovery
last known
At Birth

Marc Latham’s central site is at the Greenygrey (http://www.greenygrey.co.uk)

• Nominate 15 other bloggers
• Inform my nominees
• Share 7 random facts about myself
• Thank those who nominated me
• Add a picture of the award to this post

Here’s 15 other bloggers:

kjpgarcia.wordpress.com
KJP Garcia’s poetry site. 

whimsygizmo.wordpress.com
de jackson’s poetry site.

dwrob.com
David Robinson’s writing site.

jakill-jeansmusings.blogspot.com
Jean Knill’s writing and poetry site.

didyoueverkissafrog.typepad.com
Alberta Ross’s writing site.

travelthroughhistory.blogspot.com
Ruth Kozak’s blog for the Travel Thru History website.

trevorbelshaw.com/blog
Trevor Belshaw’s writing blog.

evocativeembrace.wordpress.com
nice newish poetry and writing site.

writingtipsforbetterwriting.wordpress.com
Ledia’s writing and poetry site.

sajeevkmenon.wordpress.com
Sajeev Menon’s poetry, philosophy and photography site.

thepagesandfriends.blogspot.com
Marit Meredith’s blog for the Pages magazine.

zumpoems.com
Zumwalt’s decades of poetry.

asjellis.wordpress.com
Stories by A.S.J. Ellis

amarketingexpert.com/blog
Book marketing advice.

lesleycarter.wordpress.com
Lesley’s bucket list for 2012.

And 7 Random Facts:

1. I hitch-hiked a lot when younger.

2. I’ve travelled to all the populated continents.

3. I have run three marathons.

4. I am a published writer and poet.

5. I have a PhD.

6. I had a trial with a professional football/soccer club.

7. I often do stupid things and feel very lazy.

   Now, to let my nominees know…

Marc Latham hadn’t planned any new Folding Mirror poems this week, and wanted to focus on other writing work, but Suzi Quatro’s Search for Jim Morrison inspired a poem yesterday, and Neil Oliver‘s History of Ancient Britain documentary last night (http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b01971gm/, available until 10:04PM Sun, 8 Jan 2012 in the UK; don’t know about any other availability) had an exciting archaeological find in Orkney that seemed perfect for a Folding Mirror poem.  As the documentary is only available this week it was thought that a quick publishing was needed.  Sorry if it’s a poetry overload so soon after the holidays!

Spiritual Portal found between Ring of Brodgar and Stones of Stenness

The Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stenness have long been fascinating attractions on Orkney, off the north-east coast of Scotland.  An archaeological dig between the two circles, called the Ness of Brodgar, has now found a large temple complex, which they think was a portal on a procession route from the Land of the Living – Stones of Stenness to the Land of the Dead – Ring of Brodgar.

It is thought that there was a similar relationship between Stonehenge and the nearby Durrington Walls, with a procession route between the two via the River Avon.

It is believed that the Ness of Brodgar was destroyed when the Bronze Age brought a new political and religious system, and the inhabitants lost faith with the old Stone Age rituals.

The poem is structured in line with the order of the ancient procession rather than geographically; as shown in the above map on the Orkney Jar website, the Ring of Brodgar is north of the Stones of Stenness.  Here’s the poem:

When Life Looked into the Mirror of Death

Land of the Living
Stones of Stenness
carefully crafted circle
spiritual lea
pathway between sea

Ness of Brodgar, purifying portal

respecting ancient lessons
pathway processions
alms around ancestors
Ring of Brodgar
Land of the Dead

Marc Latham’s central site is the Greenygrey (http://www.greenygrey.co.uk).

Image via Wikipedia

Marc Latham’s latest fm poem was written on New Year’s Day while listening to the BBC Radio programme: Suzi Quatro in Search of Jim Morrison, (http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b018b6gj/) which is available in the UK until 10:02PM Wed, 4 Jan 2012.  Don’t know if it’s available anywhere else.

The poem is about two very different kinds of lifestyle either side of a warm, dry and comfortable contented reality.  One of the alternative bipolar lives would be of pampered luxury in a pleasure palace and the other a rough living hitch-hiking hobo.

Contented Living, Contents of Dreaming

playboy mansion
is where I’d like to be
surrounded by women
all sweet as honey

roof under rain, wall in want

the long winding air
flying catapult kingdom
calls my mind on the wind
sunshine freedom

Marc Latham’s central site is the Greenygrey (http://www.greenygrey.co.uk).

I just received the report from WordPress about the blog in 2011.  Special thanks to those who commented and linked here the most, and the zen zebra fans for making it the most read poem.  Cheers, Happy New Year, and Best Wishes for 2012!

Here’s the statistics that WordPress has just kindly and efficiently provided.

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Warning: 2 of the sites that sent readers here have brought up security warning messages, so please don’t click on the haprak and istermetro links in the report.

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 10,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

New Book by KJP Garcia

Several of the new entries were by KJP Garcia, who has now released a book of poetry.  More details at the kjpgarcia site.

New Book by Lewis Turco

Lewis Turco has also had a new book of poetry forms published, and includes the Folding Mirror form in it.  More details at the Lewis Turco poetry site.

Happy Holidays

Thanks to everybody who has supported this site through contributing or reading in 2011 and I hope you have a great holiday season.

Marc Latham’s central site is the Greenygrey (http://www.greenygrey.co.uk)