Read Poetry From What Is Love?
Dyslexia Tutor Finds The Right Words
A woman who teaches dyslexic people how to overcome their problem has won a national poetry competition.
Ann Davies, of Addlestone in Surrey, was chosen as winner of the free nationwide competition run by publishers United Press.
“Ann’s poem on the theme What Is Love? was chosen as winner from over 2,000 entries we received from all over the UK,” explained Peter Quinn of United Press. “It’s a poem which reflects the subject in a very incisive and effective way.”
Ann wins £100 and publication of her poem, All That We Name Love, in a forthcoming poetry anthology, plus a free copy of the book.
“It was a wonderful surprise to win the competition. I’ve only been writing poetry for a few years but when I saw the competition advertised I was inspired to enter by the subject. It made me think about what love really means.”
Ann (63), is a literacy consultant currently tutoring students on a one-to-one basis at Kingston University. Previously she worked for the Nottingham Dyslexic Assocation.
“Poetry expresses those difficult issues in our lives,” said Ann. “Working with dyslexic children and young adults for most of my career has shown me the power of words. Too many of us take for granted the wonderful gift of being able to express ourselves. I belong to the U3A Poetry for Recreation group in Knaphill, Woking where a group of people come together once a month to share poems.”
You can read Ann's winning poem below:
ALL THAT WE NAME LOVE
Of love
Speak not lightly,
Nor confine with words too tightly.
For love’s meteoric hues
Exploded in radiant splendour
At the dawn of creation,
Vibrant, moody, diverse,
Powerful, colourful.
Limit not love’s quintessence
Be enfolded in its presence.
Love transcends
Death’s pale horseman
Lights up eternity
Triggers power and passion.
The creative spark
Fans love’s flame and fire
Ignites new life
Born to live and to discover
All that we name love.
Ann Davies, Surrey
You can read more excerpts from What Is Love? below...
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THE VALENTINE’S BALL
A Valentines card for someone with
no love in their heart.
Red, white and pink decorate the room.
Where no one cares.
Balloons burst like her bubble.
Apples are served as if to tempt Eve
But she won’t take and pass on to Adam.
But sits on the fence,
waiting not dancing
to the music.
Rachel Van Den Bergen
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I WALK THE DARKNESS
I walk the darkness
Seeking light
Once I exulted
In my body and mind
There was delight
Now sword-slender grief
Is in my heart
My love is dead
All is hopelessness
Reason of life crippled
I grope down the path of the past
Grasp nothing but my craving
For him to be with me
To lie down with me
And hold me tight
Feel speech and laughter ebb and flow
Then life was calm strong and beautiful glorious beyond words
Now life is without colour
Without a song
Without joy.
Idris Woodfield
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LOVE TO ME
Love to me is a special bond
You grow used to
And become very fond
Love to me is expecting so much
Appreciating that magic touch
Love to me is a journey’s end
Embarked upon with a remarkable friend
Love to me is selfless care
With silly surprises if you dare
Love to me is in a person’s eyes
Listening to them breathing contented sighs
Love to me is a life long share
And all your soul to continually bare
Love to me is a heart so true
Being able to say I love you
Love to me is a torture when gone
You can not replace second to none
Susan Booth
Born in Derby, Susan Booth has interests including writing short stories and poems and cycling. “I started writing about 12 years ago,” she explained. “Differences in human nature and humour in circumstances influences my work.” Susan is married to Kevin and they have two children. She would like to be remembered for success, or at least for trying hard. “I’d most like to meet Johnny Depp, but I’d be speechless if I did, because he’s so gorgeous and talented,” she said.
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YOURS ALWAYS
You arrived like a swallow from the skies
With a smiling face and excited eyes
A curious mind for all to see
An affectionate child revealing sincerity
A yearning for friendship was soon displayed
A fond response became your accolade
Alluring eyes with their darting glance
Conveyed you along the path to romance
Captivated by choice into a love nest
Then separate infants obeyed your request
Nurtured by love when walking to school
The girls signified your motherly rule
Later a son brought great joy
Relatives abroad welcomed a boy
An opportune time to ponder a restart
Inspired by a generous loving heart
A swallow displays beauty especially in flight
Love too has wings carrying delight
A heavenly gift installed during birth
Creating happiness, joy, peace and mirth
Thomas Conlon
Dedicated to Christine, whose sincere affection radiates happiness
amongst her family and friends at home and abroad.
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LOVE
What is love? Such a tricky question to pose
Popular songs many responses suppose
But often see life through spectacles of rose
Another lyric with an answer pyrrhic
State wise men never fall in love
So how are they to know
Indeed it would be facile to claim to
Know why man and maid go boldly
And happily down the church aisle
For such an answer I’ll run a mile
For it makes me smile while
Others it might rile
Tis a response that lack style
To humorists with guile they
Would say wouldn’t they that
Can’t get at it to scratch it
Good for a laugh or at least a smile
But an answer more profound
This poet would propound
The marriage service declares
Whom God together has bound
Let no man put asunder
Divine intervention is here claimed
Assuming love comes from above
A necessary quality for a man and wife
One that supports and carries them through life
Graham Watkins
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LOVE
Love is a walk in the dreams of another
A time shared, a moment given to a lover
Day or night seemingly entwined
Memories, emotions, feelings eagerly combined.
Love is the dream blown apart
The fragile rapture formed in a heart
Raging passions both negative or true
Lost all meaning succumbing to you
Love is the taste of delighted devotion
The craze of strong, caring dedication
Full of laughter, tears, rage and passion
Love is deeply full of compassion.
Love is thrilling, irresistible, desirable bliss
Heart breaking, soul making, mind blowing
Love is everything or nothing at all
Love is far richer than words can express.
Love is all we are together,
Now today, tomorrow, whenever.
Martine Gafney
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ROCK A, BYE, BABY
Burnt out from keeping flame alight
Blow it away, pull wool over eyes
But can’t cover losses of this house, it always wins
Count them in head until counted out, and truth rings
For a part of me knows you’re not there
As it grows, I stir from my rocking chair
Pick up your photo, then the answer -phone
Turn you down, next to the gramophone
Afraid I’ll drop your smile, and shatter your dreams
So I keep you where I can hold you
In my sleep.
Alec Hallam
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FOOL’S GOLD
So far from that satsuma sky
That stretched on tiptoe
To whisper in magenta hues
And eavesdropped
On our millennium murmuring
Soft tingle - hiss of your hand’s kiss
On hungry skin
Heartbeat’s needy ache
With birdlike flutter, disturbed from roost
Causing limbs to quake
Sweet pungency of forest mists
Tickling tendrils wet
All through our ten mile hike
To where Marco’s mantle
Mingled with our sweat
Cheaply fashioned, ‘make-do‘ ring
Settled second finger from the end
Champagne drenched kisses all too sweet
As we made our damp, leaf cushioned promise
Upon crushed fern - fronded love-seat
Where once patient panned the pilgrims
In forgotten days of old
We found a gleaming nugget
But as before .... I was to learn
It was but fool’s gold
Michelle Layton
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WHAT IF
What if I was to say to you, we had met before, in another time and place, would you want to know more?
What if I was to say to you, I slayed dragons to win your heart,
Made a vow to a holy man, that we would never part. what if I was to say to you, god created the world for you, gave you the body of a goddess, the smile of an angel too.
What if I was to say to you, Juliet was once your name, would you let me be your Romeo, so we could be together again.
So what do I have to say to you, to try and make you see, our love will live forever, while your on this earth with me.
Geoffrey Wallace
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CROWNING GLORY (2010)
She gave motherhood a new dimension:
Devoted herself
To all children of every nation and age,
Not just in life but in death.
God could not help
But fell in love with her Himself,
As a gift on Valentine’s Day
Inspired the significant ones to act,
To ban cluster bombs at her behest, a real disgrace!
They at once put many kids to death.
Past February thirty states signed a convention.
And this summer, August 1st
More did the same, UK as well,
To let the Princess of Wales wear a victor’s crown
And reign on the global stage triumphant.
On the 13th anniversary of her exit from this world
Diana of Hearts has so much to celebrate,
Two landmark victories won from grave;
Just to show that her flame of love is burning high
Has the might to burn death down
And its tools each time, to keep humanity alive.
Lucy Carrington
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ME, ME, ME
Glory in front of a mirror one’s face
Prides oneself in your birth
Your dress is the best of modern taste
Brag about one’s wealth
Delight in your sport cars
Pride yourself about one’s sexual force
No one skilled as you
Never bet on fast women or slow horses
All the maids are in love with you
Your professor brain is so big
Think elderly ladies are in love with you to
Brag about dancing the finest gig
You’re in love with yourself
Good luck in your ignorance and in health
Bryan Clarke
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THE L WORD
Finding love is a journey, of many ups and downs
Its ageless, unconditional, many times it knows no bounds
The joy is of the highest high and can make you loose your mind
You glide through days like gossamer, forget to look behind
People say that you look younger, you have your favourite tune
Holding hands and a listening, while gazing at the moon.
Sharing special moments with someone at your side
The longest chats into the night with them you can confide
Picnic by the river wild, or walking in the park
All of the simple things, watching movies in the dark
They say that the best in life, is surely worth the wait
I’m glad I waited patiently for you my true soul mate
Now we plan our new life, pathway wide enough for two
I know my journeys over, now I’ve found my special you.
Andrea Wilson
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A HEART LAID BARE
My heart I give to you my dear
So vulnerable open and true.
Words seem wanting in my endeavour
To express the depth of my love for you.
I implore you thus accept this token,
A mere trifle though it seems.
It is but a symbol of a love unbroken
Over time and space and dreams.
It belies a beating heart laid bare
Unfettered, I am in your grace forever.
Adjoa Ofori
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PEACEFUL PLEASURE
Love is rose garland bower
With love famed at sun drenched hour
Calling, calling, come sit awhile
In English country garden style
Enjoy the wealth of shade
While bees buzz, and birds sing, well played
Love come with special remuneration
Of pleasure creation
Before losing of the light
Till a new day, begonia bright
Last night I dreamt of love beyond compare
Everything perfect, with happiness to share
A reaching out to loving faces
Of repaired people and places
Then I awoke to sing and coo
With praising words of I love you.
David Maxwell
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LOVE?
Love like a clock,
Ticks on with time.
It grows with feeling,
Or is wasted we find.
You don’t know how lucky you are,
To have one who cares, more than
Words alone can express.
You give very little,
In return for so much !
Is it fair to compare,
Love, friendship and trust.
Caring alone is nowhere near,
What love means !
Spare a thought,
When you have one !
See it shine like a dream !
Feel that warmth from inside you,
Make you shiver and still !
You don’t know it’s love !
Maybe you never, will.
Paul N Schofield
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REUNITED LOVE
We were lovers you and I,
Long before the beginning of time,
We were soul mates you and I,
United as the years rolled by,
But somewhere along the way we lost the thread of the pattern,
We both went our separate ways,
And waited for new life to happen,
We had new partners you and I,
But somehow we couldn’t forget,
The love we had,
The fun we had, every day that we met.
Now quite by chance we met again,
And found the feelings still there,
For without each other the days were long,
And quite unable to bear.
So day by day,
We are starting again to build a new life together,
Still so much in love,
Vowing never to part, and to stay true to each other forever.
Jan Imeson
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MY CLOSEST AND THE BEST
Love comes in many ways with each passing day
As it was as I remember
The day I met my love one.
When we were in our teens.
He befriended me in my our of need
And be came my closet and the best
He turned my sad days to laughter
And my tear drops to sunshine.
We vowed our love beneath the stars
And promised to be true.
As each day we shared the times ahead
As our love grew stronger
Their were day trips to the seaside
Country walks and village dances
And sentimental poems
With each bouquet of flowers.
We enjoyed mother nature gifts of love.
The flowers, Birds and wildlife
And when its time for us to go
Our love shall live on, with our family and friends,
And our children and their young.
Jim Carlin
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