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Archive for March, 2016

160315ScissorsW

Has anyone else found scissors inspiring?  Never thought I would but as my favourite Professor said, the scissors chose me – I didn’t choose the scissors.  Very Zen.

To encourage you, here are the first & final versions of a poem written after 10 minutes of  Scissor contemplation & manipulation…

1st Version:

Cutting into my life.
Sharp edges that define.
Cruel severance.
Pointed.
Cold steel ‘ shiny, hard, distant.

Cream/grey plastic
warm, smooth, closer.

Why is?
Unnatural – closer?
Cut/pain ‘ endings,
Death/severance ‘ no going back.
No return ‘ finality.

Blades slicing together
teamwork ‘ severance.
Teamwork – blades;

actually touching.
Wiltshire Staysharp,
a warning of actuality;

‘THIS IS WHAT I AM’

engraved,
scoured into the hard steel,
un-erasable,
undeniable.

Circular pivot – the turning point;
the axis of action.

Inspired by these original words – I linked them to my (then, 2002) romantic dilemma: a man I loved 28 years before, contacted me on the net in 2002 – only I’d  sworn never to be fooled by love again!

Shear Love

You sever my reason,

shape my feelings with your

steely blades of perception.

 

You use the twin edges

of measured analysis

and practical application,

 

to rotate on my axis of impatience,

 

defining our new existence

with that swinging efficiency

of open – closed action. 

 

You manipulate me

with metal precision,

held in a warm moulded grip.

 

My paper reality

waiting for words

that define an Us.

 

Frances Macaulay Forde © 2002

Here’s My Challenge: 

Get a group of writing friends together & tell them to bring something odd.  

If no friends willing, do it by yourself…  I still use this exercise to kick-start a writing session & have loads of bits and pieces on my study desk.

Pile the odds & ends in the centre of the table (or desk).  

With eyes closed, mix them up & hover a hand over them.  

Still keeping eyes closed, pick one thing & take 10 minutes to write about it.    

Please share your results in my comments – I’d love to read them.

 

@FrancesMForde  #FrancesMacForde  #POEM:ShearLove  #Poetry  #PoetryChallengeNo1  #WorkshopWriting  #Writing  #Poems  #PoetryPostcards  #FMF:PoetryPostcards

 

 

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0906PloughPrizeList

I was very proud to find my name, next to my poem ‘Left Field’ on the long list for The Plough Prize in 2007, discovered quite by accident years later.

So I can imagine how pleased Afric McGlinchey was, I’m sure just as thrilled, when her poem ‘A River of Familiars’ appeared in this year’s longlist.

I proudly own a copy of the E-book  “The Star of Hidden Things” published by Ireland’s foremost publisher of poetry; Salmon Poetry – a literal feast of magnificent word-obsession.

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Like Afric McGlinchey, I was raised in a kinder Africa where, I felt loved and accepted and totally enfolded in the arms of my melting-pot community.

Beautiful book of Photos available © Gregg Robinson

Her poems brought my African childhood back to me so clearly, I’m about to order her latest publication through Salmon Poetry; “Ghost of the Fisher Cat” which includes the Plough Prize longlisted poem, “A River of Familiars”.

ghostofthefishercat

@FrancesMForde  #FrancesMacForde  #PloughPoetryPrize  #POEM:LeftField   #AfricMcGlinchey  #SalmonPoetry  #ARiverOfFamiliars  #TheStarOfHiddenThings  #GhostOfTheFisherCat  #Africa  #Poems  #No1IrishPoetryPublisher #Begorrathon16 #IrishPoets

 

 

 

 

 

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Artwork 2 of 4 from the ‘Play’ series, sketch in progress. 

Jessica McCallum © 2011

 

ELEPHANT WALK                                                                      

When I was a child

I remember thinking

that chain around

the elephant’s leg

wasn’t strong enough.

 

Elephants are tough!

If he wanted, he

could free himself just

by lifting that mighty foot

shaking the metal loose

and walking away…

 

Why does he stay?

 

No-one could stop him

If he chose to go,  take

his own path. No more

performance on command

– he could find some green.

 

Walk through jungles again!

 

Elephants are tough so

why does he stay, stroll

through sawdust, put up

with that lady who leans

into his ear, whispering…

 

It’s because he loves her.

 

Frances Macaulay Forde © 2011

 Written to the art of Jessica McCallum for her 2011 Exhibition:  “All the pretty Ones Are… “

 

@FrancesMForde  #FrancesMacForde  #JessicaMcCallum  #ArtAsTheSpark  #AllThePrettyOnesAre  #AnimalArt  #ForTheLoveOf  #ElephantWalk  “ART:Play2  #Poem  #Poetry

 

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Time this had another airing…

Frances Macaulay Forde's avatarPerth Words... exploring possibilities.

Catalogue---Distain

distain

Your contempt for my feelings

broke something inside – no, not

my heart, it was my soul…  You

 

judged me harshly, unworthy –

beneath your regard. In total

disgrace, I slunk away to heal.

 

I needed to breathe deeply,

to absorb the pain, swallow

before wearing silk again…

  

Frances Macaulay Forde © 2011

ART:  Jessica McCallum

#FrancesMacaulayForde  #JessicaMcCallum  #ArtAsTheSpark  #Romance  #Love  #Poems  #LovePoems  #ArtPoems  #Art

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“Begorrah!”

Niall McArdle's avatarThe Fluff Is Raging

Reading Ireland Month is off to a great, somewhat incestuous start!

niall12 People are really excited about this

In the first week of this year’s Begorrathon, we’ve had book and film                                       reviews; we celebrated Irish success at the Oscars; and sadly, we bid a final Feck! to Father Jack.

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Some highlights from our participants:

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You can read all the Reading Ireland Month posts here.

Don’t forget to link up  your posts at either our inlinkz website or our Facebook page, and when sharing them,be sure to tag them #irelandmonth16 or #Begorrathon16

Happy Begorrathoning!

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I see you’ve already sold quite a few… well done!

AVA.'s avatarAVA.


my book is for lovers! you can find ‘this is how you know i want you’ worldwide via amazon. signed copies are only available through my etsy: etsy.com/shop/AVApoetry

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The Lady In The Van

Been waiting to see this!   Finally going to see it on Tuesday – it’s a long weekend here and the cinemas will be too noisy (I like to hear my films without distractions).

 

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…and why-ever not!

Niall McArdle's avatarThe Fluff Is Raging

One of the great things about having a blog is it’s a great way to promote artsy people, blogs and websites you like. There’s no point having The Begorrathon unless you’re going to give a shout-out to some Irish peeps.

So here’s a big ‘howaya, what’s the story, bud?’ to a few of our favourites.

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Barry’s Bespoke Bakery

A short film written and directed by Denis McArdle (yes, he’s my brother). It did the festival circuit a couple of years ago and has won several awards.

You can watch the film hereand listen to the brother chat about it a little here. You can also see some of his other films here, including one starring Aidan Gillen (Littlefinger from Game of Thrones).

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A Terrible Hullabaloo

A short stop-motion animated film about teenager Vincent Byrne, who at 14 was one of the youngest rebels taking part in the…

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At last – it’s here:  read all about it!

https://au.movies.yahoo.com/news/a/30057380/first-finding-dory-movie-trailer-video/

https://au.movies.yahoo.com/news/a/30998630/first-full-finding-dory-trailer-video/#play

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Not sure if ‘like’ is what I mean; I think ‘Well done, TEAM Red Billabong’ is more appropriate… although I’m not a fan of Horror.

Cinema Australia's avatarCinema Australia

Within the first ten seconds of the Red Billabong trailer we see a shot gun, an army, a giant fucking monster tearing apart a car, a passionate embrace, a character struggling in dark water, a bloodied carcass, more shooting, and a beautiful horse. But it doesn’t stop there…

We’ve been teased an action-packed, heart-pounding, first look for the last week and the Red Billabong team has delivered with today’s release of the brand new trailer which gives us our first look at the film’s mysterious monster.

“I can’t recall a fully realized computer generated character as a ‘lead’ in an Australian film before. I don’t think it’s been attempted.” Says writer/director Luke Sparke. “Our VFX team will be working furiously all the way up to the cinema release. We also used so many practical effects, daring stunts and huge sets. There’s so much in the film that isn’t in the new trailer. There…

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