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Archive for the ‘Favorite Writers’ Category

TV shows from my childhood…

Posted in Books, Children's stories, Favorite Writers, Toys, tagged AndyPandy, Bill&BenFlowerPotMen, Children'sTVPrograms, Frances Macaulay Forde, Noddy&BigEars on November 28, 2014| 1 Comment »

BIll & Ben Flower Pot Men, updated.

A fellow blogger posted this today and brought back so many memories.

Although I was 16 when she was born, I loved Andy Pandy; “Here we go Looby Loo, here we go Looby Li, here we go Looby Loo, all on a Satuday night.”

Also Bill & Ben when I was very young in the UK, then later when I had children of my own, we watched Mr Squiggle, Play School and Sesame Street, together.

I’m surprised Louise didn’t mention Noddy & Big Ears… Little me loved that show – Golly was my favorite!

I had so many Enid Blyton books which I devoured over and over again.

I miss the pace and sweet innocence of that time when children were allowed to just get lost in ‘Walking round the garden, like a teddy bear. One step, two step, jumping in the air!’

Thanks Louise, for all the memories today.

@FrancesMForde #Bill&BenFlowerPotMen #AndyPandy #Noddy&BigEars #Children’sPrograms

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Desertification

Posted in Books, Favorite Writers, nature, Perth City, Poetry, WA Writers, Writers, Writing, tagged Australia, DennisHaskell, Desertification, Environment, FrancesMacaulayForde, GlenPhillips, JohnKinsella, poems, poets on October 7, 2014| 1 Comment »

ACT 1: This poem “Desertification” 1st appeared in the 2007 anthology of Fellowship of Australian Writers WA “Lines in the Sand”, on page 28.

ACT 2: Also that year, I was flattered to be asked to read it at the launch of John Kinsella‘s “Shades of the Sublime and Beautiful” published in 2008 by Fremantle Press, together with Dennis Haskell and Glen Phillips, in the University of WA bookshop. There was a video taken that night but I can’t get it to upload here…

ACT 3: This poem inspired a young poet Marlia Douglas to write her own poem with the same title. I found all this out when Marlia turned up at one of my Poets Corner events.

She just happened to be in the State Library when it was on, and poked her head in to listen. As host I was constantly looking out for new poets and convinced her to read in the Open Mic section.

Marlia said her poem had been inspired by Frances Macaulay Forde’s poem of the same name and didn’t even realize I had just introduced her to the audience. They were mostly regulars and applauded loudly when they heard her comment knowing she didn’t know who I was.

Her version of the poem later appeared in INDIGO JOURNAL Vol3 (2010) which also included another of my poems “My Life as a Sari”.

ACT 4: This is a recording of the poem I did a few years ago.

desertification

before cultivation the water flowed

bouncing on leaves falling falling

to pool on fertile forest floor below

before cultivation the water flowed

flora bursting with life and clean air

jostling for sunspace canopy flirting

before cultivation the water flowed

we didn’t listen as we ploughed

clearing tree roots to feed fields

before cultivation the water flowed

now encrusted salt lusts after land

no sweetness here just bitter dry sand

#FrancesMacaulayForde #Desertification #Poems #Environment #Australia #John Kinsella #Glen Phillips #Dennis Haskell #poets

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ALPHA – Issue 01

Posted in Favorite Writers, Poetry, Writers, Writing, tagged AustralianPoetryFoundation, FrancesMacaulayForde, FrontPageImpact, JulieChevalier, poetry, RonPretty, WRIT-Issue1 on October 5, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Years ago, Julie Chevalier and I were members of on-line poetry critique group run by the amazing Ron Pretty who established the Australian Poetry Foundation and now has a competition named after him.

I enjoyed her poem “The moon and the stars were our chandelier” published in ALPHA – Issue 1, of WRIT, Western Australia’s newest poetry review on-line zine. (Although they’re asking for submissions for the next issue, unfortunately WRIT cannot afford to pay its contributors.)

Julie gave me some excellent constructive comments for my poem: “Front Page Impact” which I posted a short while ago. I recommend you take a moment and read some of her award-winning words.

#FrancesMacaulayForde #JulieChevalier #RonPretty #AustralianPoetryFoundation #WRIT-Issue1 #FrontPageImpact #poetry

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Abandoned…

Posted in Books, Favorite Writers, WA Writers, Workshops, Writers, Writing, tagged BookLovers&Writers, books, FinishingYourNovel, FrancesMacaulayForde, NailingYourNovel, NatashaLerster, Novelists, TAGHungerfordAward, UWAExtention, writing, WritingYourNovel on September 26, 2014| Leave a Comment »

My novel… that is.

So I’d be the perfect candidate for a course to be run by award-winning Natasha Lester with UWA Extention called “Nailing your novel”: “Designed for those who’ve always wanted to write a novel but don’t know where to begin, as well as those who’ve started writing a book, only to put it away because they’re not sure where they’re going.”

Natasha won the TAG Hungerford Award (my dream) for her manuscript and debut novel, ‘What Is Left Over After’. Her latest; ‘If I should Lose You’ is wowing reviewers and me-thinks also on an award-winning path.

How she finds time to do her very informative Blog for book lovers and writers in between the writing and teaching etc. I’m envious!

If I had the time, I would do the course because I know I would identify why I’m stalled, get the impetus to keep going with my novel and hopefully, make it worthy…

Meantime I need to take heed of Natasha’s Writing Tips.

#FrancesMacaulayForde #NatashaLester #NailingYourNovel #BookLovers&Writers #UWAExtention #TAGHungerfordAward #Novelists #Books #WritingYourNovel #Writing #FinishingYourNovel

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‘Trucker’s Moll’

Posted in 1968 Notebook, Books, Favorite Writers, Poetry, Writing, tagged 1968Notebook, CliffsOfMoher, Frances Macaulay Forde, IrishPoet, JessieLendennie, poetry, RosemaryCanavan, SalmonBookshop, SalmonPoetry on September 21, 2014| 1 Comment »

In Rosemary Canavan’s book of poems ‘Trucker’s Moll’, her dedication is “for my mother who started me off”. I can relate.

My mum also encouraged my youthful angst in my 1968 handwritten notebook, long before keyboards ruined my ability to wield a pen and ink, by putting a little (accountant’s) tick of approval next to poems she liked. Done in pencil – I hope it never fades… I treasure those little marks.

Rosemary’s poem on page 61 ‘Flowers in March’ was written on St Patrick’s Day in March 2003.

I too sat newly arrived in Ireland, watching that same parade on the television, in March, 2003 and wrote on the same theme.

Baghdad Ballet

A young boy sits, on his mother’s shoulders,

smile-excited in the sunshine, taking part

in a parade. He proudly thrusts the finger

-sign of peace. Nice to see in an Iraqi child

– family bombardered by ‘Shock and Awe’

the night before, apparently forgiving.

But the visual is blitzed as it flashes onscreen,

by the plastic Sten-gun held aloft, back-

ground brandished in the child’s other hand.

Do you think the young lad plays in secret tunnels,

knows where to hide, where doubles walk

to keep the myth alive, the magic tricks

to keep awake illusions of a still-controlled-city.

Streetlights burn in defiance of invaders largess.

Traffic moves through the night while

bright glows explode in distant thunder

shower shrapnel. We sit on green comfy

sofas, presumed warm and safe inside,

miles away watching the performance

on TV young Liam wears red and white,

holds his defiant hurely high – a warrior

enjoying the sunshine day parade

– a protest for peace in Shannon…

#FrancesMacaulayForde #RosemaryCanavan #SalmonPoetry #JessieLendennie #SalmonBookshop #CliffsOfMoher #Poetry #IrishPoet

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“Two Shakes of a Dead Lamb’s Tail”

Posted in Animals, Books, Favorite Writers, nature, WA Writers, Writers, Writing, tagged Frances Macaulay Forde, Noreen Reeves, Two Shakes of a Dead Lamb's Tail on September 8, 2014| Leave a Comment »

While peddling our wares at The Pines Markets at Curtin University yesterday, a new marketeer Noreen Reeves was selling her autobiography.

As writers, we chatted and naturally, I bought a copy of “Two Shakes of a Dead Lamb’s Tail” available on Amazon as a Kindle, Hardback or Paperback.

(The book is available from the printer although vastly over-priced! As ‘they’ are NOT on my list of recommendations, I certainly won’t.)

Noreen and I discovered we’re almost neighbors, both living off Ocean Reef Road. We weren’t busy due to the rain and wind so I had time to glance sporadically, up to the third chapter, between serving customers.

So far I’ve read; Noreen is about to have her second baby with a toddler who disappears into the jungle but finds his way safely to his father’s school, Tinputz Vocational Centre. Life certainly isn’t routine for her young family in what seems to be the middle of no-where. Isolated, disorientated and victims of the oppressive heat and prolific wildlife seemingly with no respite and no regular food supply…

“Familiarity began to settle us into a routine. The fly-wire installation was completed, which made life more comfortable. The fockez (flying foxes) could no longer slalom through the windows; however it didn’t deter the geckoes for long. They were beautiful little creatures and it was sometimes a night’s entertainment watching them chase each other around the walls. It was however, anathema not to have a plethora of bugs flying and crawling all around us when the lights were lit. “

The book reminds me of my own Colonial upbringing in Central Africa. Noreen ‘grows up’ in Bougainville Island, pre-independence New Guinea, then shares her life on the farm near Gippsland Lakes in Victoria and a sheep station in outback WA.

It’s Noreen’s 1st book – can’t help but feel this is only the beginning…

#FrancesMacaulayForde #NoreenReeves #TwoShakesOfALDeadLamb’sTail #Autobiography #WAWriters #Author #Writer #AmazonBooks #BougainvilleIsland #NewGuinea #GippslandLakes #VictoriaAU #SheepStation #OutbackWA

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Reading: ‘Crannog 36 ~ Summer’

Posted in Books, Favorite Writers, Ireland, nature, Poetry, Short Stories, Writers, Writing, tagged Crannog, Crannog -36 Summer, Frances Macaulay Forde, Irish Magazine, Maggie Breen, Other Things I Didn't Tell you, poetry, short stories on September 5, 2014| Leave a Comment »

This is an example of why I look forward to receiving my copy of the latest Crannog Magazine. I also submit short stories and poetry, hoping one day to find a piece of my own nestled between the gems I enjoy in each issue.

It’s inspiring to discover new (to me) writers. I am now a fan of Maggie Breen and will have to add “Other Things I Didn’t Tell” to my wish list

#FrancesMacaulayForde #Crannog36 #IrishMagazine #Poretry #ShortStories #MaggieBreen #OtherThingsIDidntTell

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Doll Hospital

Posted in Crafts, Favorite Writers, Poetry, Writing, tagged AustralianDollHospital, DollsHospital, DollyOnTheDistcart, Frances Macaulay Forde, PamAyres, poetry, Recycling on August 29, 2014| 3 Comments »

Isn’t it great that you can still have dolls repaired? In South Sydney, the Chapman family have been bringing favorite toys back to life for 101 years. I love the idea of NOT being disposable… wish we’d all go back to favorites again.

My daughter’s favorite was a pink and white Panda made for me by a grateful patient when I was nursing in Harrogate General, way back in 1969. Only natural that I would pass it on to my beautiful daughter in 1976. Before I traveled to Ireland in 2002 I carefully packed it away with lots of stuffed toys in a storage box marked especially and guess what – that was the one that went missing. Wish we still had the panda because I know my little grandie Bella, would love it!

The whole subject reminded me of a very favorite poem by Pam Ayres – I’ve been a huge fan for many, many years 🙂 I used to watch her TV program but also went to her concert here in Perth many years ago and presented her with a golly which I’d made, for her new son. She kindly wrote back from UK to say he loved it – “has become a favourite!”

And that favorite poem (just one of very many) by Pam? ‘Dolly on the Dustcart’ read by Pam Ayres.

#FrancesMacaulayForde #PamAyres #DollyOnTheDustcart #DollsHospital #Recycling #AustralianDollHospital #poetry