Powerfully penned, Keith. This is classic you my friend. The Dr. Seuss of horror. I’ve missed you brother. Appreciate you.

Damian

This poem is raw and fearless. The line about the father hit especially hard – it carries so much weight and truth. The imagery throughout is visceral and powerful, like a scream turned into poetry.

Now it makes me think who needed to be trained the child and dog or the parents not watching them at all????

Powerfully penned, Keith. What kinda neighborhood you living in? lol. Great write my friend. Appreciate you.

Damian

I love the unexpected! This was fantastic!

This is a brilliant and honest look at the collaborative process. You perfectly capture the tension and the beauty of it. The line “Turning glass back into sand” is an amazing image for the way things come together.

Collaborations are a dance in a way. Got to read your partner. It’s tricky to get magic but when it works it’s beautiful.

Great ink friend.

I remember you from the ember DU days (daze?) but our paths never crossed. You were always so encouraging and supportive of fellow comrades. That is an art in itself. Keep writing fella.

Great and beautifully written reflections, dear Damian! I agree, the collaboration process is an art itself. Different writing styles collide, and if they are harmonic, the result will read like penned with one ink. When the styles are very different, maybe a piece of abstract art will be created. The diversity of possible collaborations makes them beautiful and interesting!

Even Lennon and McCartney couldn’t get along in the end. Collaborations are famous throughout history. But sometimes ideas go in different directions, ego’s overtake, and animosity takes over. It can be sad, very sad when things fall apart.

Friends drift apart. As you mentioned in your last comment. Also we just change. Many things we don’t enjoy or like from when we were kids or teenagers. Keeping a friend or two from your youth though is important. I feel it’s the bridge to a life that was a simpler, more meaningful time. We grow old, but the kid inside never dies. Great write Damian.

I always find collaborating incredibly intimidating. How to find a balance where both voices carry equal weight? Some styles are more dominating & others more gentle. But I’ve seen jarringly different styles woven beautifully in a single piece. I love the glass back to sand metaphor. Deconstructing to its base element. All comes from the same beach, as it were. The places your pen travels, my friend…

I have been asked many times but even though I am occasionally tempted, I have always tended to shy away .. having said that, I have a great deal of admiration for anyone who chooses to go down that particular poetic and or storytelling route & gets something out of it other than enjoyment or a headache .. I imagine that here you have given this particular reader something to think about long after the curtain has been drawn .. Kindest regards to both you n your pen Damian .. Neville

It’s an remarkable article in favor of all the online people; they will obtain advantage from it I am sure.

I’ve heard of the disturbance there. I always think of the rock bands I listened to from there and I wonder what they must think.

I have a close friend who lives near London and she keeps me posted on the shite that is going on over there with the new regime…kind of like what is happening here.
I still love this country, but feel like it is being taken away from us with greed for power.
j.

Fly the Union flag high and the cross of St George. We must be the only country in the world that allows every other flag to be flown yet we are made to feel ashamed of our own. Very topical piece says this patriotic poet.

Chris

I’m with Christine Shaw (Chris) to the letter .. there’s shite everywhere but don’t believe everything you hear these days it’s hard to differentiate between so called artificial intelligence and the twisted minds of those who just like stirring up trouble .. There are also a lot of dimwits that believe everything they are currently being force fed through fear of being singled out and sadly made an example of ..

We seem to share a similar view on that score .. Take care .. Neville