poems

Advent Calendar Haiku #12

Welcome to Sunday and day twelve of the Haiku Advent Calendar. I hope you’re having a lovely, relaxed weekend.

I’ve finished my Christmas read early and would love a Christmas murder mystery recommendation that I can finish before Christmas Eve. Please leave one below or tweet me at @PaulWritesPoems.

Sunday’s haiku is …

gilded pinecones,
add bling to the Christmas tree;
wrapping paper drought.

Remember to come back tomorrow for day thirteen as we gallop towards Christmas Eve.

Thanks and Take It Easy

Paul

Advent Calendar Haiku #11

It’s Saturday and day eleven of the Haiku Advent Calendar. I hope everyone has a great weekend and fits in something festive.

We’ll be decorating the house and watching a Christmas film at some point. Probably Elf, Polar Express or Santa Claus: The Movie.

I’ve also got a few things to be getting finished and sent off before Christmas week itself so I’ll be a busy elf for the next eight days.

So, without further ado today’s haiku is …

the deep moor snow drift
hides the squirrel’s nut supply;
log fire at the pub.

Thanks for reading and remember to come back tomorrow for another haiku.

Take It Easy

Paul

(image courtesy of Canva)

Celebrating Being Published!!!

Today I’m celebrating  being published!!!

I recently submitted a poem to ‘Flight of the Dragonfly’, an amazing quarterly journal, and got accepted!

The poem is about a rite of passage for me and my brother growing up in rural Northumberland and I am very proud of it.

When my work is published, especially something so personal, is always a great feeling.

To read ‘The Lambs’, please click the link below;

https://flightofthedragonfly.com/paul-adam-short/

I really hope you all enjoy it.

Take It Easy

Paul

Advent Calendar Haiku #10

We’re into double figures of days; that means only a fortnight left until Christmas Eve and the last of the Haiku Advent Calendar.

The days are going by far too fast to keep up with, I’ve still a few gifts to get! I hope I have enough time to finish my shopping.

So for day ten, the haiku is…

The starlings are perched
waiting for winter feed-balls;
watercolour sky.

Thanks for joining me and I hope you’re looking forward to the weekend. What plans do you have?

Take It Easy

Paul

(photo courtesy of Canva)

Advent Calendar Haiku #8

Where is the time going? It’s day eight of the Haiku Advent Calendar and I can’t believe it’s Wednesday already.

Today’s haiku was written in annoyance that no matter how hard I try I am sometimes (actually oftentimes) clumsy such as breakfast today.

So without further ado…

My Nordic jumper
is stained with clementine juice;
sleet flurries outside.

Have you had any mishaps so far this December? Let me know.

Take It Easy

Paul

Advent Calendar Haiku #6

Welcome to day 6 of the Haiku Advent Calendar, I hope you have been enjoying my efforts so far.

I’ve been receiving some lovely comments on twitter (@PaulWritesPoems); I have really appreciate the support.

Today’s Haiku is…

Nearby chimneys
wheeze grey in the winter wind;
candlelit reading.

Remember, come back tomorrow for another festive/winter haiku. Thanks again for the support.

Take It Easy

Paul

Advent Calendar Haiku #3

Welcome back to my haiku advent calendar. I hope you’re enjoying it so far.

If it’s your first day here, you can catch up on Day 1 & 2 by clicking here; Day 1 or Day 2.

Now for today’s haiku…

The robin chorus
can be heard by the hedgerow;
scents of spruce indoors.

Thanks for taking the time to join me today, have a great day and don’t forget to come back tomorrow for Saturday’s haiku.

Take It Easy

Paul

Feeling

He sits with sadness in his eyes,
mercury-blue and moist,
no light shines on his face,
apart from the moon,
who cups his cheek,
from her perch in the sky,
she understands melancholy,
but he ignores her offer of help,
turning away from her slender illuminating fingers,
instead he pushes the pain down,
burying with the rest of his misery,
he shouldn’t show emotion or cry,
that’s not what men do,
how many times does he need to be told.

He takes a breath,
agitating the mercury with woollen sleeves,
he sweeps away the tears,
then paints a watercolour happiness over his face,
just in time, for his wife has returned to him,
and when she asks how he is,
in reply, with all his strength,
he let’s a tear fall and tells her how he feels.


Thanks for taking the time to read this poem. I am big supporter of men’s mental health and this deals with men being able to open up to their partners.

Take It Easy,

Paul

(image courtesy of Nik Shuliahin on unsplash)

Stolen Voices

The worst kind of thief there is,
is the one who steals another’s words
then speaks them silver-lipped
and serpent-tongued
or writes them with crooked finger
and poisoned pen
without appreciating their weight
or realising their value
only seeing inked shapes on paper
not the skill it took in crafting those shapes
so when you’re caught
and our expressions of love,hope,pain & hurt
are reclaimed by us
the ones who have enough courage
to share our story with the world
I hope you are wordless, you are voiceless
a blank piece of paper blowing in the wind.

This poem was written following an issue where a few people were being plagiarised. The last straw was when war poetry was stolen from the pens of others , their name displayed as the original.

This is my feeling towards people who steal the words of others and say they are their own.

Take It Easy

Paul

I Can’t Believe It, I Came 3rd!

On Sunday (Halloween), I entered Black Bough Poetry’s #BBMicro2 contest.

The premise and rules were to create an original 4-line poem about Autumn or Halloween, post it on twitter using the above hashtag.

There was a panel of judges working throughout the day, all of whom are really talented poets.

A shortlist was announced on Monday and that’s when I got the first shock! I had made the shortlist! I couldn’t believe it as I’d read some of the other entries and I thought they were outstanding.

On Tuesday evening, the winners were announced. I came in 3rd. I will be celebrating this achievement at the weekend with my wife. It hasn’t really sunk in because I never imagined I’d get anywhere near the shortlist or finalist. It has given me a lot more self-belief in my writing! Hard work pays off.

You can see all the winners on by visiting @blackboughpoems on twitter. Or visit their website (blackboughpoems.com) to view the current books and anthologies they have for sale. Their Christmas/Winter edition has just been released and has some stunning artwork alongside incredible poetry.

Take It Easy,

Paul