End of the month message

Well April and it's dodgy weather have drawn to a close and we welcome May with it's unpredictable weather instead. On the site, fortunately, things have been much better!

As usual we have had oodles of poetry and other writing pieces my Symone and myself and well as other poets. Hopefully some of the posts inspired you to do a little self-exploration and maybe write something about it. If so, just leave a comment on a post with your work for everyone to see!

Tommorow is the beginning of "Do something new" so get ready to see a lot of the new and crazy things people have gotten up to!!!

See you tommorow

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

What are you fighting for- Gemini - Def Poetry

On Board

Death with no heaven
Hell with no heat
Swallowed whole
Darknesses meat

Speak no evil, see no evil
Instead the evil screams
Pounding, haunting, hopeless sound
No picture to set this scene

Tear me open
Let me see
That the blood through them
Flows also through me

Perhaps if we plead
To the man they all love
Who hangs on the cross
On the post up above

They nailed him to it
He bled till he died
It seems no ones safe
From the white mans pride

Robyn xxx

12/11/2008

The Day They Went Over

Here is a poem i wrote when i was 13 years old, inspired by Dulce Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen, which i will post on the blog tommorow for those of you who have never read it before

Like houses they stood

Row upon row

waiting to go over

But saying their prayers

and hoping against hope

that they wouldn’t have to go over

They thought of their wives, their girfriends, their mates

Who didn’t want them to go over

For when they went over

The whiste blew

Crisp and shrill

On easter Sunday morning

And that was the day

That the men went over

5 MONTHS!!!

This site has now officially been running for five months!!! God, it's flown by!

gkittering b-day

Interview with Ananda

So what made you choose the name Ananda and what is the inspiration behind it?
I went on to a website actually, just a girl’s name website. I decided I didn’t want to use my own name and as a poet I wanted a pen name. I wanted something spiritual sounding and inspiring so I went onto a website and just checked out some names on there. Different names kept coming up and I tried a few that I knew like Isis and then it brought up other names or similar names and then I just got to Ananda.

And how long have you been writing for?

Actually, that’s a funny story. I haven’t been writing that long I started in my forties and I’m 43 now so about 3 years. What inspired me was when I looked at the children of poets and writers and people who were in the field and how brilliant at writing they were. As my daughter was a brilliant writer I thought, wait a minute, if she’s got that skill it must of come from somewhere and I figured it was me. I’ve always had a passion for writing and I always loved English as a teenager but I just didn’t believe in myself to get around to it. Finally I thought, oh well, I think you get to forty and think “what the hell, let’s do it anyway.”

You say that you started in your forties. Would you say that your life experience has helped your work?

Definitely, I think we all draw from life experience as writers and I know it definitely helped me in knowing what I want to write about.
Were there any particular poets or poems that inspired the style or subject of your poems?
Maya Angelou comes to mind in terms of inspiring poets, especially Still I Rise and most of her poems really. I can’t say that I have read anyone in particular apart from her that has inspired me

So what subject are your poems usually about?

They vary with no particular subject. Some words will come to me and I start writing it down and it turns out to be a poem. Usually it’s something to do with love, relationships, family, being a mother and any issues or challenges I may be working with at the time.
What is your favourite poem that you’ve written and why?
My favourite has to be Black Woman sell-out. I wrote a poem about being a black woman and growing up and not doing everything I was “supposed to do” and so I was called a sell out. It was just about staying strong and knowing that I’m black no matter what music I like or food I choose to eat.

You can find many of Ananda’s poetry here at Home Grown and also at her website, www.dianecorriette.net

Interview by Robyn Williamson

The theme for May will be...

...Doing Something New!




This month will be filled with, as you can probably guess, people doing something new and telling you about it through poems, interviews, gonzos and short stories!!! Trust me, some of these new things are very.....different!!

Rob and Sym

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday glitters
Happy Birthday (HOT!)


Happy Birthday to my little cousin Matthew who is 6 today!!!!

No Time For Horsing Around

I find Chelsi sat scribbling away in a notebook, her long dyed hair stroking the page and reminding me of Wednesday Addams with its sheer block colour. She’s dressed completely in black to agree with my Addams family metaphor but then her camel coloured UGG boots and heavy gold jewellery give me the impression of a cross between Wednesday Addams and Vicky Pollard. But I’m not here to create witty metaphors about Chelsi’s appearance. I’m here because Chelsi has always been the girl in my class who I knew about but never knew, so I’ve decided to try and bridge that gap.
I approach Chelsi, ask her for an interview and take a seat beside her. She seems slightly bemused as to why I want to interview her, but my explanation is simple. Of the few things I know about Chelsi, I know of her passion for horse riding and horses in general. As someone who has never had a hobby, nor seen the point in having one, I’m curious as to what it is that, if anything, I’m missing out on.
I begin with letting Chelsi in on my initial impression of her, admittedly leaving out my Addams/Pollard thought. Her appearance is, too me, far from that of the stereotypical horse rider. When I hear horse riding I think public school, ‘jolly good old chap’ and big hats at the Royal Ascot. On hearing my thought of the stereotypicalhorse rider, Chelsi gives a small laugh as though what I have said is quite the typical impression: “There’s a couple of stereotypes about the posh poncey people who ride in the best riding schools, or there’s also old country folk who ride more naturally and don’t really have any rules or anything. It’s not stereotypical; we’re just different people who have different interests.”
So what exactly is Chelsi’s hobby? Is it contained within horse riding or is it horses in general that press her buttons? On thinking of an answer to my question, her entire body language seems to change. Before, she sat in a slightly awkward manner, and answered in a very matter-of-fact tone. Now? Her body opens up as if embracing my question, her eyes light up while concocting an answer and a small smile plays across her face. “I love horses in general. It’s called equestrianism, which is like the broad scope of it. It’s like the whole history of the horse after it was domesticate by people. It is about the horsemanship between you and your horse which is learning to read their body language, riding, and it’s just every factor of horse riding.”
Often people know a lot about their hobbies, without getting very involved. But on second thoughts, what exactly do equestrian lovers do? With most hobbies the jobs are obvious: stamp collecting, running, knitting. So in the huge area that is equestrianism, what exactly is it that Chelsi does? “I do show jumping, which is just jumping a series of fences in an order and stuff like that. But I do like the idea of polo and cross-country and sports like that too. When it comes to the horses themselves, I care for them, groom them, clean out the stables, ride them and help rehabilitate troubled horses.”
I’ve never met anyone so involved in their hobby, but then I’ve never met anyone with such a demanding hobby either. With stamps, you pop to the post office, knitting, you pop to Hobbycraft, with horses, you pop to the countryside; hardly an easy mission when you live on the outskirts of London. How much effort does Chelsi go through to stay with her hobby? “There are actually quite a few places around half an hour or so away from me, you just have to find them. There are hundreds of riding schools across England, so you just have to make the effort to find one.” Chelsi’s body language has now shrunk back to its original closed position, as I appear to have slightly irritated her with my apparent ignorance towards her true love.
In an effort to bring back Chelsi’s happy spark, I ask her when her love of horses began and if she remembers her very first ride. My question works as planned: “It was from around 10 or 11 which was when I started riding. For my first ride, was taken to the stable and was told I’d be riding him. I thought he was massive but he was only actually a tiny little pony. When you don’t go horse riding and you see a horse that you’re going to ride, it’s just a whole different perception because you’re not used to being around them. I just remember it was great fun. As long as you listen and do as you’re told, then you’ll be alright.”
As she started at around 10 or 11 year old, this hobby has been a big part of Chelsi’s life for 5 or 6 years. Does she see it going further and becoming a big part of her adult life? “Yes, a career with horses is what I’m working towards, working with horses in any aspect. I need to take a 2 year course in horse management which will give me a national diploma and then in the following two years I need to do a foundation degree. From then on I can be a riding instructor, I can work in finance in the business side of it, and I can be a groom. You can do most things with the foundation degree.” According to Cafre, the college of agriculture, food and enterprise, it’s a popular course that requires 4 GCSEs and includes studying animal science, horse husbandry, breed development, training and business planning and management. I never would have thought that hobbies could have such a huge impact in your future. Not only has this hobby give Chelsi something to do on weekends and unfurled a passion to learn everything there is to know about something, but it has set her up with a career that she knows she will love to do no matter how much the pay or hours.
From talking to Chelsi, I’ve not only learnt quite a bit about her and equestrianism, but also about what having a hobby can do for a person. Having never had a hobby or particular passion, choosing a career and finding entertainment for the weekend can often be a trivial and somewhat difficult task. I understand now that a hobby can be so much more than something you enjoy doing and fill a certain amount of hours in your week. For people like Chelsi, their hobbies are not something they do, they are something they live. It can be the bench post for your entire future and teaches passion, discipline and hardwork. I urge anyone out there with something that they are passionate about, whether its horses or stamps, if you want to take it further, see what you can do. Use your hobby to mould your future and ensure that you do something you truly enjoy as an adult. As for those of us out there who remain hobby-less? GET ONE!

Yellow Rage - Def Poetry Jam

Grown

Your eyes take in the colour. The dream.
The soft blue sky and clouds of cream
Your fingers play the still clear air
Magic.
Dust.

You crane your neck, shut your eyes
Force your self into the skies
Anything to erase
this overrated grown-up phase

So tired of bills, of work, of stress
Who knew age would cause such mess
No.
Don't lose focus.

Go back to the dream
Ignore that frustrated inner scream
But time is up, the break is done
You've had your 15 minutes of fun

Now lower your head and open your eyes
Let out that loonnggg exassperated sighhh
Then turn around, go back indoors
Don't dare gaze back over the moors

Of twenty five odd years ago
Of times of fun in sun and snow
Where lies the childhood of your soul
Whose cause of death you well know
Was when you walked into that bar
Wearing that damn wonderbra

Both

To Be both of them
and to be neither of them
Is what i do best

Robyn

25/09/2008

Talib Kweli - Lonely People

Do suttin!

If you're a teenager living in the UK and looking for something new to do then check out

www.vinspired.co.uk

This site is filled with exciting volunteering opportunities for young people so you're sure to find something! Robyn has had 2 volunteering opportunities thanks to this site and loved them both!

Something Different, Something New

I remember grey clouds
All was sad and dull
Then I saw something
So new and unbelievable
Nothing could compare
For those eyes were unique
I couldn’t figure out why
What was so special about them
They were big and brown
Laying on a perfect complexion
Was I the only one seeing such a site
But why could I see it and no one else
They were caring and sincere
Definitely one of a kind
I soon learned what this was all about
The owner of these eyes had them for me
The eyes saw the same thing in my eyes
I wondered what would become of this
I soon found out it was something amazing
The most magical thing known to man
The beholder of those unique eyes
Was none other than my soul mate
The love of my life

Danielle Roller

Mule

The mule
Deaf, dumb and blind

Motherless tongue
Leaves nought to be heard

Stolen memories
Leave nought to be told

God is not given
For him we must search

Solitary squatter in
the Country of Cliches

Breaking the rules
Of our own anarchy

Without friction
Without percentage
Without blame

Born with a canvas
Ready to paint
Not to be painted

Robyn xxx

18/09/2008

Dante Basco - Nikki

Martin Luther King "I have a dream"

100 word review: The Home and The World

When I bought this book I was extremely annoyed. On one of the first pages, the publisher printed a message saying that "this book has been scanned and reformatted" and so can't guarantee that it contains "the full content of the original". Then my anger grew when another page informed me I could read it for free at forgottenbooks.org!!! From what I read of the "not original" version of the book, the plot is decent but the cut outs definitely make a huge difference. I now really want to read the actual thing and I would suggest you do too!

The Future

I have a large brain
That i'm leaving behind
To pick up my pen
And start using my mind

Robyn xxx

Happy Birthday!

Its our best friend Julia's 17th today and she would hate a glitter graphics thing saying happy birthday, so we've given her something we know she'd like...


Do Something New!

Thats right, April is here and it is the month of doing new things and then writing about them!!!

There will be plenty of posts for you to delight in other's mishaps as they venture into the unknown and we'll have reviews of films with people's mishaps as they venture into the unknown and symone and i will be writing articles for you to laugh at as we venture into the unknown!!! In short, there will be a lot of venturing!

Let's not forget, however, that exams are fast approaching and so if you are a student who knows they should be revising and are reading this instead, THEN MOVE YORU BUM AND GET WORKING!

Have a great April,

Robyn