‘Valerie’s impromptu staircase striptease has lost a little of its erotic spontaneity due to the three quarters of an hour it’s taken her to remove her thirty-five layers of thermals.’
The Mills & Boon Modern Girls’s Guide To Growing Old Disgracefully – Ada Adverse
Last week was Libraries Week and I was invited to celebrate at Live Poets ‘15 Progressive Poetry Years’ party at Blackpool Central Library on Friday. They were having a Poetry Party with poetry readings, mocktails and cake.
They were also celebrating National Poetry Day with a limerick competition and a prize giving ceremony for the best three limericks.
I entered the competition and didn’t think anymore about it, until I received a phone call from a very nice lady informing me that my poem was in the top three selected winners and would I be available to come to the party? I was already going, so that wasn’t a problem and she said what an added bonus it was. I agreed.
When I got there, the three winners were called up on stage and had to read out their poem. Third prize was called out, a beautiful poem read by Steven, or Stephen, but me and Thelma insisted it be read out again because me and Thelma didn’t hear it. (Well, I’m hard of hearing, not sure about Thelma. I linked arms with Thelma and I think we’ve bonded, through fear) Second prize by Thelma, again, lovely poem. I was mortified by this time. Can’t tell you how embarressed I felt. I have social anxiety, so this was painful. It shouldn’t have been, but it was.
So I discovered that I won first prize in this poetry competition. It was only a local thing but it was a nice surprise, or rather shock.
The theme was Change, which was also the theme of this years National Poetry Day but also, I believe it was about putting a positive slant on change and at the same time following the structure of a limerick. Beforehand, I did a bit of research and discovered that it doesn’t have to be, ‘There was an old man from wherever…’
So here is my poem
Change can be a good thing
It’s a bit like a song that you sing
The tune never ends
It turns and it bends
And there’s so much joy it can bring
I don’t like change and struggle against it at every opportunity and I thought, I have to change. I have to embrace change. I have discovered to my cost, that resisting change is not only traumatic but also destructive. So I decided to be positive, for once. Just being positive, forcing myself to be positive, brings positive changes. If you act a certain way, you become it.
‘At Live Poets, we encourage writng skills. Just bring biros, PC’s or quills. Monday plans rearrange – And join us for a change- Pioneering – Poetry fulfils!’
The poetry and writing group are having a positive impact in my life, even though I’ve only been going for a few months. It’s great meeting other creative people. That’s what I love about word press and the blogging world too. It’s very inspiring.
I also think it’s wonderful that Blackpool Library, in connection with Blackpool Council, are supporting, inspiring and encouraging creative people in the community with these events.
Things In My Head 