I am drawn
By slightly parted lips
Swaying hips
Twinkling eyes
A smile
I am drawn
By an inkling
A slightly modified version of an older poem I did that benefits from the addition I think.
In response to the daily prompt Inkling
#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday
For #JusJoJan Daily Prompt – January 28th, 2018
So, again I am coming to this late at night – the only time I seem to get to a keyboard these days. We have been out at parks and constructing trampolines in the back garden.
I am annoyed I haven’t had time for this prompt as it’s right up my street. My current work in progress – a collection of epic (by which I mean very long) poems, includes one titled “Will You Follow the Knight”. This is not in a state to be read yet and anyway, will feature in the upcoming collection.
So once again I am reduced to dipping into my “back catalogue” and there is no surprise that I have a few to choose from!
So I won’t choose – here are a few.
Blood soaked steel
The sword of a knight
Held up proud
Aloft and bright
He hums to himself
“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government
shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor,
the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace”
With banshee scream
He storms on down
To hammer home peace.
Coloured bricks
Red, blue, yellow, white
and many more.
Many shapes
Many sizes
No limits
Many surprises.
Build a fire engine,
A house, a school,
A lake, a park, a city, a town.
A space station and spaceships and an alien host.
A castle,a bridge a knight and a ghost!
All this and more build it all
And never ever build up your wall.
Flash in the dark blue sky
Clash of sword and bone
Roar of fire high above
Heaven’s thunderous tone
Samurai meets his nemesis
A dragon of the sky
Golden claw fights silver blade
Above the mountains high
Gods look down with fearful frowns
While people gaze above
Do they fear the fiery jaws
Or the hardened iron glove
The enduring will of the flying knight
Feeds his skilful blade
The ancient wisdom of the drake
Ensures he’ll not be played
Red streaks of fire on velvet sky
Silver streaks cut through
Showers of sparks come raining down
To birth a magic brew
And still the battle blunders on
All over every land
Until the both when both are stilled
By a cold and magic hand
It’s not just me – it run’s in the family. Here’s our oldest (from a few years ago) playing knights with some real ones!
In response to #JusJoJan, JusJoJan
For The Friday Reminder for #SoCS & #JusJoJan Daily Prompt, Jan. 27th, 2018
There is a rising tide
It swells and grows
The recedes
Pauses and grows again
Lapping against the ancient
Castle
The stronghold
Of power
From long ago
Where gold grows
Around the feet
Of the rulers
Seemingly futile
The tide rises
Ebbs and swells
Eating away
Tiny piece by piece
Until one day
The stronghold will fall
In response to #JusJoJan, JusJoJan, #SoCS, SoCS
For #JusJoJan Daily Prompt – January 26th, 2018
Your address
Should be
Where your heart is
Instead
It has become
Your ID
Identifying you for what you are
What you stand for
Your worth
and
And most importantly
The most effective way to
Extract money from you
In response to #JusJoJan, JusJoJan,
For #JusJoJan Daily Prompt – January 25th, 2018
Brain dead tonight – So I predict I won’t make it to the end of this…
In response to #JusJoJan, JusJoJan,
PS. If you want some predictive Science Fiction – you could always check out -> Mankind Limited 😉
One day
Tardy light
Will throw
All we know
Into darkness
And the scientists
Will begin again
With relish
In response to the daily prompt Tardy
#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday
Can we be candid?
No
There it is
Politics
In response to the daily prompt Candid
#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday
What is liberty
Without chains
How would we know
Freedom
Without bounds
I have worn chains
For far too long
I am ready
To recognise
Liberty
In response to #JusJoJan, JusJoJan
A word that starts with “oc”. For some reason – occidental immediately sprung to mind. Followed by this random nonsense.
His mother was a missionary
Who succumbed to forbidden love
She was abandoned and so was he
An orphaned sickly dove
He was always seen as different
Never quite the same
Always outside the circle
Never in the game
With no one to rely on
He learned to keep himself
Learned to get what he needed
Leave nothing on the shelf
He could play the needs of others
Like a bard could play a harp
To get where he was going
His will was cold and sharp
He grew to be a king
Of an unseen empire wide
And nothing could fill the void
That swelled and grew inside
So he used he unrivalled power
To bring down all around
To reduce the home he hated
To debris on the ground
The occidental accident
Happens all time time
So watch out for rising emperors
Who play their tunes sublime
In response to #JusJoJan, JusJoJan
What a treat
What’s a treat
Stuck on the street
Tired feet
Treated like meat
Tired feet
Struck on the street
What’s a treat
What a treat
In response to the daily prompt Treat
#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday
You are the land of the free
With your reservations
That shame us all
And teach us
If only you could learn that lesson
In response to the daily prompt Reservation
#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday
A white wedge
Spotted in the corner
Of a run-down shop
Off the track
Joyful memories swell
And from the past
I hear the clattering
Of a metal bowl
Filling with a quarter pound
Of sherbet lemons
Available as
or hardback
from Amazon
or CreateSpace
If you are stuck for ideas – here are a few. They are original and different – plus being ebooks they have the advantage of not being hindered by delivery issues 🙂
Marc trudged on with life, marching in line with his fellow workers. Weighed down by the everyday burdens of life, the pressure to conform, to succeed or face destitution.
Yet he knew, in his heart that it was all wrong, the questions squirmed like fiery dragons in the pit of his heart, beneath his deepest darkest doubts.
Until they grew and burst his sanity, set him on a path of defiance and rebellion. A path that would cross three others – all like him seeking answers.
A path of danger and adventure that would see him marked as a terrorist and fleeing for his life. It would see him find love and heartbreak, hope and despair, Most of all, it would open his eye to the possibility of an ancient and powerful secret that might answer all his doubts and fears.
If he survived.
As the title says – thirteen tales about ghosts. Yet, while ghosts feature in them all – not all are traditional ghost stories.
You will find the vengeful spirit but also the plaintiff one. The haunting message from the past and the playful spirits capturing the joy of their past lives.
Some of these visitors from beyond lead the haunted to peace and joy – others take them on much darker paths to places with no return.
Enjoy them – just don’t get too comfortable.
Three hundred and sixty-five poems in all shapes and sizes, sprung from dreams and emotion. Published day after day for a year. There are haiku, sonnets, katauta, lanturnes and many other forms – including free form. The moods are as varied as the forms and often reflect my mood on the day. There is sadness and grief, joy and love.
If nothing else – these can provide a small moment in everyone’s stressful lives to stop and contemplate the world in a different way.
Silk
Like mist
Flows
Over mounds
And into dells
Following the ebbs
And flows
Shrouding warmth
Falling away
To heaven
#amwriting, #postaday
William had a theory. It was to do with the way people learned. That was why he never told anyone The Secret. That was why he had to lead them to their own discovery.
But was that right?
Find out more. Follow four people who society could not break as they explore the very idea of rebellion – with action!
In response to the daily prompt Theory
#DailyPrompt #iamwriting, #postaday
First-degree murder
How we like to measure things
That hurt
In response to the daily prompt Degree
#DailyPrompt #iamwriting, #postaday
Deep
With memories
Camping with friends
Caving
Rich smell of loam
Aroma of cheese
The chill of the cave
Holidays with family
Children eyes
Reliving the wonder
Of my youth
Deep runs the gorge
In response to the daily prompt Gorge
#DailyPrompt #iamwriting, #postaday
Through saintly blue hues
The predator emerges
Teeth all pearly white
In response to the daily prompt Saintly
#DailyPrompt #iamwriting, #postaday
It’s all going south
So let’s all relocate there
It’s hotter at least
In response to the daily prompt Relocate
#DailyPrompt #iamwriting, #postaday
Noble, graceful, caged
So like us yet so far apart
Our bars are our own.
In response to the daily prompt Zoo
#DailyPrompt #iamwriting, #postaday
It’s the bite
Of anger
That reminds
How little we have travelled
Anger?
ASD?
Helplessness?
Toddler
Child
Politician
Out of their depth
Gambler
On the wrong side
The toddler
Never
Really leaves
In response to the daily prompt Bite
#DailyPrompt #iamwriting
Holding back gremlins
Behind breaking fences
Seems to be the purpose
The never-ending task
The why
Long forgotten
In response to the daily prompt Gremlins
#DailyPrompt #iamwriting
Dancing with my wife,
last week the telegraph came:
Coughs ring round the trench.
Originally published in A Spring of Dreams
In response to the daily prompt Dancing
#DailyPrompt #iamwriting
Settle down in the dark with Thirteen Tales of Ghosts, and immerse yourself in fear if you dare.
I was surprised to get a message from a friend and colleague – a rap poem – inspired by my novel Mankind Limited.
I thought I would share it here;
Also, check out their music on their own site https://urbanhippies.bandcamp.com/.
Here is the poem.
Mankind Ltd
By J McKay
Where the kindness of man is limited
Capitalist cooperation that will see your dreams diminishedI see humans but no humanity
Just vanity
Losing my sanity
People escaping to virtual reality
Because reality
Is is now a dark place
Lives taken because of their race
Deals done with a cash filled suitcase
Suit and tie
Led by
The pied piper
on a never ending Rat raceMankind LTD
Where the kindness of man is limited
Capitalist cooperation that will see your dreams diminishedWhats wrong with the world Mumma?
Rehiring the war drummer
Reigniting feuds with a different Color
Future hasn’t looked glummer
Worlds heating up like an Indian summer
Enough money to fight, nothing done about world hunger
So I wonder
Is the war drummer
Just An opportunity to showcase the chopper gunner
To damage infrastructure,
To take lives from a culture
Take fathers from youngsters
Circling above like vultures
Targets are hidden deep under
bombs are nothing but a stain on a water colorMankind LTD
Where the kindness of man is limited
Capitalist cooperation that will see your dreams diminishedSensationalised snippets
Bunch of hypocrites
With a hidden agenda to make your opinions fit
Emotional counterfeit
Drink down the whole truth, don’t just sip it
Don’t read a headline and then just skip it
Hounding hashtags like a whippet
Tweet tweet
But you ain’t no pipit
Reference to a bird incase you didn’t get it
Daily disposable media, how you gonna fill it?
Click bait
To get those click through rates
Hooked on a headline
Served up on a plateMankind LTD
Where the kindness of man is limited
Capitalist cooperation that will see your dreams diminishedAt war with Nature
Where is this the legislator
It’s not out governments, there just a manipulator
Facilitators
For the rape of our lands by dictators
Hard to be inhalators
Of these demonstrators
Because trees are our main respirators
Think there an accelerator
For improving nature
But there blinded by a broken alternatorMankind LTD
Where the kindness of man is limited
Capitalist cooperation that will see your dreams diminished
We are borrowing time
The interest is piling up
The bills are on their way
Have we enough flesh to pay
In response to the daily prompt Interest
#DailyPrompt #iamwriting
When I say today’s daily prompt ~ Elevate all I could think of was Daleks!
“Elevate! Elevate!”
I couldn’t get that episode out of my head – so I didn’t think I would end up writing anything. In a way that’s still true – I am just waffling here.
But the tenuous link is the kind of elevation that can be experienced when listening to a particularly good piece of music. Tonight a good piece has been returned to my consciousness courtesy – of all things – to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2!
Now it has many good tunes some of which are on my regular playlists already. But watching it tonight one jumped out at me – that I haven’t heard for a long, long time. It grabbed me and lifted me and I didn’t even wait for the film to finish before I was on the phone downloading it! (Og the wonder of the internet!)
Yep – My Sweet Lord by George Harrison. What a simple but beautiful song. Perfection. Elevating!
In response to the daily prompt Elevate
#DailyPrompt #iamwriting
According to Amazon’s own Author Central – the ranking for all three of my books has shot up considerably – despite the fact that I haven’t sold any extra copies lately.
Wonder what’s going on?
When I hit over 10000 views at the end of last year I thought it would be a hard target to beat – yet here I am just over halfway through the year and I have beaten it already!
I have to thank my followers and all who have read – a little or a lot.
Now if only I had 10000 book sales 🙂
http://www.scottandrewbailey.uk/
Over in the US
The new boss has his eye on you
You are all apprentices now
All in the firing line
In response to the daily prompt Apprentice
#DailyPrompt, #amwriting
So it’s official – my author interview will be appearing on Thanet Writers this Saturday – 04/03/2017.
Rest assured I’ll be blogging about it when it happens 🙂
I have at various points in my life had to bare my soul top strangers.
When we lost our second child and attended group therapy – we bared our feelings. (There’s still plenty there though that needs to come out).
When we working through the adoption process we had to really lay bare our lives and feelings.
I find it both difficult but worthwhile. To get know yourself better is a good thing – you can only learn and improve.
What got me thinking back on this is the fact that I have just completed an author Interview for my good comrades over at Thanet Writers. Watch this space I will post links when it’s published.
While not as personal it as quite difficult to do. I think it was because I don’t really see myself as any kind of proper writer – just a dabbler. It will be interesting to see the reaction, though.
For those of you who like the feel of real paper….
Thirteen Tales of Ghosts is now available in paperback! Check it out here.
Or go here for a sample.
A collection of short stories concerning ghosts. Some are traditional ghost stories in the tradition of M.R. James and Edgar Allan Poe. Other are not. Some scare, some are fun. Some play with the concept of a ghost. There are ghosts who are out for revenge and the living avenging the spirits that curse them.
Ideal for sitting around a campfire and late at night under the covers. Or maybe not if the stories themselves are any guide.
Check it out at Amazon and Smashwords and other online e-book retailers.
A paperback version is here for those who prefer the feel of the paper while huddling by the fire – on your own – in the dark – with that noise behind you……
Incredibly pleased and appreciative of the latest (and first for this book) review of Thirteen Tales – many thanks, Janet Gogerty.
See the review below or click here for the original on Amazon.
“This book should be a movie. Somewhere in Hollywood right now there are actors waiting for their agents to deliver this story in script format to them. The makings of all action-packed adventure films is here. I can see the film in my mind’s eye.
But this one is different.
It’s not fast-paced for the thrill of it alone. It needs to be to get the message across. Mankind could be on the threshold of just such a future. Time is racing.
This one could be us.
Maybe a few years down the line yet, maybe already almost there in some similar format. Change a few details. Replace one group for another. Look behind the motives in politics and corporations. Stretch the reality just a little. Ask ourselves questions looking through the light of a different lens.
It feels like us, it acts like us, it may very well come…”
“Great concept to write a poem a day for a year and provides an insight into coping with difficult family circumstances – a recommended read for anyone who has struggled in such situations. Some poems were obviously more personal than others (my favourites were those when the writer cherishes the ‘small moments’ in life such as going to a fireworks display with his wife and son) but he also branches out into more political territory. Look out for the funny poems scattered throughout the book too, one in particular made me laugh out loud! A good read and Scott Bailey shows talent as a poet. Recommended.”
Grab it now and enjoy – Thirteen Tales (of Ghosts). Spread the word!
A collection of short stories concerning ghosts. Some are traditional ghost stories in the tradition of M.R. James and Edgar Allan Poe. Others are not. Some scare, some are fun. Some play with the concept of a ghost. There are ghosts who are out for revenge and the living avenging the spirits that curse them.
Ideal for sitting around a campfire and late at night under the covers. Or maybe not if the stories themselves are any guide.
Check it out at Amazon and Smashwords and other online e-book retailers.
A paperback version os being worked on for those who prefer the feel of the paper while huddling by the fire – on your own – in the dark – with that noise behind you……
What’s inside
Distorts and shapes
The exterior
All those dreams and hopes
Hates and fears
That make up the interior
The moiling
Boiling
Packed and stacked
Stretched and tense
Earnest pretense
That inside us all
Makes us all
What we are
Rather than what
We wish
In response to the daily prompt Interior
#DailyPrompt
It was rough last year. I am not just talking about celebrity deaths.
We as a family have had it rough. We have had family members in and out of hospital, having to deal with a diagnosis of Autism for our youngest and his so far very rocky transition into school. I have had work stress and uncertainty. We have seen our social lives and our house being slowly taken apart. I have seen my writing dreams slip away.
Midlife crisis? Maybe.
I have to cling to hope. It is the only thing left.
So not really new years resolutions as such but goals I am aiming for this year.
To find a new job. But not just another role. I need to get back to enjoying work again. That has been totally destroyed of late – I had thought beyond hope – but if I give up hope then all is lost. I have been thinking about a total career change and that’s the way I will try to go.
To improve our daily lives by trying new techniques for dealing with Autistic behaviours.
To reinvigorate my writing dreams. To help with this I will attempt to complete the daily prompt as well as Ronovan’s Weekly Haiku Challenge. This is purely to get my juices flowing. Behind the scenes, I will try to put together two more poetry collections for publishing as well as another short story collection and a new novel. Ambitious but I must attempt it.
I wish everyone a happy new year and hope you all attain your own dreams and goals.
In response to the daily prompt Year
#DailyPrompt
Calm my beating heart
Racing for the beauty of
My beloved wife
In response to the daily prompt Calm
#DailyPrompt, #amwriting
This one for my Poetry Collection!
“Great concept to write a poem a day for a year and provides an insight into copying with difficult family circumstances – a recommended read for anyone who has struggled in such situations. Some poems were obviously more personal than others (my favourites were those when the writer cherishes the ‘small moments’ in life such as going to a fireworks display with his wife and son) but he also branches out into more political territory. Look out for the funny poems scattered through-out the book too, one in particular made me laugh out loud! A good read and Scott Bailey shows talent as a poet. Recommended.”
Check out the original here!
I did it! Well, the first of my aims for the end of this year. I made it over 10,000 views this year. Paltry compared to some I know but miles better than any previous year for me.
Just another 90 followers to pick up now 🙂
On top of that a few more sales this week – including a soft back! Maybe the ball is finally picking up some momentum.
For many reasons – roll on 2017!
So here’s the stats right now on Amazon UK – 276th in Short Stories – not bad!
Check it out – for a taster click here. And the Softback version will be available soon.
A collection of short stories concerning ghosts. Some are traditional ghost stories in the tradition of M.R. James and Edgar Allan Poe. Other are not. Some scare, some are fun. Some play with the concept of a ghost. There are ghosts who are out for revenge and the living avenging the spirits that curse them.
Ideal for sitting around a campfire and late at night under the covers. Or maybe not if the stories themselves are any guide.
Check it out at Amazon and Smashwords and other online e-book retailers.
A paperback version os being worked on for those who prefer the feel of the paper while huddling by the fire – on your own – in the dark – with that noise behind you……
Another sale on Kindle of my Ghost Story collection! Check it out – for a taster click here. And the Softback version will be available soon.
A collection of short stories concerning ghosts. Some are traditional ghost stories in the tradition of M.R. James and Edgar Allan Poe. Others are not. Some scare, some are fun. Some play with the concept of a ghost. There are ghosts who are out for revenge and the living avenging the spirits that curse them.
Ideal for sitting around a campfire and late at night under the covers. Or maybe not if the stories themselves are any guide.
Check it out at Amazon and other online e-book retailers.
A paperback version is being worked on for those who prefer the feel of the paper while huddling by the fire – on your own – in the dark – with that noise behind you……
A collection of short stories concerning ghosts. Some are traditional ghost stories in the tradition of M.R. James and Edgar Allan Poe. Others are not. Some scare, some are fun. Some play with the concept of a ghost. There are ghosts who are out for revenge, and the living avenging the spirits that curse them.
Ideal for sitting around a campfire and late at night under the covers. Or maybe not if the stories themselves are any guide.
Check it out at Amazon.
A paperback version is being worked on for those who prefer the feel of the paper while huddling by the fire, on your own, in the dark, with that noise behind you.
A collection of short stories concerning ghosts. Some are traditional ghost stories in the tradition of M.R. James and Edgar Allan Poe. Others are not. Some scare, some are fun. Some play with the concept of a ghost. There are ghosts who are out for revenge and the living avenging the spirits that curse them.
Ideal for sitting around a campfire and late at night under the covers. Or maybe not if the stories themselves are any guide.
Check it out at Amazon and other online e-book retailers.
A paperback version is being worked on for those who prefer the feel of the paper while huddling by the fire – on your own – in the dark – with that noise behind you……
Wherever words roam
Over fantastical lands
The heart rests at home.
A collection of short stories concerning ghosts. Some are traditional ghost stories in the tradition of M.R. James and Edgar Allan Poe. Other are not. Some scare, some are fun. Some play with the concept of a ghost. There are ghosts who are out for revenge and the living avenging the spirits that curse them.
Ideal for sitting around a campfire and late at night under the covers. Or maybe not if the stories themselves are any guide.
#PoweredByIndie
Less than a week since the release on its 149th in its category.
Spread the word – let’s get it higher!
From the shallows to the icy deep
Where dolphins dance and starfish sleep
Through swaying kale and shifting sand
Feel the touch of an oily hand
Where lights speed by in total dark
Where rest many a sunken ark
Where through the kale fish do slip
Feel a cold and choking grip
Where bubbles rise and currents surge
Where waters from the heavens merge
Where weight does crush both bones and rock
Feel the iron fingers lock
And here my heart it swells and roars
From roiling dark to shattered shores
And I will rise with fury’s might
And crush the hand that picks this fight
So fear the shark with jaws that rend
And the mighty swell that shall bend
Every fence and dam and wall
And drown the rumble of cliffs that fall
And when the hand has done its deed
You will curse your dirty seed
And then, at last, you will see
How small you are beside the sea
A detailed, in-depth and insightful review of Mankind Limited from Silver Threading. Check it out here.. and many thanks to her for the review!
Scott Andrew Bailey - Author 