Maladaptive Coping Behaviour

I really enjoyed this, Magic. One of your best, I feel. I love the images in stanza three, they're stunning!

My favourite stanza;
"The poet swapped poetry for cigarettes.
(I am the first to admit that this was not a wise move.)
Now corroded to a stub, I crumple the brown body
into the sand at my side, its fire quickly extinguished."

Well done on the cherry- richly deserved in my opinion. Another beauty :)

Beeme xx

Thank you, Beeme! I think those are my favourite lines too ;)

Magic xxx

Yes, well-deserved cherry. My own favourite was the islands fading into myth. Rob

Thank you, Rob! It took me a while to find the right image for the islands - so glad you approve ;)

Magic xxx

Magic - so sorry I was late with this one;-) But certainly in this case, better late than never.

This poem has taken its place amongst my many favourites of yours...not least because of its vivid imagery, as Rob points out, but because of its honesty.

A richly deserved cherry;-)

Tina xxx

Thank you, Tina! Poetry can sometimes be the best form of honesty, I find ;)

Magic xxx

excellent stuff. i got lost in this for the duration. felt good too!

Thanks, alice! Glad you could lose yourself in this ;)

Magic xxx

"I tuck myself in a cradle of long grass"

Nice, could feel it as well as see it.

Thank you, Pudding! I really enjoyed your recent 'To My Husband's Mistress' - brilliant take on a difficult subject!

Magic xxx

Hii Magic,
really great poem & of naming it!
This is my favourite part
'A spectre of smoke steals across the dunes
like a spooked fox - as grey as today.
Mist hangs low over the water,
the islands have faded into myth'
At Abersoch there was mist over the sea?
I also liked the idea of tucking into long grass in the sand dunes for a smoke.
Kahdai xxx

Hello there Kahdai! I'm glad you like the name - it comes from an in-joke with my best friend, Mike - whenever either of us isn't coping with a situation very well (i.e. smoking or drinking) he always talks about 'maladaptive coping behaviour', something we learnt in our Psychology lessons. And yes - my first day in Abersoch the sky was so grey and there was so much fog and mist! But luckily it brightened up the next day :)

Magic xxx

Aah good, i thought it must be some psychological term. :) Glad you got your sunshine ;) xxx

Thanks and I did indeed - got quite a nice tan ;)

Magic xxx

Congratulations on this fine poems from a poet who gave up cigarettes for a pen. I sometimes wonder if it was a fair swap. I don't seem to achieve the same level of satisfaction. No going back though.

Luigi xxx

Good for you Luigi! I seem to be managing a balance between the two at the moment ;)

Magic xxx

If smoking should ever die out, this poem should be its eulogy!!

Awesome.

David xxx

Hehe thanks, David ;)

I have actually quit for the moment - haven't had one since Monday and don't intend to start up again for a while. I think there's an actual eulogy for my smoking heading ABCtales' way in the future ;)

Magic xxx