Ian Cant

Hi Scratch,
I really like this.Very much another departure from your first pieces but thought provoking.A good sketch of character,and his name is intruiging.
Good for you to stretch to differing styles and
themes.
As always you delight.

Scratch, I read the introduction to this first about there being an Ian Cant in all schools. I could identify with it straightaway. I have to say that there seemed to be an Ian Cant in every school that I attended as well. One came to mind as soon as I started reading this, he later became a good friend.

Enjoyed this a lot, have read it now a few times and each time get something new out of it.

Also agree with the above as it being different from your other stuff, it is, but just as good.

Thanks jolono and also gerardineanne for your time to read and supportive comments as always your feedback is most appreciated.

"Off he goes like an unmade bed" - love this image, Scratch. This has a great nursery-rhyme style and rhythm, a very enjoyable read! :-)

Magic xxx

Thanks magic!

A thought provoking piece, I read it yesterday and it came back to me in the early hours this morning, It's sad that so many people see it happening but nothing gets done, And I can certainly identify with poor little Ian Cant.

Yep shoe, so can I and I dare say many others empathise as well. Thanks for the read and comment.

If you have taken the time to read this poem I offer my thanks. I really would like a little more comment on it. If you have the opportunity, a comment from you would be most appreciated.

scratch...sorry, I completely missed this one. I too loved the bit about the unmade bed, and it does have a nursery rhyme flavour to it.

Much enjoyed, and it certainly is a change of style for you.

SSS;-)

Thank you so much Silver.

I wanted it to be fast paced and punchy so it would sort of echo an angry voice reading it.

And so it is, scratch...fast paced and punchy. The kind of thing would really appeal to kids...especially the last stanza;-)

Thanks again Silver. This was written with children in mind, In the hope that it might cause them to reflect on issues like bullying, disadvantage and neglect. Things that affect so many children. Plus I've learned to recite it a bit like a rap and this adds a popular note when they hear it. In fact they often ask for repeats!

I must say that I had thought that it would have been received more positively. It's strange how some submissions resonate and others don't. Oh well that's life!

But thanks to you SSS and all the others who have read and/or commented.

<:-)

I know exactly what you mean scratch, about the resconating;-) It's a strange thing...writing. One never can tell what's going to appeal to the mass-market, but all I would say is that ABC as great as it is, is not always a realiable benchmark. Spreading things about a bit as I do, it's amazing what does well on one site, and gets zilch attention on the other.

It's a funny old life, right enough:-)

Anyway, you wrote a darned good poem, one to be proud of, and that's the main thing.

SSS

Hi there scratch,

you have really given this poem so much thought.
It's so sad to know that children like Ian Cant
exist, but I daresay it makes them stronger adults.

I think you definitely put the point across and
made me think about a situation I had long forgotten
about.

Well done and thankyou for sharing.

Jenny.

Thank you Jenny.

Indrani Ananda

This is really great stuff, Scratch. The rhythm somehow re-inforces the images described. You mention that you are surprised that it was not received more 'positively' , that's probably because there isn't enough stuff on here that's similar so that people can latch onto the style more. I've got several poems written in this style, about similar characters, but have never felt they would be favoured in the scheme of things on here. Well done for a graphic poem.

Indrani.

Thank you Indrani. I think you're right regarding the observation about style by the way. Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment.

Hello Scratch, a sad but poignant poem. Through this writing you give esteem to your maligned subject, all the Ians who struggle to overcome their shortfalls. Cheers, Richard LP

Thank you very much Richard.

New Scratch
Hi! I enjoyed your poem, very much
true! to some I knew and can identify
with myself coming from a big family?
Like your character of 'Ian Can't'.
If he was bullied and unloved at school,
and his dad had left,would have been unloved
in many ways,and physically and mentally to join
in,leaned against the wall. Unless you mean he was
disabled too. I used listen,soon as couldn't grasp something,I would scribble all over the book!
It was the edge going over and over do it again?
If desk lid up I'd chat someone maybe,whack! Teacher
would smack one on top the head with a book whoever.
julie xx

Thank you Julie. Yes all too often children are marginalised, victimised and neglected. It's nothing new of course 200 hundred years after the birth of Dickens. You would think that with 'progress' and all that children like this would be fewer, far from it I'm afraid.

Really enjoyed this, and so did alot of others after reading all the comments, Ian Can't was a little Cunt, I know because I used to know him rather well, x

I have just read this one and as you can imagine - empathised greatly with the contents. WillSimpson's post did make me laugh. You are a talented writer so please lets have some more work from you.

Thanks Lavadis.

I am only reading (sporadically) at the moment as a new baby is taking up my time. Wills comment made me laugh too! As soon as things calm down here a bit (I write this to the sound of uncontrolled screaming, and that's just the wife!) I will put more stuff on and am looking forward to getting back to it.

Thanks for stopping by Lavadis, and of course the comment.

Very interesting!!! I really enjoyed this!!

"In wild isolation during break
(stop calling names for goodness sake)" Fav part

- Mels Olive

Thanks MelsOlive.

I really liked the rhythm of this poem, the way it seems to hurry along like Ian rushing to school.

Also the way the poem deals with serious subject matter but in an up beat, humorous way.

I think this is probably my favourite stanza
though,because of the striking imagery:

Off he goes like an unmade bed,
A holey jumper and an uncombed head.
On one foot a welly on the other a pump,
Come PE when the others run
It’s little wonder he won’t jump.

Thanks wellwisher