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Posted by Ewan on Sat, 08 Dec 2018 "The most difficult thing for me to remember is that a poem is made of words and not of the expanding heart, the overflowing soul, or the sensitive observer. A poem is made of words." W S Graham Last Night I Met John Adcock, is Ewan's first collection of poetry to be published and features a number of the excellent poems he has shared on ABCtales. The poems move from the relative drudgery and small thrills of...

Posted by Philip Sidney on Fri, 07 Dec 2018 Two legends set the scene for this week's picks. Story of the week is a modern take on a classic tale. The Grandmother, from Penelope Creighton is beautifully executed and perfect reading on a dark cold night. https://www.abctales.com/story/penelopecreighton/grandmother Poem of the week elevates the humble bagel to its rightful status. Alfie Shoyger's ode to the mythic snack will make you smile. https...

Review by Noo: There is a fragility and beauty running right through Scharlie Meeuws’ collection of poetry,Outbranching. The collection is split into four sections, moving from memories and dreams, through betrayal and darkness, to nature, wisdom and finally, healing. As you read the poems in each section, you make this same journey and are both touched and transformed by the words in each poem. Scharlie has her own take on the world, but there...

Our picks for the month of November have been chosen by rjnewlyn: November’s an odd month – a bit past proper autumn, not quite proper winter. Back in the day it used to tie with February as my least favourite time of year, but I’ve come to view it with more affection of late (I was going to say ‘warmed to it’ but that wouldn’t be quite right). Perhaps it’s the Tom Waits song (of the same name) that did the trick. There were certainly some good...

Poetry Monthly – December Hello all, Hope everything is good where you are and that the short days and long evenings are giving you lots of chances to write! Poetry Monthly in November asked you to have a go at writing haikus and tankas. Here are some beauties to have another read of: https://www.abctales.com/story/rhiannonw/3-wintry-haiku https://www.abctales.com/story/alice-hamilton/park https://www.abctales.com/story/luigipagano/3-...

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Our Story and Poem for the month of October have been chosen by Philip Sidney: October is that strange month of transition. It sits on the border of life and death. A time for contemplation and a time to be unsettled. So many pieces across the month have played with these ideas but I have pulled out two that wrong-footed me with their strange yet recognisable ideas. Poem of the month is Noo’s meditation on death and its borders. I found it...

For the month of September our picks have very kindly been chosen by Mark Say: Poem of the month At sea with you by caribou_ A clever and powerful expression of longing that combines the sense of wanting someone with the knowledge that it would be a destructive relationship. It manages to simultaneously convey a sense of ecstasy and foreboding. https://www.abctales.com/ story/caribou/sea-you Other stand-outs were Tangerine Static by lavadis, a...

Story and Poem for the month of August very kindly chosen by Rhona Miller (love_writing): Attempting to choose two pieces this month has left me with literally no nails left! There has been an overwhelmingly amazing amount of talent in both poetry and prose. I’ve finally selected two pieces which have continued to linger in my head, both for their skill and the emotive responses they’ve provoked. First up is Brooklyn Heart by Michael Valentine...

Story and Poem for the month of July very kindly chosen by Alex Smith (london_calling79): As Benvolio put it: ‘These hot days is the mad blood stirring.’ At this time of year there seems to be something in the air, maybe it’s Mercury in retrograde, morons in the White House or just the fact that it’s been too damn hot to sleep but I’m not complaining as this month has produced some phenomenal writing here on ABCTales. My pick for Poem of the...