Friendly Street Poets

The Poem of the Month for May 2022, selected by 2022 Anthology Editors, Veronica and David Cookson, is Washing Day, Burra 1896 by Helen Hutton. The commended poem for May is The Fly by Charlie Madden.

Washing Day, Burra 1896
Helen Hutton

Like Aurora, she rises
as night’s clouds billow to the east
and the sky is veiled in a violet mantle.

She has stopped counting the dawns
the jagged mornings
since her husband rode
alone to Broken Hill to work
in the candle-dim mines
where days and nights unite.
She wonders, does he think of her?

Mist lifts from the well
floats in the wooden bucket.… Click for more

The Poem of the Month for April 2022, selected by 2022 Anthology Editors, Veronica and David Cookson, is Some Days I See Bob Dylan in the Mall by Martha Landman. The commended poem for April is Poetry Like Bukowski by Nigel Ford.

Some Days I See Bob Dylan in the Mall
Martha Landman

Today it’s Allen Ginsberg.
Bob calls him over, they talk Kerouac.
Around them buskers cover a range
from lonesomeness to love for all
but no one sings Dylan in the Mall.
It’s violin, banjo and guitar,
young ones singing Hallelujah.
It’s winter and an idiot wind
howls through the alleys
too early for the city lights to come on.… Click for more

The Poem of the Month for March 2022, selected by 2022 Anthology Editors, Veronica and David Cookson, is Villages of the Mendip Hills by Pat Lee. The commended poem for March is They Call Me Nana by Sarah Radford.

Villages of the Mendip Hills
Pat Lee

Somerset Great Britain

To reach the Mendip Hills
we followed roads, mere lanes,
like twirling ribbons across the countryside,
and through autumnal arches
with branches touching tips above the road,
and fluttering leaves, small welcome flags
to villages of my ancestors.
Their low doored cottages still stand,
with roofs of thatch or slate
and front doorsteps of stone, worn down,
now level with the narrow road.… Click for more

The Poem of the Month for February 2022, selected by 2022 Anthology Editors, Veronica and David Cookson, is Random Thoughts on Love by Jill Wherry. The commended poem for February is Butterfly Steps by Avalanche.

Random Thoughts on Love
Jill Wherry

I’d like to make love to a teacher.
I’m partial to qualified men;
Unless he’s a tad too judgemental,
Awarding me marks out of ten.

I used to make love to a policeman,
One very attached to his gun.
Though I didn’t enjoy this obsession,
His handcuffs were ever such fun.

I refused to make love to a Santa
So sensibly I knocked him back,
Until he seduced me with presents
And I ended up in the sack.… Click for more