The vast majority of my poetry is written in traditional forms (mainly using rhyme). I was therefore interested to come across this blog post on Post Modern poetry https://katyrachelmartin.wordpress.com/2024/07/25/587/
Her hair, smelling of Coconut Oil
Takes me back to you.
She too is black.
Once my passion boiled for you
In coconut scented sheets.
I wonder, does her skin
Leave coconut on bedclothes
And does her man’s nose
Linger where bodies meet?
Do I sin
When I yearn for coconuts
Firm to the touch
And soft skin
I can not touch?
When young women with pretty eyes
And loose thighs flirt
With older guys,
And the onlookers tut in disgust,
Sometimes I think, why the fuss,
For girls with pretty eyes,
The wealthy guys,
And those who now criticise,
All will be dust.
New Writing North is leading a coalition, which includes Hachette UK, Faber and Simon & Schuster UK, to create a state-of-the-art Centre for Writing in Newcastle worth £14m through government funding and so “reposition the southern and London bias of the writing industries”.
I was pleased to have had 2 of my poems from The Churchyard Yew and Other Poems included in the World Poetry Reading Series for Thursday 25 July. (The podcast is available prior to the show being broadcast on Thursday 25 July at 9 pm (UK time).
The poems in question: “Aeolus” and “A Walk in the Rain” appear approximately 45 minutes in to the podcast which can be found here https://www.mixcloud.com/VictorSchwartzman/world-poetry-cafe-for-july-25-2024-victor-and-old-poets/.
The Churchyard Yew is available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback and can be found here, The Churchyard Yew and Other Poems eBook : Morris, K: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store
When Kafka went and wrote The Trial
They said, “there can be no denial
That this book is strange
And the characters quite deranged!
And this novel is called The Trial!”.
As we drove fast round a very tight bend
A young lady said, “lets pretend I’m your girlfriend!”.
I said, “in this sports car
You and I will go far!”,
She said, “remember that this is only pretend!”
Recently I attended a poetry reading during which a poet with whom I am unfamiliar read their work. After the reading I requested that they send me a link to their book, which they duly did.
On clicking on the link I was surprised and somewhat annoyed to see that the Kindle edition retails at £6.2 whilst the paperback costs only £3.2. The book in question is traditionally published so I strongly suspect that the author has had no influence as regards the respective prices, and I in no way wish to criticise the poet, hence I am not naming them or the work in question. I do, however think that the fact that the Kindle is £3.2 more expensive than the paperback edition raises an issue worthy of discussion, namely how can a publisher justify pricing it’s Kindle books at a higher price than their print counterparts?
Many of my own books are available in both Kindle and paperback as I want to give my readers the opportunity to read my work in a format of their choice. On average the Kindle cost of one of my books is £2.99 whilst the print versions retail at between £5 and £5.25 which does, I believe take into account the extra cost of producing the print edition. I, personally would feel it wrong to charge more for the Kindle version of one of my books than it’s print counterpart.
Pricing Kindle titles higher than their print equivalents also has the unintended consequence of meaning that those who are unable to read print and rely on the text to speech facility on their Kindle app or Kindle reader to read books have to pay more for certain books than those who can read print. I am one such reader as I am registered blind and unable to read print.
I’ve come across this short video on Youtube which deals with this issue https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl9elMax1hM.
As always I’d be interested in the views of my readers.
When a gorgeous young lady named Grace
Invited me back to her place,
I met with the Devil,
Who was not on the level!
But I enjoyed my time with Grace!
Kevin Morris reading a number of poems on TikTok. You don’t need to have an account to view the videos.
K Morris - Poet 