Tag Archives: the selected poems of k morris

33 of the Most Famous Very Short Poems of All Time

Poet Kevin Morris to appear on Vancouver Co-Op Radio’s The World Poetry Reading Series, at 9:10 pm (UK time), on Thursday 27th February 2020

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I am delighted to announce that, on Thursday 27 February, at 9:10 pm (UK time), I shall be appearing on Vancouver Co-Op Radio’s The World Poetry Reading Series, https://worldpoetry.ca/.

My thanks to Ariadne Sawyer, host of The World Poetry Reading Series, for her kindness in inviting me to appear on her show.

I have been priveleged to appear on Vancouver Co-Op Radio on several previous occasions. For my previous interview, in which I discussed and read from my “Selected Poems”, please visit this link, https://worldpoetry.ca/?p=14784.

You can find “The Selected Poems of K Morris” here, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WW8WXPP/.

A Review of “The Selected Poems of K Morris”

The British Library and Legal Deposit

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A few days ago, I received a receipt from the British Library, confirming that my “Selected Poems” has been added to their shelves/catalogue.

Under UK law a copy of every publication, published in the United Kingdom, (print and electronic), must be provided to the British Library, and to 5 other UK libraries on request.

The responsibility for furnishing copies rests with publishers which, (in the case of self-published authors) in effect means that they must provide their published works to the British Library and (if requested to do so) to the 5 other UK libraries.

The above system (which is known as Legal Deposit) helps to preserve the nation’s cultural heritage for the benefit of authors and readers alike.

You can read more about Legal Deposit here, https://kmorrispoet.com/2017/03/10/legal-deposit-for-self-published-and-other-authors/.

The paperback edition of my “Selected Poems“, (which is held by the British Library) is available from Amazon and can be found here, https://www.amazon.com/Selected-Poems-K-Morris/dp/1688049800

Editors “hate rhyming poetry”

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“Editors hate rhyming poetry. Or do they? Rhyme has become something of a sore subject in the world of contemporary poetry, but to many poetry editors, there’s good reason for the shift. A number of writers who work in rhyme have yet to distinguish between the nursery rhymes of childhood and more adult types of verse. Recollections of the fun, frilly words that cheered and delighted us as children may be the reason editors tend to avoid rhyming poems”. (See https://writersrelief.com/2010/07/12/rhyming-poetry-dos-donts-and-definitions/).

The above is an interesting article. Whilst I agree that some modern rhyming poetry is child-like in nature, I have also seen free verse poetry of which the same could be said. Also, it should be pointed out that there is nothing wrong with child-like rhyming poetry, indeed both Edward Lear and Louis Carroll wrote some wonderful poems aimed at children, which are very much enjoyed by youngsters and adults alike to this day.

Much of my own work (for example that contained in my “Selected Poems”, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WW8WXPP/) rhymes.

I have, however, always been of the view that just as one should not put a size 10 foot into a size 9 shoe, (as to do so risks mangling the foot), that to compel a rhyme where no rhyme should properly be is to mangle poetry.

You can find an example of my own rhyming poetry, a poem entitled “Raining” below. As always I would be interested in the views of my readers on this post and the above linked to article.

Raining:

I awoke to the rain

Drumming on my window pane.

Opening my lattice, I let it in:

The purifying water that washes away sin.

The hypnotic sound

Of rain falling all around.

All my life, I have listened to the rain.

The same drumming

Of water coming

From the sky

Falling on you and I.

The rain has no end;

But you and I, my friend,

May listen for a while,

Smile,

Then pass on by.

Looking back at 2019, and a happy new year to you all!

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Looking back at 2019, I was delighted and honoured to appear on Vancouver Co-Op Radio’s The World Poetry Reading Series, to discuss (and read from) my “Selected Poems”. You can find a link to my interview here, https://worldpoetry.ca/?p=14784. and my “Selected Poems” is available here https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07WW8WXPP/ (for the UK), and here https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WW8WXPP/ (for amazon.com customers).

I was surprised and honoured when, in October, I received a Certificate of Honour, Appreciation and Gratitude from the World Poetry Reading Series, https://kmorrispoet.com/2019/10/24/world-poetry-international-canada-certificate-of-honour-appreciation-and-gratitude-awarded-to-poet-kevin-morris/.

Earlier in 2019, I launched my Instagram, which can be found here, https://www.instagram.com/kmorrispoet/.

May I close by wishing all of my readers a very happy new year. If your 2019 has not been a good one, I do hope that the new year turns out to be much better for you.

Kevin

Great Feedback On My “Selected Poems”

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I was delighted to receive the following email earlier today:

“Dear Mr Morris,
I am writing to tell you that your poems in “The Collected Poems of K Morris” that you gave me on the train on my way to college are exceptional. You might not remember me but I am the girl doing politics and history that you met on the train and gifted your amazing book to. I have always been interested in writing poems and therefore you have really inspired me to carry on my interest and write some poems of my own. I would really like to thank you for gifting me your book and inspiring me to continue writing”.

The Selected Poems of K. Morris

“The Selected Poems of K Morris” can be found here https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07WW8WXPP/ (for the UK), and here https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WW8WXPP/. (for amazon.com customers).

(Please note, I have not included the young lady’s name in order to protect her privacy).

10 of The Best Poems About Time

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In “10 of the Best Poems About Time”, the blog, Interesting Literature, provides links to (and a brief analysis of) 10 poems dealing with time and (naturally enough) clocks, https://interestingliterature.com/2019/12/01/10-of-the-best-poems-about-time/.

I have long been fascinated by time and well remember listening to the ticking of a wall mounted pendulum clock, as a young boy whilst attending Wavertree School for the Blind in Liverpool.

In my home I have several clocks, including a tingtang clock, which lives on the bookcase in my living room. It is this clock, which was manufactured in 1910, from which inspiration for the below poem is drawn:

“My old clock I wind

And much philosophy therein find.

I can bring

The pendulum’s swing

To a stop with my hand;

Yet I cannot command

Time to default

On his duty and halt

The passing of the years.

He has no ears

For our laughter and tears

And his sickle will swing on

Long after we are gone”.

(“My Old Clock I Wind”, first appeared in “My Old Clock I Wind” and Other Poems”, https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0735JBVBG/. It can also be found in my “Selected Poems”, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WW8WXPP/

My “Selected Poems” will soon be available in Braille from RNIB

Sometimes Brevity is King

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I have long been an admirer of those who can express themselves well in short verse. Consequently I was interested when I came across 7 Poems, an Alexa skill, which provides the user of an Amazon Echo with access to 7 poems from the book Text Messages, by Andrew Wilson, https://www.amazon.co.uk/Studio-for-Co-operation-Seven-Poems/dp/B07GZT6DVK/.

I was impressed with the poems showcased in the above free Alexa skill, and will be purchasing Wilson’s book Text Messages.

My love for the short poem began, I believe with my reading of Ernest Dowson’s “They are not long, the weeping and the laughter” which runs thus:

“They are not long, the weeping and the laughter,
Love and desire and hate:
I think they have no portion in us after
We pass the gate.
They are not long, the days of wine and roses:
Out of a misty dream
Our path emerges for a while, then closes
Within a dream”.

Life is indeed brief and the brevity of Dowson’s poem serves to underline this fact. It is, of course true that there have been many fine long poems written on the subject of mortality. Take, for example Keats “Ode to a Nightingale” which is, incidentally one of my favourite poems.

Keats produced a wonderful meditation on mortality, suicide and beauty and his ode does, to my mind contain not one extraneous word. I have, however read other poems where I have thought that (had the poem been briefer) it would have been more impactful. Dowson’s “They are not Long” certainly does not suffer from being long winded, and his verses undoubtedly pack a powerful punch.

Many (but by no means all) of my own poems are brief in nature. Take, for example my poem Summer, which runs as follows:

“Summer unlocks
Youthful passion.
Now ’tis the fashion
For short frocks
And tiny socks.
Some girls barefoot go;
For, of a summer’s day,
They little know
That winter snow
Is on its way.”

Only my readers can say whether the above poem conveys (in 10 lines) what the poet wished to convey, and, if so whether his message is well expressed in so brief a space. As the poet, I believe that I said all I wished to convey in 10 lines. Had I said more I would have been guilty of the sin of waffle, and heaven preserve us from wafflers! But, in the final analysis its all in the interpretation of my readers.

In conclusion, there is, I believe a place for both short and longer poems. If something can be expressed briefly and with impact then there is, in my opinion no point in spinning out the word count. Indeed doing so will merely weary the reader and turn an otherwise potentially good (even great) poem, into a mediocre or poor piece of writing. Some things are, however better expressed at greater length, as is the case with Keats “Nightingale”.

—

My poem Summer can be found in my Selected Poems, which is available in paperback and e-book format from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07WW8WXPP/ (for the UK, and https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WW8WXPP/. (for the US and elsewhere).