Couple of Christmas Poems from a few years back

VIEW OF WINTER TREES (2002)

And leaves which have
Fell off the
Trees like peeled logs.

The image still sinks
In your mind,

Like childhood games
Lost in
Dunes of snow.

The image still sticks
In your mind

Like a view of
Trees asleep
In darkest winter.

****

Christmas Poem (2005)

On Christmas day
You held a snowball in your hand
Before dropping it
Down onto the ground
Laughing
When I ask you
What you are doing?

I can see
The smile in your eyes
As the wind
Brushes your hair
In your face
As you look
Down at the ground
And whisper amazing.

‘What’s amazing?’
I ask puzzled
‘You are’
and reply
and kiss me
and then hit me
on the back of my neck
with a snowball.

2 x New Poems

Dear all;

Here are two new poems 'Nothing to Hide (IV)' and 'Nothing to Hide (V)

Enjoy!

Andy n

NOTHING TO SAVE (IV)

Tell me again
What you mean.

Tell me again
Stood at deserted
Train stations
With snow sweeping in
From nearby hills
All over our hands
And our feet.

And when the snow
Turns to slush
Making us feel
Like we are children
On the run from Narnia
Tell me again.

And then let me go

***
NOTHING TO SAVE (V)

Look at the moon
which in the mis
throws down
a spotlight
on our frozen shoulders
and tell me again
you love me.

Look at the petals
in the fountain
which are sinking
further and further
into the water
and look at me
nervously shaking.

Tell me again
and stop walking
away into the distance.

Poets and Pasties opening night

Some of you may know I recently helped co-run as a trial

Basis, a poetry open mike night called ‘Poets and Pasties’

As a test to see if the demand was there to start one in the

New year on a more regular basis.

The idea came about from discussions with Gary and

Amanda, my collegues from ‘Trio Writers’ simply because

It could be fun to try and do one as we had all being to

Those on a semi regular basis over the past year or so.

Despite some reservations on my side, owning to the

Distance of the venue, which I thought may cause people

Some problems tracking down, we agreed to go ahead

With and even set up a date for it to start on 26^th November

2008.

I set up a few pages on myspace and facebook advertising

It and Gary did some P.R. on his side and we set up what

We could.

And off the top of my head, we attracted 25 people including

The bar staff.

Now I know there was a few people who were disappointed

By the turn out, but I must admit it was pretty what I expected

Firstly for a first night and secondly I knew from similar

Events being held in the local area what they had being

Attracting, we pretty got what I expected.

As for the night itself – me and Gary were pretty busy

Organizing and sorting things out and even at more than

One point re-scheduling orders, crossing people and when

Some people turned up we weren’t expecting to turn up,

Re-adding them back on.

And then the food… Home made pasties! Now that I

Believe was when the real fun started as I know Gary

Had some major problems with it, and Amanda I believe

Ended up taking over in the kitchen when they arrived.

Respect to her, she pulled them brilliantly as I have had

Loads off good feedback since then.

The event itself? Well – on the whole, it worked

Quite well! We will need to get more people in

For the future certainly, I felt for us to survive

But considering it was a trial run, we pulled it

Off fairly well.

I managed to persuade a few pals along

And even used a multi media section off the gig

Where my pal, Matt Dalby did his standard

Experimental poetry set, which I then followed

By doing one myself, and at the start of the

Second half, my friend from County Cork,

Kylyra which I know surprised some people.

I’m not going to name all of the acts there as

Love and respect to everybody for attending

As I loved you all.

Three lovely girls from MMU recorded the

Full gig and I am hoping to get a recording off

It in due course off them, but I did also take

A audio recording off it, which I aim to share

In the next few days online.

Cheers to all who attended of course (You

Know who you are!)

Snake Poem by Elise (Reprint)

This actually is a reprint of a old poem by my god daughter, Elise

from a few years back which I published on a old blog which

I discovered the other day and thought I would share it with you.

“I look to see the
slithering snake
and he starts
hissing
and gets into
a poisonous snake

It turns
Me into a snake”

A snake poem
By Elise aged nearly 8.

2 x new poems

Dear all;

Here are two new poems for you all to enjoy!

Two parts of the same puzzle, or maybe not?

Enjoy!

Cheers

Andy N

Nothing to Save (I)

The petals fell into the fountain

At sunset

As I watched you

Walk into the distance.

The petals fell into the fountain

As sunset

As I watched you

Turn back

And shout I love you.

The petals fell dripped into

The base of the fountain

As I watched you

Stand there

And start crying.

And when the petals

Soft as the bed in the earth

Started to reflect

In the moonlight

I almost wanted

To run back towards you

And hold you in my arms

One more time.

But I disappeared back into

The shadows.

Nothing to Save (II)

There is nothing to rescue

When I see

Petals drowning

In the fountain

At sunset.

There is nothing to rescue

When I see

Tears start to form

On their slight frames.

Perhaps if I'd got

There earlier

I could have reached

Out and held them in

My arms.

But like my memories of you

Perhaps it is best

To let them drown.

New FREE download from 'Deemed Psychotic'

Running ‘Setting Sun’ as I do

frequently involves besides all of the trudging and constant

updating that you have to do with websites do occasionally

involve some nice surprises which often come out of nowhere.

Take for example, the new recording by Dark World recording

artists ‘Deemed Psychotic’. Instead off going through the usual

procedure that many acts go through with releasing records and

stuff have instead released NINE tracks for FREE download from

the official darkworld website (http://www.darkworld.com/10page.html)

Describing themselves as heralding back to the days of the 70’s

super bands of rock for example ‘Heart’, ‘Ted Nugent’ and

‘Led Zeppelin’.

Deemed Psychotic previously released an 8 track album in 2006

called ‘The 1^st’. The forthcoming album due for release in 2009

called ‘2^nd take’ includes according to the band the addition of

a Deep Purple-esque organ to their rhythm section and

more serious lyrical content than their first release.

According to Kylyra from the band ‘It’s not all dark and

gloomy. There are a few lyrically lighter songs on

‘2^nd Take’ including 'Smile on Delivery' and

'The Lighter Side of Life', both of which we wrote in the

studio."

Speaking from a Setting Sun perspective, while there

is certainly all of the above mentioned, the sound is not

straight-forward as that and I picked up all kinds of other

influences and little bits in their sound that certainly don’t

make it sound like a progessive rock tribute band and even

from a few listens to the 9 tracks have got enough variety

to hint at a major force at work here.

Why not check them out for yourself?

Pop over to http://www.darkworld.com/10page.html

It's worth it, believe me.

Creative Writing week..

Just to show you how some weeks go, last week was

one of those weeks without any shadow of doubt creative writing wise.

Monday first off all, I ended up with my fortnightly visit over to

my buddies in Trio Writers, my writing and performance group

(http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=6340&post=46484&uid=15947196131#/group.php?gid=15947196131&ref=ts)

where besides doing our usual writing discussion, we also did a bit more

work on our forthcoming creative writing open mike event ‘Poets & Pasties’

(http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=6340&post=46484&uid=15947196131#/event.php?sid=64f460e90e720b9fa56b8ba22e13fb1c&refurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fs.php%3Fref%3Dsearch%26init%3Dq%26q%3Dpoets%2Band%2Bpasties%26sid%3D64f460e90e720b9fa56b8ba22e13fb1c&eid=35871106458) which will happen on 26^thNovember 2008.

We did a writing excerise or too, which I produced one or

two new pieces which gave me a laugh doing, but certainly

not something worth posting here shall we say.

Tuesday night involved another trip over to another writing

workshop I have recently joined called ‘Animal Writes’ which

is run by the lovely Dominic Berry

(http://www.facebook.com/s.php?ref=search&init=q&q=Animal%20Writes&sid=d2322ec84a944d49ba5a893ac8de69db#/group.php?gid=24158377235&ref=ts)

Dom hosts this at the On the 8^th Day café bar which is on

Oxford Road near Oxford Road train station.

Dom started this group off the other month and I had such a

good laugh, I came along to the second meeting.

The group this time truth be told was a bit smaller this

time and we couldn’t sit where we sat last time which

didn’t make life easy sometimes with the level of the noise,

but it was good fun and the writing workshop we did

produced a poem which was a good first draft on a Ode

to Geri Halliwell (More on that later).

Wednesday Night ended up popping over to Poetica

(http://www.myspace.com/poeticamanchester) apoetry

discussion group.

I used to be a regular member off until this autumn

until I got dragged into other things. Was nice to be

back although I do know now aside from the next

meeting, it is unlikely I will be back until next year. What

was pleasing was there was a lot of new members there

and quite a few I hope will return over and over in the

future. As I may have mentioned in the past in cases like

Animal Writes and Poetica, the group need to keep attracting

new members if they hope to survive etc and certainly from

looking at all of the people in Poetica I didn’t know, this

looks like the case.

Thursday involved another night to a major charity

event for Poems called ‘How many poets does it take to

change a light bulb’? (which I did a nice little poem slot

featuring my love ode to Geri – see mentioned above

and another poem called ‘She) with my pals Vicky and

Tony!

If I am honest, I didn’t really enjoy the event so

I was glad I was one of the first few people on and it felt

like at least the audience bothered listening to me which

they certainly didn’t for some of the later people!

What was amazing was the people in there that

were from all over the country and the praise I got

from some people which was brilliant! Gave some

good confidence that!

I took a recording off this reading for those

interested and it can be downloaded for

FREE from

http://www.archive.org/details/andytonyvickyhowmanypoetsoct08

Friday by this point I was knackered, ended up

popping over after work to see Dominic Berry

at the Royal Exchange straight after work in

a nice evening show, which was a good show

too as I felt Dominic looked so confident in that show.

I took a recording of that show also..

It can be downloaded FREE from here

http://www.archive.org/details/domberryroyalexchangeoct08

Saturday I was over a mate’s doing things not creative, but

Sunday despite the fact I was knackered I went out to a

Write Out Loud in Middleton and had a great time there.

This oddly enough was recorded and downloaded

FREE here also

http://www.archive.org/details/andynalexhtonywriteoutloudoct08

By yesterday I was totally knackered as you

may have guessed and I then decided to have a week off

after week and rest!

So I am…

(Picture is a facebook drawing of me performing at

How Many Poets?)

3 x new poems performed at Freed Up

Dear all;

Here are three x new poems as performed at Freed Up Poets,
Manchester last week!

BRIAN LIKES TO POKE THE BEAR

Brian likes to poke the bear
with a little white stick.

Brian likes to poke the bear
and pull big faces at it
before calling it thick.

Brian likes to poke the bear
and he boasts it is scared of him
before again taking the mick.

Brian likes to poke the bear
before giving it a big hard stare.

Brian likes to poke the bear
but when the bear snarls at him
then cries out 'THAT'S NOT FAIR'



BLAIR'S MEGADETH BURGER

I couldn't believe it
when I read on
the internet
It was probably
the hottest
takeaway
In the world.


I couldn't believe it
when I read on
the internet
it's burgers
were reportingly
so spicey
it was recommended
you wore rubber
gloves
when you ate one.

What was it's
secret ingredent
I asked myself
to make it so hot
it would almost
make your fingers
melt
if you tried
to eat one
without wearing
rubber gloves.


STOLEN BIKINI

You say you cannot believe
somebody stole your wallet
and used your credit cards
to buy two machine guns
and three automatic pistols.


You say you cannot believe
somebody stole your wallet
and used your credit cards
to buy some explosives
and some designer sunglasses.

You say you cannot believe
somebody stole your wallet
and used your credit cards
to buy a bikini from H & M


And then post it to you
from Brazil
once it had being worn.


(Image borrowed from
http://api.ning.com/files/lZ4SC6CFu36xzkxEm*8RoDBzsJ*hSgzPGOADVEdzh49w-XV0RiMX51rr-0oiTajn-uc09G902TUx878BwCnq0lMDSI6xG4Ah/poetry.gif)

Poets & Pasties - New Poetry event

Dear all;

Here are details of a new poetry event I will be involved
with on 26th November 2008

Cheers

Andy n

Poets and Pasties

Hosted By: Trio Writers
When: 26 Nov 2008, 19:30
Where Bolton Rugby Club
Avenue St
Bolton, BL13AW
United Kingdom

((http://events.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=events.detail&eventid=466865.71272&Mytoken=5933DEA9-E35C-4C88-979FC80E0FBE4764101976173)

OR

(http://www.facebook.com/inbox/?compose&ref=mb#/event.php?eid=35871106458&ref=mf)

Submissions wanted for new online comp. CD

Dear all;

After all the great fun we had last year.. Me, Keith Hicc
& UK Dragon (DIH) have decided to do another
DIH & friends at Christmas album as another Hicc Release
and we are now seeking submissions.


Usual rules apply - i.e. - there are none providing
it has some element of Christmas to it.


Send all tracks for those interested to
aen1mpo@yahoo.co.uk (Andy N)

Already had a few tracks in - I'll provide a list
over the next few days over what I have had so far!

Closing date is 30th November 2008.


Link to last year's album is :
http://www. archive. org/details/DIHchristmas2007

P.S. - Picture borrowed from
http://www.crewsnest.vispa.com/ChristmasTop.jpg

3 x new workshop poems

Dear all;

Here are three more new poems
as done at a creative writing workshop
I attended on 30th September 2008.

I've amended the second one
a bit since then, but I've tried
to keep them as close to what
they were on the night.

Thought I would share them with you
as examples of what you can produce
at workshop environments sometimes.

Happy Reading

Andy N!


Gone Away

I saw you in a dream recently
like an unexpected ending.

I saw you in a dream recently
and you stood there as pissed off
like the last time I saw you.

I saw you there again
with your circular glasses
and a crap t shirt
of some terrible metal band
that stood out
like a sore thumb

I saw you there again
moaning about your two daughters
and two failed marriages
(one of which I didn't even
know had finished)
before you eventually said
'I'm sorry I was so stupid
last time I spoke to you
how are you feeling nowadays?'

'All the better you ain't
in my life anymore'
I answered.


Inventory found at the Suicide of a poet

There was a TV set minus a plug
in the living room
and a micro-wave
that looked like it
hadn't being used in months
in the kitchen.

The fridge was littered
with out of date
bottles of lagers
and cheese that turned
my stomach off
with the
smell off it.

The bookshelf in the
living room
contained several books
that was overdue
by several years
from the local library
and there
was a scattering
of dirty magazines
hidden badly
behind
the back of the shelf.

The front room
was empty.

His bedroom
had clothes scattered
all over the floor
like it was a
artistic statement.

The front room
was empty.

There was an
battered acoustic guitar
on the bed
with several strings
on the floor
that had clearly
being pulled
out in tempter.

His sofa
next to his TV
clearly shown signs
of being slept on
more than once
and a notebook
laptop
was left
on the side
of it
which had being
left on
clearly by accident.

The front room
was empty.

There was a notebook
on the kitchen table
which looked like
he was halfway
through writing
a note to
his milkman
to let him
he was going to
be going away
for a little while.

The letter was closer
to the truth
than anybody
realised.


Once upon a time

Once upon a time
people used to queue
up there in droves.

Once upon a time
people used to spend their
Friday nights there.

And their Saturday nights.

Once upon a time
people used to stand there
with fake smiles
and broken promises.


Once upon a time
people used to have
a good time here.

Young and old.

Black and white.

Once upon a time
people used to queue
up there in droves.

But then the police
shut it down with their
fake smiles
and broken promises.


(Dedicated to the memory
of The Hacienda)

Poetry groups..

Writing Poetry this year has being the major surprise

For me this year so far, as I have completed

Something like 82 odd poems this year which

Completely murders the amount off poems

I wrote last year which was something like 56

Poems wrote.

Good thing is I have generally being a lot

Happier with them this year on the whole

And look forward to exploring this more

Next year too.

A lot of this has being done to joining

A lot of poetry groups.. Here a few

Details about them about the ones

I have being involved in 2008 so

Far with a honest opinion as far

As I can see.

24 Hour Arty People

(http://www.myspace.com/24hourartypeople)

This was the group I was in from 2004 to the

start off 2008 which fell apart big style see

these posts for more details

http://writersideasandthoughtsuk.blogspot.com/2008/08/more-thoughts-about-writing-writing.html

AND

http://writersideasandthoughtsuk.blogspot.com/2008/08/at-write-out-loud-middleton-sunday-24th.html)

For anybody joining in groups like this, I would advise

You not to bother! There are always other

Groups knocking around which are better.

As far as I am aware, this group is no longer

Going although I still get the odd threatening

Email which makes me wonder otherwise.

Poetica

(http://www.myspace.com/poeticamanchester)

I joined Poetica in the Spring off 2007,
I think as I was starting to get pissed off

With 24 Hour Arty..

Poetica to quote their myspace page

‘Is a completely open forum where

everyone is welcome to come and share work

in progress and get feedback from others’

who meet up at Manchester Central Library

(UK) every other Wednesday from 6pm

to 7.45pm (ish)

Their next dates are as follows for meeting..

Wed 8th October

Wed 22nd October

Wed 5th November

Wed 19th November

Wed 3rd December

All 2008 of course.

Certainly joining Poetica when I did

Was a godsend as I made a lot of contacts

Out off that and also quite a few new

Friends.

If I am honest, the problem

with Poetica is the demand for

the group.

Certainly when I first started going,

there was usually about 10 or so people

who were regulars and that itself in a

hour and 45 minutes is a lot to get round

But when the number goes up a few more

and if people ain’t as focused with the group,

I feel it becomes dangerously unmanageable

with I remember (not my views here) several

people hogging the spotlight away from others.

I’ve ended up taking a step backwards from

the group at least for now mostly for lack

off time but it is worth looking into if you

work in the center of Manchester.

Trio Writers

(http://www.myspace.com/triowriters)

My baby, which I co run with my pals, Gary

& Amanda took over from 24 Hour Arty People

in January 2008 and has so far being kept

down to a core membership but speaking

from a personal angle, keeping it

stripped down so much I think has

worked to our favor as we have got

through a lot off stuff we may have struggled

doing otherwise as 24 Hour arty.

When we re-launch later on this year,

(October time I reckon now)

expect major changes.

New Manchester Stanza

(http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=29097376060)

Tony talked me into going to this monthly

Meet up of this group who meet at the Lowry

Centre (Salford Quays, Manchester) once a month..

Next meeting 30th September 2008 from 7pm to 9pm

I think a couple of months back.

I have being to just two so far, I think and

Have enjoyed as it is a nice new location,

But have found the group itself to be a mixed

Bag where some things worked well and

Others well..

If I am honest, for the group to survive

It will need to change a little bit, but it has

A few regular members so it has a chance

Certainly.

Animal Writers

(http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=24158377235)

This is a brand new one I am going to this Tuesday

Coming 23^rd September..

No idea how this will go, I must admit, but I think it is

Monthly and meeting up at 8^th Day, Oxford Road from

6pm to 7.30pm or something.

Like to Write? Manchester UK

(http://www.myspace.com/poetry_workshops)

Only managed this once, but found

It great fun.

It is an ongoing poetry writing workshop

That meets weekly.

They describe themselves as a ‘not-for-profit group

that puts on free weekly creative writing workshops

and sometimes we produce anthologies and put on

events’

They meet weekly every Monday 2pm – 4pm at

the Friends Meeting House, (behind central library

in Manchester City Centre) UK.

The one occasion I made it (because of the

Meeting times clashing with work). I found

It great fun as it was a constant writing

Workshop and I wrote 6 poems in a hour

And 45 minutes.

There is others, but I can’t offer a

Honest opinion on them.

I think with all writing groups I

Have explored this year, I think a lot

Depends on what you are looking for

And while all of these groups may

Not be what you are looking for

If you live in Manchester, England

It is worth exploring if you are

a new writer.

(Image borrowed from
http://blog.mpl.org/nowatmpl/magnetic_poetry1_by_cassandra_tiensivu.jpg)

Music Projects update.

Before I carry on with any more usual postings and rantings, thought it

Would be good fun to let you all know what the latest state off play

Is with several bits and pieces I am involved with project wise.

For people who don’t know me, let me refer you over first off all

To my website – http://www.geocities.com/aen1mpo

That’ll explain everything in more details.

Music wise , first all… (In order alphabetically) for this post..

Writing next post (tomorrow)

Distance

My band Distance should have a EP out now called ‘Words in the Mix’

Which is a EP I am really pleased with and has had one or two

Compare it to Spacemen 3 which means a hell of a lot to me. I need

To follow that one up, reminds me.

Currently otherwise Distance are working slowly towards their next

Album which I hope will out on a independent record label next

Year at some point, although there could be a EP or two out before that

Also.

The band did feature on the comp ‘Let’s talk about Sex’

(http://www.archive.org/details/ltbsvol1)

and a few Distance remixes have appeared on my page on

the Nine Inch Nails remix website

(http://remix.nin.com/member/aen1mpo)

The band will of course be appearing on the annual

DIH & friends album towards December 2008.

D.I.H.

D.I.H. after the release off the ‘lost’ HATE E.P.

(http://www.archive.org/details/dihhateep)

at the start of this year has generally kept it quiet this year with

only two appearances on comp. CD’s to speak off..

A remix on the Tara’s Adventure EP

(http://www.archive.org/details/tarasadventure)

and the Let’s talk about Sex CD

(http://www.archive.org/details/ltbsvol1).

However, things will soon be picking up as the band are in the

Final throws off a new EP that is nearly ready now and should

Be out for the end of this year then a new full length album (should

Be done for the start off next year with a release date off

March / April 2009 hopefully)

And of course in the meantime, there is the matter off the annual

DIH & friends at Christmas album.

Grey Ear, White Noise

Grey Ear, White Noise is still quite a new project from

Members off Distance only really forming just before

Their appearance on the annual DIH & friends at Christmas

Album last year (See http://www.archive.org/details/DIHchristmas2007)

For more details.

This year has being a case of the people in this new project

Sorting out the sound they want to do, and this has only just

Recently ended up with their debut ep only just getting released

For FREE download (http://www.archive.org/details/hemp046)

The duo have now however just finished off their debut album

Called ‘The Lift’ which is going to split among 2 labels as

It is really a double album.

Next up for the band is going to be an appearance on the DIH

& friends at Christmas album and also another EP possibly

before the end of the year, maybe two with another album

to follow somewhere at the start off 2009.

Two Grey Ear.. remixes are available here for download

(http://remix.nin.com/member/aen1mpo) and there is more

to follow also!

M.A.N.

At last! After two and a half years off delayed sessions, ill-health

And members being on the other side of the world from each other

The long delayed album ‘From a Boy..’ is getting there at last..

Currently clocking in at 19 tracks and almost 36 minutes off music

, the band can finally admit it is nearly finished. The current plan

is to record another two or three tracks and then pick the best

ones from it, and then aim for a release date off 2009 hopefully.

The band in the meantime do have a number of tracks pending

On this comp (

http://digitalvomit.wikidot.com/dvr019-various-guide-to-successful-party-training-volume-2)

The duo will be of course be making a welcome return

to this year’s DIH & friends at Christmas series.

Some of these releases will be HICC related,

others we shall see but it should all be fun...