My Man Joe – dVerse Meeting the Bar

February 6, 2014freyathewriter 39 Comments

Here’s my long-overdue return to dVerse Meeting the Bar. This week, Gay is asking us to write a song! Now that’s a poetry form that brings back strong memories for me – I immediately thought of my mum singing along to Steeleye Span’s ‘All Around My Hat’ as she did the housework, and being taken to a Chieftans’ concert (and falling asleep – aaah, I was only very young!). Folk music is something that my family really enjoys – there is even morris dancing going on too (my mum again, with my step-dad playing an important musical role too).

Suffice to say, I’m a fan of the old folksy ballad, singing of love, loss, pride and passion. So, here’s my attempt… It’s inspired by the centenary year of the Great War – the War to End All Wars (if only). It’s simple, yet I hope it works.

Do visit the other poets who take part in this wonderful community… you’re in for a treat! And do let me know what you think of my song.

*****

– My Man Joe –

My sweetheart Joe is big and strong
With a twinkling eye and a ready smile
He works on the railways all week long
Just to buy me a posy on a Friday

(chorus)
I’ll always be with you, I’ll always be true
I’ll stand by your side, forever be true

My fiancé Joe cuts a fine dash
Driving his engine through the valleys
He collects his wages and gives me cash
Just to buy me a dress for our wedding

(chorus)
I’ll always be with you, I’ll always be true
I’ll stand by your side, forever be true

My husband Joe is a fine, proud dad
He plays with his boys on a Sunday
He sings in church, gives thanks and is glad
For his family, luck and fortune

(chorus)
I’ll always be with you, I’ll always be true
I’ll stand by your side, forever be true

My soldier Joe walks proud and tall
Marching away to the trenches
God bless my man! God bless them all!
Please let him come back safely

(chorus)
I’ll always be with you, I’ll always be true
I’ll stand by your side, forever be true

My man Joe gave his life and soul
On the far away fields of Flanders
For my boys and me he’ll not grow old
Nor ever be forgotten.

(chorus)
I’ll always be with you, I’ll always be true
I’ll stand by your side, forever be true

MEMOIRS OF A DILETTANTE VOLUME ONE – COVER REVEAL!

February 3, 2014freyathewriter 3 Comments

Dear Lovely Readers – I am delighted to be able to share with you an unashamed promotion for Helena Hann-Basquiat’s soon to be released Memoirs of a Dilettante Volume One – coming to an ethereal and three dimensional location near you! Spring 2014 is the season of launch – specific date to be announced as soon as everyone has recovered from their excitement!

Memoirs of a Dilettante is a collection of reminiscences, following Helena Hann-Basquiat, a self-proclaimed dilettante who will try anything just to say that she has, and her twenty-something niece, who she has dubbed the Countess Penelope of Arcadia, in their off-beat antics in such places as common as the local McDonald’s or the comic book store, to their travels to Miami for the search for the perfect Cuban sandwich. Interspersed between wacky one-off adventures, Helena tells personal, sometimes painful stories from her past in order to try and make sense of her life as it has played out, tempering everything with an indomitable sense of humour.

Cummerbund Bandersnatch, the Accidental Plagiarist, strippers, rock stars, geeks, freaks, and the Barista With No Name — these are just a few of the characters you’ll meet inside.

Discover Helena’s tales for the first time or all over again, with new notes and annotations for the culturally impaired — or for those who just need to know what the hell was going through her mind at the time!

If you just can’t wait and you want a taste of Helena’s writing, follow her blog: http://helenahannbasquiat.wordpress.com/

If you just can’t get enough Helena, or you want updates on further goings on, release dates and miscellaneous mayhem, follow Helena on Twitter @hhbasquiat

The covers are stunning – in true dilettante style, we get to see almost but not quite enough of the lady herself and if you are anything like me, you really, really want to know what she actually looks like! Perhaps, perhaps, we will never know. Maybe we will need to resort to our imagination as we rifle through the pages of her adventures. Already, I am determined that she has hazel eyes, but perhaps that is because I was blessed with this colour myself and fancy that I am indeed, a dilettante in my spare time…

Enjoy, one and all!

Hoodwink – Friday Fictioneers

January 29, 2014freyathewriter 40 Comments

Here is this week’s entry into the weekly challenge brought to us by the lovely Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.

Here are the rules: Use the photo as inspiration, write a hundred(ish) words – and share! Here goes my offering for this week – and I welcome your comments again!

Copyright – Claire Fuller

– Hoodwink –

‘Why did you take the photo through the window? Don’t you know anything? Look at the reflections!’

‘The keys have gone missing. And you know how it is – the estate agent needs pictures for the website today…’

‘They’re on the same ring as your car keys –in your goddamned hand! What’s wrong with you?’

‘You know I get flustered… you know that they want the pictures –’

‘-for the website today, yes, yes, you said! But we’re not going to sell grandfather’s workshop to anyone with crappy pictures like that!’

Selena strode away, shoulders hunched high, back ramrod straight. Round one to us, gramps, I thought.

—-

Click on the blue froggy below to read others’ offerings!