It has been interesting to read poetry which has been directly influenced by the books he is reading, and to watch the poetic filter processing the emotions of other ways of being. 

TIM ESAIAS  I recommend that you all read Ewan's reposting of Tim Esaias message 'How to publish poetry'. Internet Readers will have the same opportunity as soon as the copy is uploaded.  I read him on the subject in Poetry Workshop some months ago,  and have a good deal of time for the poet himself. He has also written some fine material on 'the best places to write' and 'where to find inspiration', so I shall see if I can encourage him either to repost them, or to rewrite them for our benefit. 

TOM BRIGGS posted "a poem which my Great Uncle Stan wrote for me in about 4 Minutes" It's copyright, and a marvellous example of craftsmanship. 

               Man is born, so very free.
                 Bursts from womb, To mother's knee.
                 In her arms, with loving care.

Thank you very much, Tom for passing this on.
 

GREAT COMEBACK
Another deep satisfaction I found in Scribble this month was that a number of you are responding to the works posted. I know that I find such responses much more encouraging than to have all the feedback coming from one or two people. I'm hoping to see more development along such lines for the ability to comment creatively is a skill which develops one's ability to assess one's own work in an objective and critical way. Doesn't need to be complex, however. "I liked this" can be a very stimulating thing to hear. 

TERRY We began February with some very good moments indeed. I'm particularly appreciative of Terry's Essays, which I'll respond to individually when I return to the mail packet. The idea is a good one, and I'm sure that there is more than one creative theme which tangles our minds, and which might be worth our looking at as a group. For example: a good thing for us to tackle would be the theme of 'doctoring' a song, or old poem, to suit our own purposes. 

PORCELINA has rewritten several songs, to suit her own romantic inclination and present needs.
 

Connecting every afternoon
Waiting for screen to fill with lines, his lines
Feeling so alone without him
When they cut me off I'll cry, no reply

EDDIE  has demonstrated the Westie mentality by applying his own point of view to a piece of nostalgia.

'Its funny how - when we drink Gold
We cling to the glass like we worship our beer,
And feel nostalgia for things
Like how we lost our hair....

A poet on the Internet posted his own twists to two songs which seemed to start his creative juices. (I've yet to receive permission to cross post so he will remain anonymous for the present). It seems, to raise interesting questions. Does anyone else wish to tackle them? 

I was rather struck by Eddie's poem 122198. I think it had a lot to say:) 

A modest teacher sets himself to train a world
While modest preacher sets himself to take the blame.
A proud dictator sets himself to take the world,
While proud democrat sets himself to pass the blame.