Just Listen

On 30/07/2024 By Peter's ponderingIn accountability, broken things, childhood, community, death, decline, Facts of life, Mums, philosophy, Poetry, politics, Rapid rhyme, wellbeing49 Comments

Listen to the leaders

ruling, fooling

claiming, blaming

listen to the leaders

Listen to the mothers

caring, sharing

minding, binding

Listen to the mothers

Listen to the children

pleading, needing,

crying, dying

listen to the children

Just listen!

Just An Image #87

On 01/05/2024 By Peter's ponderingIn beauty, decline, environment, Fact, global warming, history, photography, railways, responsibility, technology32 Comments

Body Image #2

On 08/02/2024 By Peter's ponderingIn about me, ageing, decline, Fact, fun, health, humour, My life, Personal, Poetry, Re posts49 Comments

Fallen arches, turkey neck

Large love handles, what the heck

Liver spots on face and hands

Double chin and swollen glands

Knock my hand and there’s a bruise

Doesn’t happen to Tom Cruise

Wake each morn with shoulders aching

Feel as if my back is breaking

Prostate problems, hemorrhoids

Swellings where there once were voids

Teenage spots on ancient faces

Sagging skin in various places

Any day I’ll start to drool

They never warned of this at school!

See also Body Image from July 2022 https://pollymermaid.wordpress.com/2022/07/08/body-image/#comments

Good days, Bad days

On 09/01/202308/01/2023 By Peter's ponderingIn ageing, creativity, Dads, decline, elderly, Fact, family, getting older, health, humour, New blogs to follow, Poetry, wellbeing31 Comments

Britta describes herself as a happiness blogging, circus skills instructing & common butterfly following German. She is also a performer, writer & linguist, who is annoyingly keen on hillwalking, baking lopsided cakes and causing a ruckus. She lives in Scotland, her chosen home & habitat since the year 2000.

A couple of days ago she wrote of her Dad, thus:

Good days, bad days

This prompted me to write a little rhyme that is serious/not serious, and here it is:

There’s good days and bad days and some in between

Some days we don’t even know where we’ve been

As we get older the days seem to fly

And no one can seem to explain how or why

Sometimes our strength doesn’t quite last all-day

There’s no explanation and no one to say

We may need a nap or take some time out

Don’t mention arthritis, blood pressure, or gout

But there is no doubt, it has to be said

It’s much better living than waking up dead!

Counting memories | Peter Matthews — Whispers and Echoes

On 14/12/202214/12/2022 By Peter's ponderingIn about me, ageing, autumn, Christmas, creativity, death, decline, Dementia, elderly, environment, Facts of life, family, fiction, flash fiction, flight, friends, getting older, health, love, My life, nature, Nostalgia, philosophy, Poetry, Re posts, trees, wellbeing18 Comments

I’ve run out of fingers and toes and knots in strings and other things I’ve filled lots of jotters and those will remind me of joys that life brings I’ve written my name and that of my wife I’ve added some things that I thought that I should I’m trying my best to précis my […]

Counting memories | Peter Matthews — Whispers and Echoes

My poem, Counting Memories, has been published on Whispers and Echoes today. You can read it by following the link above.

I also had a poem, and short story published, concerning “the last leaf on the tree”. These can be seen HERE, and HERE.

Just an Image #48

On 25/09/202225/09/2022 By Peter's ponderingIn autumn, beauty, death, decline, environment, Facts of life, insects, nature, photography, wildlife26 Comments

Peter’s Pondering Pipes #25

On 29/08/202222/01/2023 By Peter's ponderingIn #Peter's Pondering Pipes, about me, Army, beauty, birds, boats, community, decline, Fact, heritage, Music, My life, Pipes, sadness, seclusion, wellbeing35 Comments

This is part of a series. Previous posts can be found by clicking on #PETER’S PONDERING PIPES.

Evacuation of St Kilda – 92 years ago.

On 29th August 1930, following years of hardship and a dwindling population, the remaining 36 islanders from St Kilda were evacuated at their own request. They sailed to the mainland never to return, thus ending a way of life unchanged for centuries.

The slides were taken by James Smith during several visits as a work party member and the music is from “Skyedance” by Alasdair Fraser.

This is really all about the people of St Kilda, a hardy bunch of folk who lived very much hand to mouth until tourism and exploitation threatened their way of life. I have highjacked part of the story to feature the pipes within the musical accompaniment to the video.

I was fortunate to live and work on St Kilda for a total of eight months during the period December 1979 to January 1982, serving a rotational tour of approximately 6 weeks on and 12 weeks off depending on weather conditions for safe travel by either Landing Craft Logistic or by helicopter.

https://vimeo.com/744150939?1&ref=fb-share&fbclid=IwAR07LwZD6fEsbBkNSjb2AtOYD_qWDFt-MgY1Y86b6u5FBJL5avmRbhxW1oc

This file has, unfortunately, either been deleted or permissions have been withdrawn. There is no other suitable alternative – my apologies!

Here is a BBC news report which may be unavailable to anyone outside of the UK.

Broken | Peter Matthews — Whispers and Echoes

On 07/07/202211/07/2022 By Peter's ponderingIn broken things, creativity, decline, Fact, Needs, Poetry, Re posts22 Comments

We were invited by Bartholomew Barker, the first Guest Editor at Whispers and Echoes, to submit a “Sorta Sonnet”, a brief poem of fourteen unrhymed lines, although we were allowed a rhyme in the final couplet. I thought I’d have a go.

It is the very first experience of my work being edited. Bartholomew suggested that I omit an “and”. I have to admit the poem is all the better for it!

Thank you to Bartholomew, and thank you to Sammi Cox, at Whispers and Echoes, for publishing my Sorta Sonnet today.

Our world is broken, it seems no-one can fix it oceans and forests die whole families perish yet those who could, do nothing those who should, seem not to care there are sufficient funds there is an abundance of talent but the willingness to act is lacking, sadly lacking millions can see the problems few […]
Broken | Peter Matthews — Whispers and Echoes