You may have noticed in the new this week, that one of those rare occasions occurred in the deep, dark night skies above us.
For about 3 or 4 days this well (Feb 25th -28th) we would have the chance to view all our ‘sister’ planets in an arc in the night sky.
My family drive few minutes from our house (we live near a new Observatory but that was fully booked!) but still managed to see at least 6 of the planets (apparently Neptune was hiding behind the moon..I may have wrong it could be Saturn!)
Anyway it was a rare unique this to see these planets all in alignment with the next viewing of this type not happening until 2040!
This trip inspired this short view response, as it does …
For the sake of remembrance and just returning from my mother’s homeland in Jamaica, it reminded me of Ian Fleming, his books on Jame Bond (007) and the fact he has a Hotel called Goldeneye near Ocho Rios means I couldn’t resist re-telling the first Bond movie shot mostly in Jamaica some 61 years (released October 1962).
So here is my poetic repost of that first encounter with the ‘Man with the Golden Gun, who ‘Died/lived Twice’ and faced his first real enemy in the shaped of the ham-fisted Dr No.
I wonder who will fill next fill the 007 shoes and what dangers lie in wait for them …
THE FIRST IN THE SERIES (COVERING THE BOND MOVIES) – this is my own title v- enjoy…feedback..respond..
NO WAY…
It was an EON ago when it began
Nineteen sixty-two I believe
Broccoli and Saltzman had a plan
And there he was Mr. Sean Connery
From the pen of Mr. Fleming
Films that set the spy world alight
Cinema goers followed the sparkle like lemmings
Off the cliff of entertainment, into the night
In Jamaica an inspired Fleming wrote
They filmed Dr. No there
The exotic location was worthy of note
The choice, like Bond, was a dare
Bond fought ‘the hand’ of crime
Used the tricks of the trade
Ursula shone like a coin, a dime
Beauty met beauty; in Jamaica it was made
With action, pace and the one liner
Delivered to the enemy and the viewer
Followed by the baddie with a shiner
As Bond sat in a bow tie, eating from a skewer
With a nod and a wink
Good triumphs over evil
Facing the barrel of a Walther also makes one think
Many thanks to Shonda and Jim for asking me to do my first ever Pod Cast interview – I must admit I was nervous and just hope id dint make a fool of myself!! – I hope listeners will lessen to it and find out more about my writing and poetry which I love doing. I enjoyed my time (although still nervy about doing this!) just hope it came across well enough – and may do another!…
Listen here…I’m listening to The Old Man’s Podcast | TOM’s ”Author Highlights” – JW Nelson on Podbean, check it out!
My work started with Company of Fools – an adult romcom drama about one man’s goal/target to obtain, a wife a family and a good job. Sounds simple enough? Yet for Justin Whalley it is anything but. Read his hilarious, rollercoaster ride of disaster, humour and misery as he ploughs his way through a tough year at his company trying to achieve my his sales and personal targets
My next book is written for the Young Adult range – The Pentagon Pirate Gang – the Secret of the Orchard – a book that is a thrilling mystery adventure called ; ‘A dynamic, dangerous, page turning epic’ (Authors glow) – or “with memorable characters, an engaging plotline, and unsolved mysteries that challenge the reader to think outside the box” (Literary Titan) – more 5 star reviews on Amazon
This book is available in shops (Foyles; Waterstones; Plus on line at Amazon (US/UK + 12 other countries ), World of Books, Barnes & Noble – The second in the series on its way soon…
I also have a Poetry e-book called – Poems for the Festive Season – a short 25 poem books for the holiday (Christmas Season) – one poem per day – from December 1st to 25th to get you into the holiday mood
In memory of the longest serving monarch in British history here is one way to remember our Elizabeth – “The Queen of all Hearts”
70 years later we are ready for another celebration. A date set for all the of the uk. A time to come together a one nation. This is my small take for a poetic viewpoint.
70th HEAVEN
Q uintessential
U nsurpassed
E lemental time
E lapsed
N ational appeal
E ngland is home
L ong may she reign over this;
I slands ruled from the throne
Z ooming
A cross the ether
B roadband carries her waves
E ver present from past to future
T omorrow is yet another day
H eraldry holds the spine that is set
P rominence is the byword
L et us never forget
A n announcement that must be heard
T hree score and ten years
I rrefutable in its achievement
N ow we exhibit the joy of tears
U nmatched by the personification of sentiment
M arvel in the trust; we have the belief
J ustified across the board
U nflinching is our master chief
B ending on knees she knight the lords
I n harmonious voice
L et your soul and hearts ring at seven
E ncompass family; sing and rejoice
E lizabeth holds her arms out; welcoming you all to 70th Heaven…
In memory of the longest serving monarch in British history here is one way to remember our Elizabeth – “The Queen of all Hearts”
70 years later we are ready for another celebration. A date set for all the of the uk. A time to come together a one nation. This is my small take for a poetic viewpoint.
70th HEAVEN
Q uintessential
U nsurpassed
E lemental time
E lapsed
N ational appeal
E ngland is home
L ong may she reign over this;
I sland ruled from the throne
Z ooming
A cross the ether
B roadband carries her waves
E ver present from past to future
T omorrow is yet another day
H eraldry holds the spine that is set
P rominence is the byword
L et us never forget
A n announcement that must be heard
T hree score and ten years
I rrefutable in its achievement
N ow we exhibit the joy of tears
U nmatched by the personification of sentiment
M arvel in the trust; we have the belief
J ustified across the board
U nflinching is our master chief
B ending on knees she knight the lords
I n harmonious voice
L et your soul and hearts ring at seven
E ncompass family; sing and rejoice
E lizabeth holds her arms out; welcoming you all to 70th Heaven…
On a random sunny afternoon, sometimes thoughts, ideas, musings from the past, present and future merge as you look skyward. The deepest blue sky and potent yellowy sun start to speak to you in rhyme. So you close your eyes and respond in kind…maybe with something like this…
The third Bond Film still ranks in the memory for several reasons. The gold painted lady, the ‘ejector seat’ stunt and ‘that Jag’, then Bond on the table coming perilously close to becoming a soprano and not living to ‘sing that particular tale’.
At Christmas approaches I’m sure we’ll see the usual catalogue of Bond movies to remind how the whole ‘spy movie’ thing got started and seems here to stay.
‘There’s no mystery to Black History‘ (that’s my little poetic saying). Parents from Jamaica. I have traced my ancestry back to the point when slavery was just abolished (around 1834).
And now nearly 200 years later in the UK my son and daughter are just learning about Black History in school. Wow. Is this ‘Titantic’ ship starting to turn? Who know, hopefully for everyone of colour, wherever we are all are, whatever status we hold, just maybe there are slivers of light appearing amidst the once long and eternally dark tunnel, that we have been treading.
As a would be poet, below is my first take on the many wonderful black inspirational people that have had endure; so people like me, don’t have to as much. More to follow throughout October (and maybe beyond) on other topics.
WHO ARE WE? (starting with the past)
We could be the person on the bus
Your name may be have been Rosa Parkes
Your life made to suffer by the colour of your skin
Yes; they have tried to keep us hidden; into the dark
We were the people without a voice
But Martin Luther made them hear
Look what they did to our dear proud brother
Because he made ‘them’ see what they all feared
We are the ones that move fast
Yes; Jesse Owens showed the dictator this
In the face of complete and utter oppression
It’s something that hasn’t quite fallen over the precipice
We have own Marvel Man from the past
No wheelchair in sight; but his name has an X
A voice for black empowerment
And contrary to many he wasn’t always vexed
A personal mentor; the first black female poet
If you don’t know; Phillis Wheatley was her name
George Washington recognised the talent
For every poet; she should be in your ‘hall of fame’
We need to be like our once enslaved Frederick Douglass
He fought to support those via the abolition of slavery
Putting pen to paper for all to read
His life, his very own Black History
We are the ones that Marshall the Good
Overturn the wrong for the right
Winning against segregation for the learning to occur
We thank him for providing; ‘out of darkness’ we too now have light
We are among the ‘greatest’ ones that had to rumble
The man with fists and feet of flight
Yes Cassius/Muhammed Ali knew how to move
You couldn’t stop him talking either; any day or night
We are the ones that have had to ACT
Mr. Poitier the consummate pro; won an Oscar
Imagine that in an era for his accolade
Showed that black people could also raise ‘the bar’
We should be Harriet Tubman the saviour
Literally saving over 300 enslaved souls
Nursing her community to a better educated life
She was dedicated, selfless and bold
We are the forerunner’s to make things happen
From a seat of power to make the change
Shirley Chisholm started the political race
And now her stepping stones has put us on the front page
We are the entrepreneur’s with a million in the bank
Madam C J Walker knew how to make ‘hair pay’
Making jobs for over 3,000 people at that time
Means we continue to use her genius every single day
We are everyone, everything, just like you
We have beautiful, hair, colour, skin and eyes
We are proud, clever, funny with intelligence
We are here, we are all together, let’s all keep aiming for that prize…