Crafting Poetry One Syllable at a Time
Posted on September 23, 2020 by Colleen M. Chesebro
An anthology of poems, inspired by the top 100 British poems and a love of sonnets.
Amazon.com
“All of life in one easy couplet“
“To write poetry, I need inspiration. Often that comes from my appreciation of the craftsmanship of other, better poets, whose skills I aspire to emulate. For this anthology, I have chosen two such sources: in part one, the search for Britain’s favourite poem led to the publication of the top 100, and I have used a number of these to craft my own take on those beautiful and inspirational works; in part two, my love of the sonnet form, fostered by reading Shakespeare’s gems, has provided a selection covering many topics and themes. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed creating them.”
~ Geoff Le Pard
Geoff Le Pard is one of my favorite contemporary poets. His acerbic wit makes me laugh, and there are no out-of-bounds topics in his repertoire of verses. Some of his poetry is raw, exposing the trials and tribulations related to the everyday grind of being human. Many of his poems explore the irony of our daily circumstances with an emphasis on humor—always ready to make you smile, or possibly blush!
Le Pard has a style all his own, and he writes a form of ‘found poetry’ with inspiration from many of my favorite British poets: Shakespeare, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Rudyard Kipling, Percy Bysshe Shelley, William Wordsworth, Dylan Thomas, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, W.B. Yeats, and many others. Le Pard uses the first line of the actual poem as they wrote it, continuing on with his own poetic genius.
The second half of the book the author explores the sonnet, with poems comprising fourteen lines with an iambic rhyming scheme. This is where he truly shines. They say all poets have a favorite form they like to write and clearly; the sonnet speaks to this author.
He shares in the Genesis section of the book:
“In 2007, I was taken with the urge to write poetry. From where that emerged, I will have to leave to psychologists, though some have noticed my father’s death (he wrote delightful poetry) occurred some eighteen months before I found the courage to commit myself to the ether. I found, almost immediately that, unlike prose, poetry is a more intense and challenging medium to embrace. It needs, above all else, a depth of inspiration that a short story or even a novel does not demand. It has been my joy and challenge to find and hold on to such inspiration.”
Geoff Le Pard, The Sincerest From of Poetry
I read this book in two nights, sometimes shaking the bed in quiet laughter to not disturb my sleeping spouse. This was a delightful read and the perfect gift for the poetry lover in your family. Many thanks to the author for gifting me an advance reader’s copy. This book will release on September 30, 2020.
I’ll share one of my favorite selections from the book:
The box full of treats draws them in like flies Glassy-eyed children with hands reaching down. ‘It’s rubbish chocolate,’ says John with a frown. ‘Never mind,’ says his mum, wiping her eyes On her sleeve. ‘Sue Witch is good for a treat. You’ll see. Candies and fudge, all neatly wrapped. Though take care or you’re sure to be trapped In her sticky web. She’s best in the street For her tricks.’ They hold hands as they hurry Along. Nervously waiting for their next gift. The mood will change: there’s always a shift As cockroaches cackle and dirty rats scurry. For what do you expect on Halloween? It starts with a smile, and ends with a scream.
©2020 Geoff Le Pard
*I follow the Amazon Rating System*
Geoff Le Pard started writing to entertain in 2006. He hasn’t left his keyboard since. When he’s not churning out novels he writes some maudlin self-indulgent poetry, short fiction and blogs at geofflepard.com. He walks the dog for mutual inspiration and most of his best ideas come out of these strolls. He also cooks with passion if not precision.
My Father and Other Liars is a thriller set in the near future and takes its heroes, Maurice and Lori-Ann on a helter-skelter chase across continents.
Dead Flies and Sherry Trifle is a coming of age story. Set in 1976, the hero Harry Spittle is home from university for the holidays. He has three goals: to keep away from his family, earn money and hopefully have sex. Inevitably his summer turns out to be very different to that anticipated.
In this, the second book in the Harry Spittle Sagas, it’s 1981 and Harry is training to be a solicitor. His private life is a bit of a mess and he’s far from convinced the law is for him. Then an old acquaintance from his hotel days appears demanding Harry write his will. When he dies somewhat mysteriously a few days later and leaves Harry in charge of sorting out his affairs, Harry soon realises this will be no ordinary piece of work. After all, his now deceased client inherited a criminal empire and several people are very interested in what is to become of it.
The third instalment of the Harry Spittle Sagas moves on the 1987. Harry is now a senior lawyer with a well-regarded City of London firm, aspiring to a partnership. However, one evening Harry finds the head of the Private Client department dead over his desk, in a very compromising situation. The senior partner offers to sort things out, to avoid Harry embarrassment but soon matters take a sinister turn and Harry is fighting for his career, his freedom and eventually his life as he wrestles with dilemma on dilemma. Will Harry save the day? Will he save himself?
Life in a Grain of Sand is a 30 story anthology covering many genres: fantasy, romance, humour, thriller, espionage, conspiracy theories, MG and indeed something for everyone. All the stories were written during Nano 2015.
Salisbury Square is a dark thriller set in present day London where a homeless woman and a Polish man, escaping the police at home, form an unlikely alliance to save themselves.
This is available here
Buster & Moo is about about two couples and the dog whose ownership passes from one to the other. When the couples meet, via the dog, the previously hidden cracks in their relationships surface and events begin to spiral out of control. If the relationships are to survive there is room for only one hero but who will that be?
Life in a Flash is a set of super short fiction, flash and micro fiction that should keep you engaged and amused for ages.
Apprenticed To My Mother describes the period after my father died when I thought I was to play the role of dutiful son, while Mum wanted a new, improved version of her husband – a sort of Desmond 2.0. We both had a lot to learn in those five years, with a lot of laughs and a few tears as we went.
Life in a Conversation is an anthology of short and super short fiction that explores connections through humour, speech and everything besides. If you enjoy the funny, the weird and the heart-rending then you’ll be sure to find something here.
When Martin suggests to Pete and Chris that they spend a week walking, the Cotswolds Way, ostensibly it’s to help Chris overcome the loss of his wife, Diane. Each of them, though, has their own agenda and, as the week progresses, cracks in their friendship widen with unseen and horrifying consequences.
Geoff Le Pard’s Amazon Author Page
BLOG: geofflepard.com
TWITTER: @geofflepard
If you have your book listed on BookBub, I will add my review there also! Click HERE to follow me! (Colleen M. Chesebro) Let me know in the comments if you follow me so I can follow you!
I also share my reviews in the Literary Diva’s Library on Facebook. Click HERE to apply for membership.
Never miss another book review again! Join my weekly blog recap email list. By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the Word Craft ~ Prose & Poetry to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from colleenchesebro.com. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt-out.
Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a tiny amount from qualifying purchases. If you purchase from the Amazon.com link above, I earn a small commission to fund my reading habit. Amazon will not charge you extra, and you’ll keep me supplied in books that I can review. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.
P.S. I’ve added an international buy link for those individuals who live outside the U.S. Thank you. ❤
Category: Book ReviewsTags: #poetry, 2020 Book Reviews, Alfred, Book Reviews, Dylan Thomas, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Geoff Le Pard, Lord Tennyson, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Rudyard Kipling, Shakespeare, Sonnets, The Sincerest Form of Poetry, Trick-or-Treat, W.B. Yeats, William Wordsworth
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
“A good poem is a contribution to reality. The world is never the same once a good poem has been added to it. A good poem helps to change the shape of the universe, helps to extend everyone’s knowledge of himself and the world around him.”
—Dylan Thomas
Click: What is a Rhyme Scheme?
Disclaimer: My book review posts contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I earn a small commission to fund my reading habit if you use the links on my book reviews to make a purchase. You will not be charged extra, and you’ll keep me supplied in books that I can review. It’s a win-win situation for everyone. Thank you.
This website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Colleen M. Chesebro is an American Poet who loves crafting paranormal fantasy and magical realism, cross-genre flash fiction, syllabic poetry, and creative nonfiction. Colleen sponsors a weekly syllabic poetry challenge, called Tanka Tuesday, on wordcraftpoetry.com where participants learn how to write traditional and current forms of haiku, senryu, haiga, tanka, gogyohka, tanka prose, renga, solo-renga, haibun, cinquain, Etheree, nonet, and shadorma poetry. Colleen's syllabic poetry has appeared in the Auroras & Blossoms Poetry Journal, and in “Hedgerow, a journal of small poems.” She’s won numerous awards from participating in the Carrot Ranch Rodeo, a yearly flash fiction contest sponsored by carrotranch.com. In 2020, she won first place in the Carrot Ranch Folk Tale or Fable category, with her story called “Why Wolf Howls at the Moon.” Colleen is a Sister of the Fey, where she pursues a pagan path through her writing. When she is not writing, she is reading. She also loves gardening and crocheting old-fashioned doilies into works of art.
This is great review Colleen, , of a grand book 💜
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love Geoff’s poetry. He says it like it is! 😍
LikeLike
He definitely does 😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Willow!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s all true
LikeLiked by 1 person
This sounds like a book I would enjoy over and over again! Thank you for sharing, Colleen!
LikeLiked by 2 people
You’re welcome, Jan. I like Geoff’s humor. But there’s other poetry that is quite poignant. ❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
thank you Jan, if you do decide to give it a spin, please let me know what you think.
LikeLiked by 1 person
3 sincere cheers for Geoff and his new book!
LikeLiked by 2 people
It’s a great read! Some of his poetry will make you laugh! 😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah Annette, you are too too kind…
LikeLiked by 2 people
Geoff’s book is a sure winner. A great review.
LikeLiked by 2 people
flatterer…
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Darlene. He has a way with words, for sure. 😀
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you so much for this Colleen. It’s beyond my expectations
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well, you do have a way with words. I did have some great laughs. You always surprise me with your perspective. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on TanGental and commented:
Colleen Cheeseboro has started the ball rolling for my first poetry book with the most fabulous review on her blog today. Please do visit and then stay a while!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yay, Geoff! What a great read! Thank you again. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fantastic review Colleen and congratulations Geoff… love the cover.
LikeLiked by 1 person
thanks Sally…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, my goodness! This is was a fun read. Geoff has a way with words for sure! Thanks so much, Sally. ❤
LikeLiked by 2 people
Congrats to Geoff. Looks like a fun romp from him. ❤
LikeLiked by 2 people
He tells it like it is! It’s a great read. ❤️
LikeLiked by 2 people
Added! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great. You will definitely enjoy. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much. Here’s hoping it goes ok!
LikeLiked by 2 people
No doubts Geoff! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Marvellous!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I read Geoff’s Life in a Flash and so enjoyed it. He’s a great story-teller and poet. A very funny man, but I love his more tender writing too. Great review, Colleen. Congrats to Geoff!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Diana. I read Life in a Flash, as well. He’s a great poet as well. 😍❤️
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks so much Diana. You’re very generous. As is Colleen for doing this..
LikeLiked by 3 people
You’re multi-talented!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jack of a few trades…. yep, he’s fishing for compliments so ignore me. I’m touched.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Pingback: 2020 CONVERSATIONS WITH COLLEEN: MEET AUTHOR, Geoff Le Pard, @geofflepard – Word Craft ~ Prose & Poetry
Pingback: Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore Author Update Release – #Poetry Geoff Le Pard, Reviews -#Dystopian Harmony Kent, #WWII Marina Osipova | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine