03 Tuesday Apr 2018
Posted in Poetry, Publications
Tags
Alexandra Carr-Malcolm Parris, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm poet, Parris, Philip Lynott, poetry, Worldly Winds poetry
Can you guess the link?
Copies available directly from me, or also available from Amazon.
31 Saturday Mar 2018
Posted in Poetry, Publications
Tags
Alexandra Carr-Malcolm Parris, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm poet, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm poetry, Parris, Phil Lynott, Philip Lynott, Philo, poetry, Worldly Winds poetry
Hello!
I hope you are all having a lovely Easter break. My latest anthology – Parris is available either directly from me, or via Amazon. (The link is below.)
This anthology contains poetry about love, loss, and longing. The title Parris comes from Philip Parris Lynott, poet, songwriter, musician, and front man of Thin Lizzy. His writing, music and life story inspired me from being a teenager. There are references to his songs and life, blended with a good dollop of mythology!
Please feel free to contact me or leave a message below if you would like a copy.
23 Monday Oct 2017
Tags
Alexandra Carr-Malcolm poet, Alexandra David Neel, Buddhism, Buddhist women, Elise Wortley, explorers, female explorers, poetry, Silver Birch Press, Woman with altitude
A little time back, Elise contacted me and asked if she could post my poem on her blog – naturally I was delighted! Elise is an explorer who is hoping to recreate the journeys taken by Alexandra David-Néel. You can read all about it on Elise’s blog (the link is below).
https://www.womanwithaltitude.com/single-post/A-Poem-about-Alexandra
I first came across Alexandra many years back when browsing the shelves of the Buddhist Centre bookshop. I was taken with her fascinating life and decided to read about this remarkable person.
There were similarities that struck me, and since reading the book I have felt an affinity towards this unique Buddhist. Alexandra seemed to be a woman beyond her time. She was a socialite and a famous opera singer, who became an explorer in the pursuit of learning about Buddhism. She managed to gain entry into countries where outsiders were not permitted, let alone women. She disguised herself in order to gain access to Tibet.
I originally wrote this poem for a series run by Silver Birch Press called ‘Same Name’.
You can see the original posting by clicking on the link below.
Many thanks to Silver Birch Press for publishing my original poem, and thank you to Elise for also featuring it on her blog Woman with Altitude.
22 Sunday Oct 2017
Posted in Children's poetry, Poetry
Tags
Alex Carr-Malcolm Tipping Sheep (the right way), Alexandra Carr-Malcolm, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm poet, poetry, sheep, Sheffield poet, Tipping Sheep (the right way), upside down sheep, Worldly Winds poetry
I’ve not shared this one in a while – A poem inspired by my son whilst he was on his Duke of Edinburgh Expedition many years ago!
Copies of the book are still available from me – £5 plus postage. Please email me if you would like a copy.
worldlywinds@mail.com
With face of delight,
my son runs to me –
I’ve tipped up a sheep,
he shouted with glee.
My face drops with horror.
Well how could this be?
Am I the worst mother,
has he learned nothing from me?
“Calm down Mother!”
my son reassures.
“It’s not as you think,”
with derision he snorts.
“We walked in a field,
(in the group we were five,)
saw a sheep on its back,
with legs waving at sky.
It soon came apparent,
from what we could see,
that the sheep was so stuck,
‘twas a strange sight to see.
We tried hard to lift her,
but to no avail,
she was fat, wet, and smelly,
the weight of a whale.
Then out of the blue,
an idea did occur,
we spread out our groundsheet,
to roll her on there.
With one mighty tug,
we pulled the sheet up,
and the sheep it did tip,
(the right way up!)
So, off with a wobble,
and a, ‘baa,’ of delight,
the sheep she then trotted –
it was quite a sight!
So you see Mum, it’s true,
the things I did say,
we tipped up a sheep.”
(Thankfully – the right way!)
©Tipping Sheep (the right way) 2012
By Alexandra Carr-Malcolm
29 Saturday Apr 2017
Posted in NaPoWriMo17, Poetry
Tags
Alexandra Carr-Malcolm poet, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm poetry, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm St Helena, poetry, School days, St Helena, St Helena Chesterfield, St Helena Girls school, Worldly Winds poetry
A plea to St Helena – tomorrow you will see her reply!
St Helena
Feast Day – August 18th
Born – 248, Drepanum, Bithynia, Asia Minor
Died – 328, Constantinople, Roman
Shrine location – St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome Italy
Patron of – Archaeologists converts, difficult marriages, divorced people, empresses, Helena, the capital of Montana
St Helena
Sisters stepped into a world
of red brick education,
grammar girls all Brodie primed,
watched over by St Helena.
You guarded us along the path
of teenage angst and dangers,
we sang your hymns of Pioneers,
of heroines and strangers.
Abiding by your arcane rules,
your holy cross you carried,
yet did you think of us as fools,
when one by one we married?
Did you laugh at our ideals
of romance and forever?
or were you ‘my dear’ forever near,
was it you who left the feathers?
One by one we fell apart,
as men they slowly went,
one by one each broken heart,
we had to learn to mend.
St Helena you did not say,
that life would be this tough,
I never thought I’d see the day,
when I’d scream enough’s enough!
Oh if I could turn back Father Time
and do it all again,
I would not moan, or whinge, or whine,
I’d love a million men!
St Helena by Alexandra Carr-Malcolm
18.02.17
28 Friday Apr 2017
Posted in Childhood Memories, NaPoWriMo17, Poetry
Tags
Absentia, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm Absentia, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm poet, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm poetry, education, NaPoWriMo17, poetry, sexism, Worldly Winds poetry
It took two bus rides to get to Matlock.
Panda eyed from stress and tears,
sofa surfing for days on end,
dirty, tacky, no baths,
just a lick and a spit at a strange sink.
Sat in a faceless office,
corporate men in their three piece suits,
reeking of gout, and blue with smoke,
lascivious, avuncular, pat on the hand.
You are sitting on a goldmine, one smirks.
Find yourself a rich sugar daddy.
Janis Joplin sings Summertime in my head,
as the fluorescent tubes buzz in harmony.
Parents in absentia,
humiliation and fear sting,
all this to get an education,
no give and take – no grant.
Decades on – I got my education,
With two kids in tow,
all off my own back, not needing
honey traps or gold spider’s webs,
I look back – I want to say –
I pity your wives and daughters!
Did you make them turn tricks,
to pay their way?
Or did you prey on school girls
to make your day?
Absentia by Alexandra Carr-Malcolm
2016
08 Saturday Apr 2017
Posted in Deep Stuff!, Loss, NaPoWriMo17, Poetry
Tags
Alexandra Carr-Malcolm Fortune Favours Few, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm poet, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm poetry, Fortune Favours Few, NaPoWriMo17, poetry
the inky tears
spilled like no other day
a familial, a god, and a princess
left on a journey
which we could not follow
all the love in the world
would not return them to us
all the prayers in the world
went unanswered
for we know not why
when mortals die
and we can’t turn time
there’s no reason or rhyme
that we are left
behind
Fortune Favours Few – December 2016
by Alexandra Carr-Malcolm
06 Thursday Apr 2017
Posted in NaPoWriMo17, Poetry
Tags
Alexandra Carr-Malcolm Lost, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm poet, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm poetry, NaPoWriMo17, napowrimo2017, poetry
Missing poster reads;
Lost: My mind
Description: Ineffable
Reward if found
Lost – 2016
By Alexandra Carr-Malcolm
28 Wednesday Dec 2016
Posted in Childhood Memories, Death, Grief, Loss, Poetry
I originally wrote this poem for a project I am working on at the moment. Last week I found out a good friend had passed away, and this poem seemed a fitting tribute to a gentle, kind, and dear friend. Go well good friend – go well.
We walked on the beach,
my friend, the dog, and me;
looked out to the seas,
and plotted our dreams,
my friend, the dog, and me.
We danced on the beach,
my friend, the dog, and me;
we thanked lucky stars,
couldn’t believe where we are,
my friend, the dog, and me.
We strolled on the beach,
my friend, the dog, and me,
we sat in the dunes,
reflecting on tunes,
my friend, the dog, and me.
We stood on the beach,
my friend, and me;
wondering where the time had gone,
and how life had moved on,
my friend, and me.
Looking back at the beach,
just me;
the gulls mourn the song,
of where it all went wrong,
just me — and my memories.
© We Three October 2016
by Alexandra Carr-Malcolm
09 Wednesday Sep 2015
Posted in Poetry
Stars
I reach up
Pluck the stars from the sky
Put them in my pocket
To keep them safe
Once I have climbed
The lofty mountain
And reached the highest peak
I set them free
To twinkle
And make
The night
Complete
© Stars 09.09.2015
By Alexandra Carr-Malcolm
Picture credit: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/198721402283579326/
