GT poems

What’s a song that always puts you in a good mood? Mr Blue Sky by ELO. Put this on first thing and try not to wake up in a good mood. I would say it’s almost impossible!!

How do you build loyal subscribers? Its always a joy to get a new subscribers. The power of the Internet connecting people from across the globe in seconds. Through all my posts, whether it is poetry, short fiction or my HR and people related work I am always working towards the same aim. Connection, resonance and sharing experience.  If you’re a writer, the success comes I think with sharing…

What’s a simple pleasure in life that brings you joy? A warm pastel de nata from a proper bakery, and getting the kids to try one for the first time. A crisp glass of champagne on the last day of work. The way the dog taps on the back door to be let in. Sunset in the garden. An accidental joke. A glimpse of a deer through the trees. Snow days. Fish and chips straight from the wrapper. The few…

Daily writing promptWhat’s a thing you were completely obsessed with as a kid?View all responses I don’t think I was ever particularly interested in passing trends as a child. Other people moved quickly from one obsession to another, but for me there were always two constants: music and books. They still are. I read constantly growing up, sometimes things that were probably a little too…

Daily writing promptWhat is the best concert you have been to?View all responses I have been to lots of concerts in my time, aside from writing, music is kind of my thing’. They have pretty much all been great in their own way. I think the best thing is always about being able to say I was there when… Oasis at Maine Road, supported by Manic Street Preachers and Ocean Colour scene is still…

Daily writing promptWhat’s the most interesting local custom you’ve encountered?View all responses Now, I don’t know if this is the most interesting local custom, but it does have the potential to take off. So much so that I wrote a poem about it, the infamous Wigan Kebab. For those not in the know, Wigan is famous for it’s pies, ironically in some ways stemming from the 1926 general strike in…

List the people you admire and look to for advice… I struggle with this one. I know some people have mentors and great people in their lives who they admire, but I have always been pretty independent. I admire anyone who ignores the doubters and gets on with being the best version of themselves but not really anyone specific. Who do you admire? Tell me what they do to inspire you?

Do you vote in political elections? I won’t vote in every election. As much as I  feel I should exercise my democratic right, the political world seems filled with selfish ambitions and people who cannot connect or understand the struggle of most people. I won’t vote for something that doesn’t have humanity at its core, and sadly there is very little to choose between parties in this respect at…

There is something about aging that, for some people takes the edge off who they are. We forget that the rebellious punks of the 70’s are probably all pensioners now, but it hasn’t stopped them from misbehaving! I summed it up in a little poem which I have made into a downloadable digital print. Follow the link for your…

Daily writing promptWhen do you feel most productive?View all responses I’ve started to notice a pattern in how I work. Mornings are when I’m at my best. Whether it’s creative writing or more strategic work, everything feels easier when energy is higher and distractions are lower. There’s a clarity that’s harder to access later in the day. By contrast, afternoons tend to dip. Focus drops,…

Daily writing promptDescribe a risk you took that you do not regret.View all responses It was always going to be a risk to send out my work for other people to read. I have always tinkered around with writing but never really put my work out there for consideration. Until a few years ago, when the pandemic hit and lets face it, people had time on their hands, lots of time. I realised that…

Daily writing promptHow do you unwind after a demanding day?View all responses I don’t know that I do get that much time to unwind, lots going on at present. But I do appreciate a quiet space to decompress. Perhaps it’s just me who likes to sit in the dark with no distractions and just allow the fog to lift from the brain. Anyway, it put me in mind of a poem I wrote about letting your brain run…

Modern work has a way of crowding out the very thing that would help us most: time to think. Between deadlines, meetings, and constant notifications, it’s easy to feel like you’re always reacting. Many people say they simply don’t have time to stop and think — and even if they did, it might feel unproductive or indulgent. But the opposite is true. Thinking time is not wasted time. It is where…

How do you use social media? I used to be mad on the socials When Facebook was new on the scene I’d love and like everything New on my feed And never once chose to be mean But since I went viral last Tuesday It all started getting too much I have 300 million Instagram pals Its a struggle to keep in touch So I closed all accounts for the present And life has become less complex No…

Jot down the first thing that comes to your mind. Being at a crossroads Not knowing which way to turn My pedantic brain advises Of the lessons I’ve still to learn Whether I turn left or right To deal with executive disfunction My pedantic brain says its not a crossroads Its actually a T junction