Karen Book, Merchandise

Anthology update

Anthology

We’ve been doing some updating of the website, and as part of that a new page has been added with a few of the more recent anthologies that my poems have appeared in. The new page is here. Generally poets get a one-off fee for a poem to appear in a collection such as these, and the books reference the person who selected the collection, as there is no editing involved. My work has appeared in a lot more than that list, but that gives a flavour, and there’s no point in pointing to books that are no longer easy to get hold of.

Karen Music, Poem, Video

Trying to get in to the mind of a cat

Cat sniffing a hand

Nose and Finger

Does the odour
of last night’s
fish supper linger?

Have you got an itch?
The human touch?
Is that what you long for?

What can you smell?
Who are you singing
your purring song for?

Karen Poem

Post Bank Holiday Blues?

Never mind. Every cloud has a silver lining…

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Your walks on the beach are over.
Your footprints will be washed away.
Tuesday will feel like a Monday.
But…….it’s only a four day week. Hurray!

Karen Book, Poem

Easter is over! When you go back to school, teacher, watch out!

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Teacher, Watch Out!

If I stare at you
You’ll develop a twitch

If I ignore you
You’ll start to itch

If I look through you
You’ll not be heard

If I watch your lips
You’ll muddle your words

If I close one eye
You’ll feel unsure

If I close two
You’ll disappear

So watch it!

If you set homework
I’ll shut my eyes

And you’ll be in
For a big surprise

You’ll see!

This poem appears in Wanted Alive by Bernard Young.

Karen Poem

Wishing you all a Happy Easter weekend

Man with arms outstretched as if in a cross

The Long Weekend

And on the third day
He rose

And feeling only slightly
the worse for wear
He ventured out
into the world again

“What day is it?” He asked

For, verily,
somewhere along the way
He had lost Saturday

And He discovered that it was indeed Sunday
and that in his stupor
He must have slept through Saturday

“I have risen again,”
He told anyone who would listen

And He danced joyfully
on the garage forecourt
as ice melted
and rooftop water
fell upon him

This image and poem originally appeared on blipfoto.com.

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Karen Poem

Not one but four knots not for National Poetry Writing Month

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4 Nots

1. Do not
get a knot
in your stomach.
Such stress will do you no good.

2. Do not
tie the knot
unless you are
100% certain you should.

3. Do not
forget to knot
each shoelace
or you might fall flat on your face.

4. Do not
tie yourself in knots
unless you are
an escapologist (or a masochist).

Also appeared on blipfoto.

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Karen Poem

Is it OK to photograph people on the street?

people outside a cafe

Good Question

‘Oh yes,’ she says,
the lady with the fag,
‘it’s OK for you to observe us
through your viewfinder,
to pop this into your freezer
for consumption later,
to put words into our mouths
and tell our life stories,
but what about you, eh?
What have you got to say
for yourself?’

First appeared on blipfoto.com

Karen Poem

Did a bit of beach combing this morning

broken bucket on a beach

A Point Of View

I’m saying it’s a bucket,
a child’s plastic sandcastle building bucket,
that’s been washed up on the shore.

Someone left it, lost it, or,
as summer drew to a close,
decided to chuck it.

The sea took it.
Knocked it around for a while.
Decided to give it back.

I didn’t kick it.

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Karen Poem

2 poems and then I’m caught up with NaPoWriMo (day 9)

Model boat picture

New Arrival

Welcome to your home by the sea.
I know you won’t actually be
sailing on it. We can both agree
on that but I promise it is close by.
I can smell its saltiness and,
with the door open, hear it roar.
But it would make mincemeat, or
should I say… splinters, of you.

Also appeared on blipfoto.com today

Peace

It is hard to believe
that this sea can be rough.
The sun rose above it today.

And the obliging wind
sucked in its cheeks
and went away.

It was only days (not weeks)
ago that a storm lifted roofs
and brought chimneys down.

You wouldn’t think that could be so
if you left the beach, now,
and strolled through the quiet town.

Originally appeared on blipfoto.com

Previous #NaPoWriMo entries:

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Karen Poem

3 More Poems for NaPoWriMo – All About Cats

Image of poem text included below

Birds of a Feather

My cat
is old. All she
wants is food, warmth and a
comfy knee. My cat’s a home bird.
Like me.

Appeared on a poster a very long time ago.

The Boat’s Cat

I’m with the man in the hat.
I’m his lucky black cat.
He’d be sunk without me.

He was lonely on his long boat
though wouldn’t admit it.
He drank rum and slept in his coat
most nights. Woke
with a headache and stiff
neck most mornings.

I reckon he’d been deserted
way back
and sailed alone for a century.

I could see he was all at sea
and falling apart.

I decided to adopt him.

He’s a changed man now,
making a new start,
and I’m the key
that’s unlocked
his padlocked heart.

Originally appeared on blipfoto.com.

My Other Cat Was A Pig

I think he’s trying to ignore me
but unfriendly and moody he ain’t.

He likes his fuss does this puss.

Obviously he’s no saint
but one of the great things about him
is that he settles anywhere
I choose to take him
and will travel miles in the car
without complaint.

He can be a bit of a pest
when I’m reading or typing.
He walks all over the keys
and pjkhoijvlldijvllvhjviljjnb b ;hnd khgligijj.m

Originally appeared blipfoto.com.

Please note!
If you want to use these poems, they are copyright to me.
If you want to use these poems, there’ll be a modest fee.
If you want to use these poems, it’ll make me very happy.
If you want to use these poems, please Contact Me.

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