Should I embrace technology or stay true to the tried and tested?
In today’s world of technology and gadgetry, there seems to be a device or app for everything. This, of course, is also true for the humble paper book.
From prehistoric paintings on cave walls to writing on vellum. From the first known printed text in China in the first millennium AD to the revolution and industrialisation brought about by the invention of the Gutenberg printing press in Europe in the 1450s. The recording of our thoughts has evolved since our earliest times.
With the advent of the e-book, it seems the next leap forward was already made. In 1971 Michael…
A poem
Early morning Saturday
My dad and I
Closing our door quietly
So as not to disturb our family
Mist hanging gently in the summer air
The early morning chill
Still bodes well for a warm spell
And a beautiful day
The house of girls
My sisters and mum still asleep
The two men of the family
Make our quiet escape
So proud to be walking
Alongside this giant of a man
So warm and tender
I forever loved my dad
Fishing rods over shoulders
Lunch bags at our sides
This quality time we spend together
I’ll remember all of my…
A poem
The beautiful sunlight
Through trees dappled
Bathed the river
In an ethereal glow
A magical oasis
Surrounded by dark forest
And in its thrall
I happily lie
Eighteen summers cocooned in loneliness
No other here to accompany me
I thought happiness
Was it nature’s wonder
And then one day
She appeared to me
As I lay watching
The cold clear waters
Flow by to surroundings new
On its mercurial surface
A girls reflection
Slowly, mysteriously, came into view
The trees seemed to part
Of their own volition
As though shying away
from her eternal visage
I couldn’t speak
I could but wonder…
A poem
Walking down the country lane
Memories of you
Permeate my tired brain
As I push on through
The trees rustle overhead
Their canopies entwine
As our love once did
Somewhere down the line
Finally upon the pier
You slide into view
Smiling when you see me
And I smile right back at you…
…But inside I’m dying
You give me your everything
Without thought or questioning
You love me unconditionally
And I think that is the worst thing…
…I’m crying inside
We have been together for so long
Our love all-encompassing
Burning fierce and strong
But all things must change…
…At least for…
Which E-Reader is Right for You
In the world of e-readers, the Amazon Kindle is arguably King or Queen. For those of us who are voracious readers and don’t have the room at home for a dedicated library of our own, space for our beloved volumes can be at a premium. I, for one, have filled several bookcases before deciding enough is enough! I needed a different solution and so I turned to e-books.
I have always loved the Kindle above all other e-readers I have tried. Today there are four models on sale with the Amazon branding. The cheapest known simply as The Kindle for…
Walking to school in 1987 - a poem
November 1987
Walking to school
Cold bite of autumn air
Breathing car fumes too
Walking past stationary traffic
Engines revving, horns beeping
Smiling as I stroll past
Heart in my chest swiftly beating
From rolled down windows
Music seeps
‘Walk Like An Egyptian’
‘Livin’ On A Prayer’
‘With or Without You’
As I walk a little faster
Thinking to myself
‘Who’s That Girl’
Hand tapping against my school bag
In time to the beat
Of the music of my era
And the tapping of my feet
Your hair’s too long!
Just look at those clothes!
You can’t go to school dressed like…
A poem of heartbreak
Waking up tired and alone
The place in bed beside me
Cold and empty
Without you
You slipped out in the middle of the night
Only a note on your pillow left behind
You left when I was at my most vulnerable
Never to come back
Dawn breaks on a new morn
Then sheds its light to noon
And I’m still laying here head in hands
When the new day is done
Laying prone in bed
Facing your note
Afraid to touch it
Lest it becomes real
On your pillow
Like a trespasser
It seems to taunt me
As if I…
The Bane of My Life! - A Poem
Passwords Oh! Passwords
The bane of my life
They hurt my brain
And cause me such strife
Everything these days
Needs these special combinations
Of letters and numbers
That cause such consternation
My bank,
My shopping,
My TV streaming sites,
My computer,
My Tablet,
Even my wife!
They all have mysterious
Numbers, words and letters
To keep us safe
From light-fingered cybernetics
Passwords are fiendish
And so hard to remember
I often resort
To using words like December
I tried Monday of course
Then changed it to Tuesday
And found it too easy
So changed it to Wednesday
If I…
Fear of the dark — a poem
Silvery moon shines
My way is shown through darkest night
‘Neath willow, oak, and fern
Offering its guiding light
A hoot of Tawney Owl
A howl of a wolf somewhere
A rustle in the undergrowth
Night creatures on the prowl
An instinctual fear primal
From the dawning days of man
Raise the hackles on my neck
And goose pimples on my arm
Just trying to get home
Without fear encompassing
But the car broke down, all alone
And lost within dark night
When the thin veneer of civilization
Is stripped back momentarily
The perilous perch upon which we stand
Appears for interpretation…
Paul Douglas
I have a yearning to share what’s going on inside my head. From poems and stories to gaming and technology. Whatever I think about I write.
