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Paul Brookes

@thewombwellrainbow.bsky.social

1.9K followers 830 following 4.1K posts

Shop asst. Poet and interviewer. Work broadcast on BBC Radio Three, The Verb. Edits The Wombwell Rainbow. #PromoteIndieLit Recent work: "The Dude Work,' Sherwood Handcrafted Press, 2024. Forthcoming: "The Drey Skin", "In Your Mouth"

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Paul Brookes @thewombwellrainbow.bsky.social · 3h

Hi @hool415.bsky.social Ju, here's my fourth response to your excellent #promptcombo #Visitor. It's the first poem of three called "Old Gent Trio" from my collection "Please Take Change:

OLD GENT TRIO
1. OLD GENT
Regular old gent works his stick
buys a loaf of bread, his stutterful
fingers offer a palmside up
full of change for me to focus
upon and pick out the correct change
whilst his uncut nails tremble.
On one occasion he told me,
Never get to ninety, lad.
As usual I loudly and clearly
wish him a grand day.
He pauses then says I was woken
up this morning to hear my wife had died
in old folks home.
I say I’m sorry to hear that
give condolences as he pauses
and the queue at my till grows.
The next customer who overheard
says He needed to tell someone.

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Paul Brookes @thewombwellrainbow.bsky.social · 51m

As it ought to.

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Rosanna McGlone @rosannamcglone.bsky.social · 53m

I think poetry is actually rising like a sword to combat the prevailing narrative.

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Paul Brookes @thewombwellrainbow.bsky.social · 1h

Delighted to have my poem inspired by Fiona Cahill's Monday workshop at R2W Balby on the historical/mythical background to Irish Women's poetry featured on a forthcoming Front Page (November 16th) of Open Arts Forum. Here's a preview:

Paul Brookes @thewombwellrainbow.bsky.social · 1h

Thank you, Rosanna. It's an old poem. Strange how they become relevant years later.

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Rosanna McGlone @rosannamcglone.bsky.social · 1h

A poem for our times, Paul. ❤️

Paul Brookes @thewombwellrainbow.bsky.social · 13h

Hi @hool415.bsky.social Ju, here's my third response to your inspirational #promptcombo #Visitors:

Our Window Cleaner

speaks nine languages fluently.
Translates documents
for the university.

Someone stole his ladders
and his bucket, and trashed
his car.

Jehovah's Witness, his church
financed his visit to Hungary,
to speak to refugees
in Iranian and Arabic.

He bunked with a Japanese,
and says he could only speak
odd phrases to him.

Thoroughly polished
our windows gleam.

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Phil Hyde @gphydeauthor.bsky.social · 2h

Here's my offering for the theme of #ash - thanks go to Paul @thedevilstuna.bsky.social our #vss365 host
Photo by Stepan Vrany on Unsplash
#vsspoem #poet #poetrycommunity

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Damien B Donnelly @eatthestorms.com · 17d

Meet the Issue V Stormers

Mo Schoenfeld’s work appears in Irisi Magazine, Fevers of the Mind, Wombwell Rainbow, Haiku Crush’s Best Haiku 2021-2024, Sidhé Press’s Our Own Coordinates: Poems & A Thousand Shades of Green podcast

The Storms is supported by #fingalarts & @dublincityoflit.bsky.social

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Róisín Ní Neachtain @roisinnineachtain.com · 7d

This is excellent

drb.ie/articles/the...

The Monad Unchained - DRB

The collapse of liberalism in the age of Trump and Netanyahu

drb.ie

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Róisín Ní Neachtain @roisinnineachtain.com · 2h

I don’t want to rush PhD application and I am only four weeks into this year - I suspect that a few essays down and by the time my dissertation comes around, I will think about what I want to do in a very different way…. So waiting until next autumn to apply.

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Julian (Hool) @hool415.bsky.social · 2h

🥳🥳🥳

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Paul Brookes @thewombwellrainbow.bsky.social · 2h

It's in. Will do. Many thankyous, Ju.

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Julian (Hool) @hool415.bsky.social · 2h

Put me down for a signed copy Paul!
And keep the street cleaner one in if you can…please!!!

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Paul Brookes @thewombwellrainbow.bsky.social · 3h

Totally agree, Debbie.

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DrNaturegirl @drnaturegirl.debbiemross.co.uk · 3h

Thanks, Paul. I have it as a list and it was saying ‘we can’t find anything try following people’ but it’s back this morning 🤷🏼‍♀️ Weird!

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Paul Brookes @thewombwellrainbow.bsky.social · 3h

Thank you, Ju. The Trio will be in my forthcoming "Selected Poems." You are helping immensely with my choices for that collection.

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Julian (Hool) @hool415.bsky.social · 3h

That’s an absolute scalpel of a poem Paul. The ‘never get to 90’ so weighted with unspoken meaning. Your bare bones of the reported conversation perfect for this befuddled old man. That sweep-up in the last line just majestic. Really, as if you needed a stranger’s prompt! Another of your very best!🏆

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Paul Brookes @thewombwellrainbow.bsky.social · 3h

Thank you, Rachel.

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Rachel Burrows @rburrows.bsky.social · 3h

🥰

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Paul Brookes @thewombwellrainbow.bsky.social · 3h

Hi @hool415.bsky.social Ju, here's my fourth response to your excellent #promptcombo #Visitor. It's the first poem of three called "Old Gent Trio" from my collection "Please Take Change:

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Paul Brookes @thewombwellrainbow.bsky.social · 3h

🙏

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Julian (Hool) @hool415.bsky.social · 4h

Yay!🥳

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Paul Brookes @thewombwellrainbow.bsky.social · 4h

On my doorstep, Ju. He definitely exists.

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Julian (Hool) @hool415.bsky.social · 12h

Where do you find these people Paul. They are real, whether they exist or not. There’s a few life lessons buried in there as well!
Lovely pre log off thoughts! Good night!👏👏

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Paul Brookes @thewombwellrainbow.bsky.social · 13h

Hi @hool415.bsky.social Ju, here's my third response to your inspirational #promptcombo #Visitors:

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Lin Hart @poetry-with-hart.bsky.social · 1d

Not my #poemsabout for #imperfectme this week specifically as obviously it was posted a month ago.... but damn does it start stinging my bones to read it again.

Reminded of all I am trying to do with "Behind the Miror," and who I am becoming today in as short as a month. Humbling.

Best wishes. 🤗

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