Happy Birthday 'The Conversational' on Reel Rebels Radio

Happy Birthday 'The Conversational' - a year old today on National Poetry Day! You can catch up on the archives here

Here's some of the wonderful guests who have appeared on the show:

Raymond Antrobus, Dzifa Benson, Matthew Caley , Nathan Penlington, Zena Edwards, Tim Wells, Salena Godden, Ash Sarkar , Inua Ellams, Francesca Beard, Tshaka Campbell, Jacob Sam-La Rose, Rob Story, Dan Cockrill, Richard Tyrone Jones, Joelle Taylor, Anthony Anaxagorou, Nick Field, Dorothea Smartt, Polarbear, Vanessa Kisuule, Karen McCarthyWoolf, Jacqueline Saphra, Courttia Newland, Aoife Mannix, Niall O'Sullivan, Kayo Chingonyi, Comfort Onit Cydelle, Gemma Weekes, Thabanittbone Nyoni, Aisling Fahey, Nadia Khomami, and Zionite Poet !

Listen to today's 'The Conversational' National Poetry Day Special at 7pm with star guests - Malika Booker, Anthony Joseph and Yemisi Blake.

First Thoughts

Yesterday I struggled with my poem a day and did not actually complete it until way past midnight. I was determined to respond to today's challenge first thing. I woke up to Malika Booker's very special prompt and this inspired me to write the poem below.

Here's the prompt for anyone who would like to join me in writing a poem.

1. Go to this link on The Wellcome Trust Library. http://images.wellcome.ac.uk/

2. Then click onto the nature section.

3. scroll down to the Mars, Mercury and Saturn images L0030659 / L0030662 / L0030670

4. Look at all three of the Pictures and read the descriptions below.

5. Use these pictures as a starting point. Take the name of a planet or a Zodiac sign and personify the name like the picture does e.g 'Saturn sitting under a tree."

6. Write a poem using "Saturn, Libra etc" as a person. You can also use words or phrases from the descriptions or the pictures in your poem as well.

Sun and Moon

The Moon's tresses are a hand-throw of stars, her whispering calls you over and over again. The Sun's arms vast as any embrace you've known.

Sun's a child and if his embers catch alight who knows what houses, towns and cities will burn with his magnificent force ?

From Moon's butter-soft lips comes a sweet tune, blowing hot on sun's kindling until he's the brightest star in the sky.

And whilst the solar boy-child is shining proud and true, Moon is silvering the night, the slow hum of her dark wisdom everywhere.