Doorway Writing Group Winter 2019

We’ve had our usual fun with crosswords and have tried out a variety of word puzzles including the ever-popular word searches. Guests have said that it’s good to keep their brains busy and that they find it therapeutic. That’s nice to hear. That’s why we do it, after all.
On National Poetry Day in October, we had a visitor (S) who wrote us a special poem and J has, of course, written us a poem for Christmas.
Happy Christmas then, everyone! We’ll be back in the New Year.

A poem by S:
It’s National Poetry Day today
And I’m going to have my say!
I don’t know yet, what to write about
Whether it will be a moan or a shout
But it will be a thing.
I’m visiting Doorway and
The food smells good
I’ve had a coffee and I should
Clear my cup away.
I can’t yet, because I’m writing
A poem for National Poetry Day.
Oooh, chocolate cake and custard.
My favourite. Why’s it so hard
To write when you want to?
Like when you were at school
And your mind went blank
The moment the teacher pointed to you
And your heart sank!
There’s a buzz of chatter in the room
Clinking from knives, forks, spoons.
Oooh, chocolate cake and custard.
My favourite.
Right, let’s get down to it,
And write a bit of poetry.
Can’t you see how hard it is?
Stop and think, don’t take the… mick.
I’ve got it, J said it.
There’s cabbages in the vase
Green and mauve in a jug of clear glass.
Variegated, my big word for today.
Well, I think I’ve had my say.
No moan or shout today
This is my poem for National Poetry Day!

A poem by J:

Help at Christmas

Was it the first Christmas
or the last
That brought you to your knees?
Tidings of comfort and joy
or hands frozen into lumps into stone
and that voice that doesn’t sound like your own
that keeps saying “maybe this is life as well!”
But I look forward to the Doorway party this Christmas
For people who might otherwise miss Christmas
helping hands that span
and find some joy in forgiving
hope for living
all the best and love to give
Tear up the cords of fear and oblivion
And return home from the pilgrimage of chaos
To the light of a brand-new morning.