I know Damian Smyth a bit. We've had several coffees together on Botanic Avenue, Belfast. He is a passionate ambassador for Northern Ireland creatives. He has been more than supportive of me and my writing efforts. I love him for it. I am grateful to him in so many ways. We met on twitter but really met in 2013 at the Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast, home to so many brilliant writers and performers. It was pre Belfast Book Festival when I was invited to give a talk on film star Stephen Boyd, who was born and raised in these parts. I had written a biography of Boyd' s life and work. I have all of Damian's published writings, some of which he signed. Writing that takes you there and there and there. His latest collection - Irish Street - confirms his wonderful and creative sense of place - Downpatrick and its streets - locally, nationally and internationally. https://templarpoetry.com/collections/new-collections-pamphlets/products/irish-street ...
I swear to you that this is a true story, albeit embellished for entertainment value. It happened in my presence and it illustrates that even after three decades of dealing with customers, there is always one to surprise you. Here goes. One day, in the phase of my career when I was a hypermarket general manager in the Midlands, I took a call from a Mrs. Parker (name changed to protect the insane). “I’m really upset,” she began, positioning herself on the front foot and me on the defensive back foot. “Oh, I’m sorry. Please tell me about it and I’ll do everything I can to put things right.” “I don’t know where to begin”, she replied with a slight choke in her voice and, I envisioned, a tremble on the lower lip. “Why not start at the beginning? It’s a very good place to start”, I suggested without the slightest hint of sarcasm, even though Julie Andrews was singing the do-re-mi song in the back of my head. “Well, I do all the catering at h...
More than a few years ago, I had a stab at writing a country song. I have a long-held ambition to hear Willie Nelson singing this song, hence the country music use of the word "don't" rather than "doesn't" in the chorus. It started out as summer love, warm days and loving nights, picnic fun and country walks, feather kisses and dizzy heights. Riding horses across the fields, wind blowing our cares away, stetson hats to shade the sun, on every one of our summer days. But now it’s over, we’ve drawn the line, summer’s gone and the sun don’t shine, what are the reasons who and how, we’ve closed down for winter now. Once this room was light and air, sunbeam rays played on the chair, we would talk all afternoon, 'til we witnessed the evening moon. Now the room is dark and cold, young love is now feeling old, windows locked and shutters down, and I look like the saddest clown. But now it’s over, we’ve drawn the line, summer’s gone and the sun don’t shine, wha...
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