Today is the 21st National Poetry Day here in the UK with events taking place nationwide with flash-mobs of poetry readings, Blackpool lights ablaze with verse as well as schools around the country taking part in a Readathon.
To celebrate the event I want to feature the work of a friend and new poet, Thalia Gust. I find her work astonishing on so many levels, at times ethereal and spiritual, then humorous, later down-to-earth. From the personable to the international. Always a delight and I hope you enjoy and find the poem as rewarding as I do.
Blockbusters
We have ‘Blockbusters’, ‘Hits’, ‘Bestsellers’
All aggressive words and little to do with Creation.
We grab some food, hit the sack, beat the record.
Where is the grace gone?
♦♦♦
Pour souls, beaten to death
No succour to be had
Art and literature turned to weapons,
Stealthily harming us all.
♦♦♦
Where is the balm, the uplifting thoughts,
The poems and books.
Did they all get sacrificed on the altar
The altar to Mammon.
♦♦♦
Empty spirits and souls
Buried under the avalanche, feeding mindlessly
Slowly dying, crying and hungry
For the rescue team to come.
♦♦♦
Stop sitting in the stinking mud.
Stand up, cleanse the silt from your soul.
Walk away from it all, lift your eyes to the sky
Let the sound of nature fill your heart.
♦♦♦
Watch, there is a glimmer guiding you out
Guiding you, showing the way.
New books, new films are filling the void
Showing us the simple fullness of life.
♦♦♦
They come quietly, without fanfare
They are written from the heart
From mouth to mouth they spread
Like gentle rain from heaven, their words transform.
© Thalia Gust
Finally on this National Poetry Day a special collection of poems , Light – A National Poetry Day Anthology, has been created and is free to download. I highly recommend this and one of my childhood favourites made it in – Edward Lear’s The Owl and The Pussycat.
Annika Perry 
Wonderful poem Annika. Glad to find your blog.
I’m so happy you are enjoying reading some of the posts on my blog; this poem by Thalia Gust is one of my personal favourites. Thanks for commenting.
Such a wonderful poem! I could feel the light at the end nudging me on, telling me you can’t stay in these false places, go on and open the door…
I’ve read a few other poems by this author before. She is indeed very talented and a wonderful person. She never fails to refresh my spirits with a view to all that heaven will allow.
-JC
JC, this is a most beautiful accolade to Thalia. You sum up the poem so concisely and I can tell it has made its way into your heart, Your last sentence alone is so deeply put. With warmest wishes and many thanks for your comment, 😃
Thank you for posting the poem by Thalia Gust for national poetry day. Her words form a picture of thoughts. Makes you think about time and places of life. Wisdom given on how to move on and keep shining. Would like to read more of her poetry.
Thank you for your lovely comment and I am sure you will see more of Thlia Gust’s poetry! It is full of wisdom and is a beacon on how to live life through its various trials.
A thought provoking poem which starts off pretty dark, but finishes with a glimmer of hope. Enjoyed reading it – and I was totally unware that it was National Poetry Day.
Mike
It’s very good and moves along beautifully. Glad you liked it.
Lovely…
Thank you so much Bette😀
Thanks for sharing this. What mental images I’m getting. And, I didn’t know October 8th was National Poetry Day in the UK. I’ll be celebrating with you next year!
I must admit I haven’t really noticed it so nationally before, but as so many events I suppose it grows year by year. Lovely to hear poetry during the normal working day. I’ll give advance notice next year so you can celebrate with us! 😀Brilliant.
It is an honour to be featured in your great blog.
Your writing is always of high standard, warm and inspiring.
To top it you are a wonderfully stimulating and good friend, always.
Thanks also to each one who has taken the time to read my poem
and like/comment. I am deeply touched.
Thalia Gust
It was a pleasure Thalia and I am glad I convinced you. Keep writing!😀 Many thanks for your kind words, my friend. ❤️
“New books, new films are filling the void
Showing us the simple fullness of life.”
I seldom find this with films: too many weapons, car chases, explosions and so on.
Ah Rod, there are so many good films out there without the car chases, explosions etc. They’re not weepie films either, but intelligent, gently funny quirky films touching on the deeper meaning of life. A delight. I can recommend some :-))
Please recommend one or two, Annika!
I do like my films Rod, so picking a couple is tricky but I’ll choose two of my latest favourites that were a hit with the whole family. ‘The Hundred Foot Journey’ with Helen Mirren and ‘What We Did In Our Holidays’ (the film is a lot better than the title!) with Billy Connolly and David Tennant. Hope you like them😀
Very beautiful poetry!!
It is indeed! Great to read your comment.
My pleasure!
Lovely poem. Thanks for sharing. It sounds like a fun day in the UK!
Thank you, so glad you liked. The radio had non-stop poetry all day, even on the news shows! Pleasant change from the norm.
What a great celebration.
I find this poem very deep and am taken by how it takes us from -almost – anger and sadness
to show the glimmer of light and a way to a more meaningful life.
I didn’t know there was a National Poetry Day; you teach me something new every time.:)
I do like it when a poem travels along and the light at the end gives us all hope. Actually there were quite a few other book-related events taking place yesterday but I liked this one best.
A very thought-provoking poem from a new talent. It really needs reading several time, slowly, to let the emotion seep in. I downloaded the anthology; thank you for the link. I actually saw Mike Harding perform “Bomber’s Moon”, and I’m glad it’s in there. Another I think touches a nerve is “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas. The others are on the computer and I’ll read them over the next couple of days.
Like all poems I read this many times as well, savouring, letting the language and ideas settle in my mind and soul. So happy you enjoyed it.
Reblogged this on first hand accounts of a former homebody and commented:
Nice!! Not into poetry but a great read!
Many thanks for the reblog. Some poetry can be rather tricky to read but I do find this flows well and is powerful to read.