tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26242332279155489142024-03-13T05:39:53.527+00:00doctor keith armstrong - the jingling geordie!keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comBlogger1452125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-91115139503628145242021-01-17T17:46:00.006+00:002021-01-17T17:52:52.237+00:00OWN YOUR OWN NIGHTMARES<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxOwk1QgWpuwYrzJHWdUnfke0u3kxQdOLF1qlsCnf-wJ4Mi0FSIo0Vi-4gBbhCj2m0PSp60YfsyKlMqv8i3XcvXJnlSprTMCgVkya_gF3ngz_WgLr5kUdnwt4TjQ2x8g4A_zyEpcC9rVS/s730/D8AAE232-395E-4B11-ABE8-0C1D484011B4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="730" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxOwk1QgWpuwYrzJHWdUnfke0u3kxQdOLF1qlsCnf-wJ4Mi0FSIo0Vi-4gBbhCj2m0PSp60YfsyKlMqv8i3XcvXJnlSprTMCgVkya_gF3ngz_WgLr5kUdnwt4TjQ2x8g4A_zyEpcC9rVS/w640-h420/D8AAE232-395E-4B11-ABE8-0C1D484011B4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">OWN YOUR OWN NIGHTMARES</span><p></p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;"></span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">Own your own nightmares,</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">fight for them,</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">they should never be possessed by Government,</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">never induced by the pharmaceuticals.</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">They belong to history,</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">your forebears,</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">your dreaming kids.</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;"></span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">Your own nightmares</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">might scare you to an early uprising</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">but they are for your loved ones</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">to relish,</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">to share</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">with the devils in their souls.</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;"></span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">Nightmares can terrify</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">like a John Martin painting</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">yet they can also be beautiful</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">in a sacred and scarred kind of way.</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;"></span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">And when they are over</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">they will sail you</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">into the kind of bliss</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">you have justly earned,</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">Including the overthrow </span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">of those who have confined you</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">for such a long time</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">with no bloody mandate;</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">the overthrow</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">of redundant establishments</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">that cling on</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">to a dying power</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">whose way of looking misses</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">the potential loveliness</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">in all your lockdowned nightmares</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">inside the lovely community</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">of your heart and soul.</span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;"></span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;"></span><br style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;" /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">KEITH ARMSTRONG</span>keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-67559687610484704172021-01-10T14:21:00.005+00:002021-01-10T17:03:59.675+00:00TREVOR<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmWXlLU8adoCGBG6A6MZx-Lr4A5GV4VwdFqZ8ifdb8m4J7QhmG8PKVGm6aThXdHRA3hIL2qOfeExzt6rdQYyPvsblYOPqgdKDUyjQ-RwebCXHmnVQAgnWdA0noDiYk6wcOaFYW68ERDx8/s640/1A115707-3E1B-4249-8D49-8EA71146D7D9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="447" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmWXlLU8adoCGBG6A6MZx-Lr4A5GV4VwdFqZ8ifdb8m4J7QhmG8PKVGm6aThXdHRA3hIL2qOfeExzt6rdQYyPvsblYOPqgdKDUyjQ-RwebCXHmnVQAgnWdA0noDiYk6wcOaFYW68ERDx8/w448-h640/1A115707-3E1B-4249-8D49-8EA71146D7D9.jpeg" width="448" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNn1VAVgrgO-1CS0TeL-T0YnUK3ZNx7wqZxFmA2xMjBaR3mYsB2Tal0GVzpvqbp72BHRKrKNS7eL0CMBuaucRfICls2DYaUZ9b6xGbgkztOuqUjsJ4nQkfAfMrwo2xnRpQxP_tZJGRfhpj/s1280/07A70EA3-91FD-4C7E-BA70-E2165103E9BF.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNn1VAVgrgO-1CS0TeL-T0YnUK3ZNx7wqZxFmA2xMjBaR3mYsB2Tal0GVzpvqbp72BHRKrKNS7eL0CMBuaucRfICls2DYaUZ9b6xGbgkztOuqUjsJ4nQkfAfMrwo2xnRpQxP_tZJGRfhpj/w640-h480/07A70EA3-91FD-4C7E-BA70-E2165103E9BF.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>TREVOR</b></span><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>This is a special man</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>who spends his life entirely</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>searching for clues to all of it</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>outside the teeming box.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>He rants from the obscure corners</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>where no one else dares,</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>rummages down lanes </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>where most folk fear </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>to walk,</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>looking for a special meaning,</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>a hint of a jewel </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>in the pervasive rubbish.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>A walk with him </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>will lead you</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>into beautiful gardens,</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>alternative libraries</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>and abstract galleries.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>His voice</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>is his own </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>unique instrument,</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>dulcet in the sun</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>of blooming vineyards</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>and birdsong.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>His thoughts</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>refresh</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>the universe</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>with their original</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>melodies.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Listen to him,</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>to the deepness</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>in his soul,</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>to the reverence</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>in his wise and searching eyes.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>KEITH ARMSTRONG</b></span></p>keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-41108086908940414332021-01-06T18:19:00.001+00:002021-01-06T19:55:53.389+00:00HARTLEY PIT DISASTER JANUARY 16TH 1862<p><br /></p><div class="post-header-line-1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.65px;"></div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.65px;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-20h8OCW6NbVsYoY6iknTRGIpUbWMGDLQQtWhuuxqWLbvvxYObusjYxoOTo45y71onGd20Z0pZwTBjt9rcKj8qsnaBqR4SCDS_G-E1BjPl94EFwEuuWwJYtowwQKTj4e1XKGeoafpOJH4/s1600/hartleycover.jpg" style="clear: left; color: #030303; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-20h8OCW6NbVsYoY6iknTRGIpUbWMGDLQQtWhuuxqWLbvvxYObusjYxoOTo45y71onGd20Z0pZwTBjt9rcKj8qsnaBqR4SCDS_G-E1BjPl94EFwEuuWwJYtowwQKTj4e1XKGeoafpOJH4/s640/hartleycover.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" width="444" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">‘What was it there on Hartley heap, caused the mother and child to weep?’ (George Cooke)</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Cold January’s gripped our throbbing hearts and torn them.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Still the sea rolls on.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">This earth’s bowels stink of our loved one’s deaths,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">the air tastes foul.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Still the sea rolls on.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">They don black gloves,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">drag out the bodies one by one.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">The death-stained faces seem to smile.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Still the sea rolls on.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">We are the widows of Hartley,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">our men and boys are dead,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">our lives cracked open,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">damp corpses in our beds.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Still the sea rolls on.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">We clutch cold messages from Dukes and Queens,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">we wipe the coal dust from our widowed eyes.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">The coffin makers’ heavy hammers beat,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">keep time with lapping parlour clocks,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">and still</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">the sea rolls on,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">still the sea rolls on.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Still the sea,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">we are the widows of Hartley,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">our men and boys are dead.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Take away your stumbling words and</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">GIVE US BREAD.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">KEITH ARMSTRONG</span></b></div></div>keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-60633538859808225432021-01-04T13:58:00.015+00:002021-01-06T10:37:48.366+00:002021 - 260TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HEXHAM RIOT 9TH MARCH 1761 <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="paragraph_style_1" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7I0CbVaP5d1lmYPsboLgUEDzAMv33lALw7ZQlDue4Sx_x5Qz9wJjPjPLQJtuEcY7LFgHuUPQlxVd4G_JWavQSIfxq6pWclXh0E78zgrg1jrJvle0d6ndsWtNLhNywXoRyN9WMqkrVqPMH/s273/8E6B67DD-9211-4E71-BBB1-30B43483082C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="226" data-original-width="273" height="530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7I0CbVaP5d1lmYPsboLgUEDzAMv33lALw7ZQlDue4Sx_x5Qz9wJjPjPLQJtuEcY7LFgHuUPQlxVd4G_JWavQSIfxq6pWclXh0E78zgrg1jrJvle0d6ndsWtNLhNywXoRyN9WMqkrVqPMH/w640-h530/8E6B67DD-9211-4E71-BBB1-30B43483082C.jpeg" width="640" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxij8RJN1T_1OZhqiDdipb8HMvV7JYEBOZ5mWFUeq1P1v72wLaMacQ94GhsHtUa5WoxPI8-9sh5si7LQrcjqvP8Y6hT5piPovNe5xJwBPqSxheewO-dx_V0zywrPs-bcHm2arpAIXy6hI9/s484/F085CBF8-0387-45C4-AA05-C70E2445A314.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="342" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxij8RJN1T_1OZhqiDdipb8HMvV7JYEBOZ5mWFUeq1P1v72wLaMacQ94GhsHtUa5WoxPI8-9sh5si7LQrcjqvP8Y6hT5piPovNe5xJwBPqSxheewO-dx_V0zywrPs-bcHm2arpAIXy6hI9/w452-h640/F085CBF8-0387-45C4-AA05-C70E2445A314.jpeg" width="452" /></a></p><br /><p class="paragraph_style_1" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="paragraph_style_2" style="font-family: Helvetica-BoldOblique, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">‘The Market Place was a tragic sight. Bodies of the dead and wounded lay scattered. The ground was stained with blood and the cries of the wounded were pitiful. The following day it rained, washing away the traces.’<span class="style_1" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style_1" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="paragraph_style_1" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Wash away the day,<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">wash the pain away,<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">sweep the remains of yesterday<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">into the racing river.<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Beat the Dead March,<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">bang the old drum,<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">heal Hexham’s bust bones<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">and cry me a river,<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">cry the Water of Tyne.<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Wash away the day<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">and wash this pain away.<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style_1" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="paragraph_style_1" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="paragraph_style_1" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">A PITMAN DEAD<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style_1" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">With blood gushing out of his boot tops,<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">a well-dressed man<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">leaves town<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">along Priestpopple.<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Thirteen men lie inside the Abbey,<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">not owned.<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Numbers are found dead upon the roads.<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Big with child, Sarah Carter shot,<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">the musket ball found in the child’s belly.<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Thrice into a man’s body<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">lying at James Charlton’s shop door<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">it’s said they ran theIr bayonets;<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">and a pitman dead,<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">a weaver:<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">all those broken days of history,<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">all the slain hours in our diaries.<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Sound the Abbey’s bells!<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Let them toll the severed minutes.<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Let them celebrate<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">the end of torture.<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Let them gush<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">with rejoicing<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">for more peaceful times.<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">THERE’S A RIOT<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style_1" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="paragraph_style_1" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">These streets,<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">in this Heart of All England,<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">are swept clean of blood.<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">But the stains still soak our books.<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Death upon death,<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">we turn the pages;<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">in between the lines,<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">we read about the screams,<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">time’s bullets<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">tearing flesh away.<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">There is terror lurking in this Market Place,<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">just scrape away the skin<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">and, deep down,<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">there’s a Riot:<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">a commotion boiling<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">a terrible turbulence,<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">a throbbing pain.<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">It is a Riot of gore,<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">a torrential downpour<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">of weeping:<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">a seeping sore<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">that is Hexham’s History.<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style_1" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="paragraph_style_1" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="paragraph_style_1" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="paragraph_style_1" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="paragraph_style" style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">KEITH ARMSTRONG<span class="style" face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph_style_2" style="font-family: Helvetica-BoldOblique, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span face="Helvetica-BoldOblique, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 22px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;">Poems featured in Hexham Local History Society Newsletter</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Helvetica-BoldOblique, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 22px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Helvetica-BoldOblique, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 22px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;">AND FROM 1997: <br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Helvetica-BoldOblique, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 22px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijm8xHfW1AbK05mWkL0R4xU45QXm1HcPqXWoMpMxb4ZM6EFAJl-o2jRRBm-hmgjTPtvaBREwLBeZtMPwQdf14WQYTdvtT79W7V1KmoKwf_wClD725YPuXM_4UQFjJ8qb5IfzbpaevGcnFk/s464/B6F8927D-D1D3-4034-9B8B-F08D0F45B544.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="326" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijm8xHfW1AbK05mWkL0R4xU45QXm1HcPqXWoMpMxb4ZM6EFAJl-o2jRRBm-hmgjTPtvaBREwLBeZtMPwQdf14WQYTdvtT79W7V1KmoKwf_wClD725YPuXM_4UQFjJ8qb5IfzbpaevGcnFk/w450-h640/B6F8927D-D1D3-4034-9B8B-F08D0F45B544.jpeg" width="450" /></a></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXUtQTq-5Ysgh9BEofKnG7Br2w2sPL-PP0sdZLcB91SbZmyv8MZmyZU5V4O8fQDt4eD2rdOOQTtSrxSCwv0L_VLG7cBUxr7c0j0CtyQcybb8ip03YA16o3U5YrZ3FLhqGySXqrJutzIVI/s399/0904A0A5-D4FA-4ED2-ADAF-22649C8E3822.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="254" data-original-width="399" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXUtQTq-5Ysgh9BEofKnG7Br2w2sPL-PP0sdZLcB91SbZmyv8MZmyZU5V4O8fQDt4eD2rdOOQTtSrxSCwv0L_VLG7cBUxr7c0j0CtyQcybb8ip03YA16o3U5YrZ3FLhqGySXqrJutzIVI/w640-h408/0904A0A5-D4FA-4ED2-ADAF-22649C8E3822.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmeTynibdq_ZYs1_yUnWHSjXYCzqZrK7K0CzCYYug8SCkkF_j2KjiTEGFY1BZLLBFLbCKG2h2xGLoRYlhazWbiWV6UvUsD7NOuvIkfeqqmshlw1hi1ISjr_drvMMK8kzpJEKep9Ucy-JTM/s465/05084262-0E9D-4119-A2DF-511AB9FA2279.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="325" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmeTynibdq_ZYs1_yUnWHSjXYCzqZrK7K0CzCYYug8SCkkF_j2KjiTEGFY1BZLLBFLbCKG2h2xGLoRYlhazWbiWV6UvUsD7NOuvIkfeqqmshlw1hi1ISjr_drvMMK8kzpJEKep9Ucy-JTM/w448-h640/05084262-0E9D-4119-A2DF-511AB9FA2279.jpeg" width="448" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p class="paragraph_style_3"><span class="style_2" style="font-size: large;">THE HEXHAM RIOT</span><span class="style_3" style="font-size: large; line-height: 37px;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><p class="paragraph_style_4"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="style_4" style="line-height: 23px;"><br /></span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><p class="paragraph_style_6"><span style="font-size: large;">Known as Bloody Monday, the
Hexham Riot, which broke out on March 9th 1761, was the outcome of an
attempt to introduce a system of balloting for the militia. Balloting
met with opposition throughout the north of England but it was in
Hexhamshire that feelings ran highest. The local magistrates, well aware
of this, had taken the precaution of bringing a detachment of the North
Yorkshire Militia into the town of Hexham. Drawn up in the square in
front of the Moot Hall, these soldiers only served to increase the fury
of the mob that gathered on the day of the ballot. After almost four
hours of argument between ringleaders and magistrates, the Riot Act was
read.<span class="style_5" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;">
The crowd broke loose and
advanced with staves and clubs upon the charged bayonets. Two soldiers
were shot by their own weapons and the magistrates, in panic ordered
general fire. By the time the firing ceased, the crowd had fled through
the streets, leaving only dead and severely wounded - a sight that
seemed to move even the soldiers. Various figures have been advanced for
these fatalities - some sources quotes 51 dead and others give 45 dead, with some 300 wounded but it is
likely that the latter figure was somewhat higher, for large numbers escaped to their own locality and were naturally unwilling to
acknowledge their part in the affray.</span>keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-25999028945450089522021-01-04T10:40:00.001+00:002021-01-04T10:40:14.933+00:00MAUD WATSON, FLORIST<p><br /></p><div class="post-header-line-1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.649999618530273px;"></div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.649999618530273px;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAspFkcOoHdcd4SMCXTZVlmr_QmrlYXrpxG2GObv4SpxoZzOvgZM2iITlTkYSu1Lot_damVc7523s1HEmMr1of3GpD1o8j0QIa40sDVfGkHw2d2JBL2BNLxjvNCyFh_MEP17tD11HOg1Nt/s1600/maudgraingermkt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: #030303; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAspFkcOoHdcd4SMCXTZVlmr_QmrlYXrpxG2GObv4SpxoZzOvgZM2iITlTkYSu1Lot_damVc7523s1HEmMr1of3GpD1o8j0QIa40sDVfGkHw2d2JBL2BNLxjvNCyFh_MEP17tD11HOg1Nt/s1600/maudgraingermkt.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" width="614" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">bred in a market arch </span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a struggle</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in a city's armpit</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">that flower</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in your time-rough hands </span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a beautiful girl in a slum alley</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">all that kindness in your face</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and you're right</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the times are not what they were</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">this England's not what it was</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">flowers shrink in that crumbling vase</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">dusk creeps in on a cart</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and Maud the sun is choking </span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Maud this island's sinking </span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and all that swollen sea is </span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the silent majority </span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">waving</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i></i><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i></i><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i></i><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Keith Armstrong</span></i></div></div>keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-89491188290009276852020-12-30T15:43:00.002+00:002020-12-31T12:51:45.024+00:00HAPPY NEW YEAR TO A TWIN TOWN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-oFiOvS3CULtiodD2Tymje0nCNUsgT2tlRZahv-zv8_4uyYOfJ9C8e1bMfbDcRGMySSKypxAvZeODSnOucUxjB8-PlzjjMz8CAG6vwI9I9pNwTpcSIJNcTSkAZ6Oh5SMcqOGxkxuxZw_/s1024/2C4F97EB-5446-4351-826D-CE734F3D8B4A.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-oFiOvS3CULtiodD2Tymje0nCNUsgT2tlRZahv-zv8_4uyYOfJ9C8e1bMfbDcRGMySSKypxAvZeODSnOucUxjB8-PlzjjMz8CAG6vwI9I9pNwTpcSIJNcTSkAZ6Oh5SMcqOGxkxuxZw_/s320/2C4F97EB-5446-4351-826D-CE734F3D8B4A.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">I am glad to have twinned with this shapely town,<br />the bureaucrat who chose it was inspired,<br />picking through the rail lines and autobahns to seek it out,<br />linking it with my fleeting life.<br />I have travelled here a score of times and watched<br />my features change<br />with the seasons<br />in a twin town’s mirror.<br />I have made and carelessly lost friends,<br />renewed the flagging feel of tenderness,<br />groped in the darkness for a kiss gone missing,<br />licked over nooks and crannies.<br /> </span></b></div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">With local wine glinting in my starry eyes,<br />I have lost all tracks of time<br />in the cool of bowing trees;<br />rejoiced in the pounding of church bells,<br />singing in my head.<br />I have dived in the shadows seeking famous sons,<br />slid in gutters with the down and outs.<br /><br />This town has a brain of a University<br />and the guts of a stray-dog.<br />I have flogged it to death.<br /><br />It was in this bar, at this table, in this corner,<br />that I looked into a girl called Karin’s eyes;<br />and it was at that moment, for that rich moment,<br />that our eyes twinned and I couldn’t wait to jet home,<br />write a glowing report on her glowing face<br />for our International Exchange Officer to file safely<br />under ‘Twinning Affairs’<br />or ‘Affairs, Twinning, New Year’.<br /><br />Yes, I am glad <br />to have twinned with this shapely town,<br />inspired<br />by Karin’s eyes. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />KEITH ARMSTRONG</span></b></div>keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-74909842696763347892020-12-26T21:27:00.006+00:002020-12-27T07:32:36.680+00:00I HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH THE FORTH BRIDGE<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbdMBvRvVtRdqiUKwAx2FwkH_-fzV131N0q2Kfa_vhArB01eAen-LyOHHOg1UsyN2X5gS_62DeKR0cPjRChERo09emLq0vPBPXLffnGdt68QdgISdUFNF259E_4zgY578kluBSJn00h14_/s640/09D9A003-BECA-48A3-B60F-5BECCE6BEFC5.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbdMBvRvVtRdqiUKwAx2FwkH_-fzV131N0q2Kfa_vhArB01eAen-LyOHHOg1UsyN2X5gS_62DeKR0cPjRChERo09emLq0vPBPXLffnGdt68QdgISdUFNF259E_4zgY578kluBSJn00h14_/w640-h480/09D9A003-BECA-48A3-B60F-5BECCE6BEFC5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-size: large;">Dear Mr. Armstrong,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I hope this finds you well. I've never done this in my life - i.e. contact a writer - but felt I really had to thank you for the fabulous poem about the Forth Bridge which appeared in the Scottish Review. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">It so inspired me that I wanted to hang out the window and shout it across the bay! (I live on a wee island on the west coast.)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Not only do I also love that bridge (I spent my childhood holidays in Fife and always got so excited whenever we crossed it), but I like bridges in general (don't know what that says about me and don't care to find out!). I'm also a Russian speaker and absolutely love Mayakovsky's great poem inspired by the Brooklyn Bridge. Yours is equally inspiring, as far as I'm concerned.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Anyway - all I wanted to do was to congratulate you and say thank you for that truly marvellous poem. It made my day reading it.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">All the best,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Moira Dalgetty</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH THE FORTH BRIDGE</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Strapping girders,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">lusty arches:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">the span of my ambition,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">shore to shore</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">you link me with the old bones,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">the new ways,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">the true trains that take me</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">down the path of all my loves.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">You lift up your wide arms</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">to take in the tide,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">roll with the shaking wind</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">that whistles in the rushes</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">of the wild banks.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">You thrill me with your size,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">your strong embrace;</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">you roar with achievement,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">you make me proud:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I could hug you.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Let me take the Queensferry train,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">slide through you to freedom.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The pipes play</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">and the kilts sway</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">to greet us.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">You are the opening,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">the gap we streak through</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">to the woolly wilds</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">of Auld Reekie</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">and Bonnie Old Dundee;</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">to the sea of workers’ blood,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">the red rust of the past that clings</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">and hugs the bones of dead engineers.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">In the Albert Hotel,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">tucked up, I hear you moan in the darkness.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Naked,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I pull back the curtains</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">and see you floodlit</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">in all your entrancing glory.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Shine on, shine</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">you crazy bridge.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">You have my devotion,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">you have my deepest darkest love.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I would climb you stripped;</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I would feel you breathe in the Firth wind.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I give you my heart and soul,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I am frail against your depth.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">You will outlive me,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">do not mock me,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">you are superb.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">You are my outstretched lovely;</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I will breathe through you,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">long for you,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">die for you.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Rock me,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">go Forth</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">and inspire me.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">KEITH ARMSTRONG</span></p>keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-18541217967629344112020-12-17T16:36:00.002+00:002020-12-17T16:36:40.574+00:00SING A SONG FOR HENSHAW<p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); clear: both; color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.649999618530273px; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCwKvRjA-Ti0q9q0P8bY7KXx3r1eBMAAhZwfPUYMrZubW5gZtQPwwR356-S0tmNNZMGVTfkIs3vfG7tGV-z-tFLKqMNgmw706o3LXahpW9foj_nQLEjlXQCbt9GEt7vGPreapcsvhBmoz/s1600/motherfather.jpg" style="clear: left; color: #030303; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="1024" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCwKvRjA-Ti0q9q0P8bY7KXx3r1eBMAAhZwfPUYMrZubW5gZtQPwwR356-S0tmNNZMGVTfkIs3vfG7tGV-z-tFLKqMNgmw706o3LXahpW9foj_nQLEjlXQCbt9GEt7vGPreapcsvhBmoz/s640/motherfather.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" width="640" /></a></b></div><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; 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color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.649999618530273px;"><br /></b><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: #ff8307; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.649999618530273px;"></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> </b></span></span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.649999618530273px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: #ff8307; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.649999618530273px;"></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: #ff8307; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.649999618530273px;"></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_1931572269" style="color: #030303;"><br /></a></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: #ff8307; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.649999618530273px;"></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3DffKLEGZA&t=39s" style="color: #030303;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3DffKLEGZA&t=39s</a></span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.649999618530273px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: #ff8307; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.649999618530273px;"></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: large;"><b>SING A SONG FOR HENSHAW<br /><br />(FOR YOU MY MOTHER EVA)<br /><br /><br />Illuminate this slumbering old village for my mother, <br />let her country fields glow with a fine light that’s warm.<br />This radiant song is for Henshaw<br />to be shared by the birds in the sun.<br /><br />We scattered her ashes down a lane here,<br />we took her back home where her dreams could rest in the soil.<br />We returned her to her happy childhood<br />and the laughter where she was born. <br /><br />She gave all the love in her heart to me,<br />there was nothing she wouldn’t do for this boy.<br />She’s gone back to her roots by the river<br />to join up with my fine father again.<br /><br />Let those ashes of bones float on this breeze<br />and glint in the open Northumbrian skies. <br />She’s resting now in the joys of spring,<br />resting in my heart as well full of the breath from her soul.<br /><br />I relish the days you gave me your all for mother,<br />I thank you for the darling touch of the dew.<br />Even in my darkest and scatterbrained times, <br />I grew in the glow of your tunes.<br /><br />I carry your picture all over this world,<br />show it to accountants in airports and singers in the rain.<br />I won’t allow myself to forget your lovely tenderness,<br />community lessons learned from you, your devoted and neighbourly ways.<br /><br />Your bonny canny lad will be kind for you<br />and scatter the blue coloured petals of love.<br />Along every new street I visit,<br />I’ll always be dancing for you.<br /><br />This son will revere your oath of caring,<br />your compassionate concern for the beggar next door.<br />I’ll go back along the walls you skipped over<br />to rejoice in your marvellous and wonderful smile.<br /> </b></span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.649999618530273px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: large;"><b>So I have carved out this poem for you and your Henshaw,<br />it reflects the beautiful flowers in your eyes.<br />I am breathing a fresh lyric on a Tyneside day,<br />singing my deepest feelings for Eva and the delicate blossoms she grew. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />KEITH ARMSTRONG</b><br /> </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.649999618530273px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: large;">Henshaw is a village on the South Tyne in Northumberland where Keith Armstrong's mother Eva spent her childhood. </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.649999618530273px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: #ff8307; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.649999618530273px;"></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: #ff8307; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.649999618530273px;"></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Rob Walton Love this one, Keith. Great stuff.<br /><br />Mo Shevis What a beautiful tribute Keith. Lovely place too.<br /><br />Toon van den Boogaard Beautiful poem, Keith.<br />Must have been a remarkebly nice lady, to recieve these kind words of love and gratitude.<br /><br />Nick Pemberton Extra special one there :-) x<br /><br />Catherine Graham A beautiful tribute, a beautiful poem filled with love for your beloved Mother. x<br /><br />Brian Ings So much love, so much poetry, Keith. Thank you for sharing.</i></b></span>keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-27491357220955135892020-12-07T18:23:00.003+00:002020-12-08T07:29:12.281+00:00THERE ARE THOSE WHO SING<p><br /></p><div class="post-body entry-content" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.65px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjW2H7j8-5Bs2NikWJHBOGaRNJY0-IpkTrvX7vYXRHqZj3s_XVjjQL14g85V52QeqahvJUewa4YzptzrHXLwx0erY5677DpgRDZWUlrhOr2RaFwSzb9PrGonYbnl5QFZM79gJVmyNHz9k/s1600/ka+&+wm1.jpeg" style="clear: left; color: #030303; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjW2H7j8-5Bs2NikWJHBOGaRNJY0-IpkTrvX7vYXRHqZj3s_XVjjQL14g85V52QeqahvJUewa4YzptzrHXLwx0erY5677DpgRDZWUlrhOr2RaFwSzb9PrGonYbnl5QFZM79gJVmyNHz9k/s1600/ka+&+wm1.jpeg" style="border-width: 0px;" width="640" /></a></div><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="color: #fff588; font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 33.9885px; font-stretch: normal; letter-spacing: -1px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></h3><div class="post-header-line-1" style="color: #0e0e0e; font-size: 14px;"></div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="color: #0e0e0e;"><br /><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">(for William Martin, 1925-2010)</span></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">There are those who sing,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">poets</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">with the breath of thrushes;</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">who craft songs</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">from out of their deep roots,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">whose verse roars</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">with the sea</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and the sky</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and the pain of the land.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In the cathedral</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">of their hearts,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">their tunes rise up</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and fill the heavens</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">with flocks of words.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">They are few</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and far between,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">these fliers</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">of lyrics.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Above plodders</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and traipsers</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">of verse,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">they reach for real stars,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">pluck at galaxies</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and dreams</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">of word symphonies,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">anthems</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">that soar for centuries.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">William, my friend,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">you were </span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">one of these,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a fatherer of folk hymns,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a Durham choirman,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">singing quarryman,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">carving out poems </span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">with his pick and soul.</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">On a piano keyboard</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">of a dictionary,</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">you composed</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a music festival </span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">of passionate poetry. </span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">KEITH ARMSTRONG</span></b></div></div></div>keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-67922862525511982292020-11-20T21:46:00.001+00:002020-11-20T21:46:26.027+00:00GREEN SPACES<p> </p><h1 class="page-header" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; border-bottom-style: none; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(18, 19, 20); color: #121314; font-family: "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 36px; line-height: 38px; margin: 30px 0px; padding-bottom: 0px;">New book celebrates North Tyneside’s award-winning green spaces</h1><div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(18, 19, 20); color: #121314; font-family: "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><section class="block block-system clearfix" id="block-system-main" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="bootstrap-twocol-stacked" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="row" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: -15px;"></div><div class="row" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: -15px;"><div class="panel-panel left col-sm-8" style="box-sizing: border-box; float: left; min-height: 1px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; position: relative; width: 626.65625px;"><div class="panel-pane pane-node-content news-main-item" id="web-drupal-content-main" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 30px; padding: 0px;"><div class="pane-content" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div about="/news/27429/new-book-celebrates-north-tyneside-s-award-winning-green-spaces" class="node node-article view-mode-full" style="box-sizing: border-box;" typeof="sioc:Item foaf:Document"><div class="row" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: -15px;"><div class="col-sm-12 " style="box-sizing: border-box; float: left; min-height: 1px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; position: relative; width: 626.65625px;"><figure class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px;"><img alt="" class="img-responsive" height="428" src="https://my.northtyneside.gov.uk/sites/default/files/styles/main_landscape/public/articles/images/image00005_0.jpeg?itok=po_87D2G" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" typeof="foaf:Image" width="800" /></figure><div class="field field-name-post-date field-type-ds field-label-hidden" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px 0px 4.95px;"><div class="field-items" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="field-item even" style="box-sizing: border-box;">18 November 2020 - 12:58pm</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="field-items" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Award-winning green spaces in North Tyneside are the inspiration behind a new book of poetry and photographs.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">North Tyneside Council has commissioned local creatives to express their love of the borough’s natural landscapes in a new book entitled ‘Green Spaces: parks, poetry and hidden nature in North Tyneside’.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Compiled and edited by North Shields artist Peter Dixon and Whitley Bay writer and poet Dr Keith Armstrong, the new book is a joint effort by North Tyneside Council and Northern Voices Community Projects.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">It comes after eight of North Tyneside’s parks were again confirmed as winners of the coveted <a href="https://my.northtyneside.gov.uk/news/27101/green-flags-fly-high-once-again-north-tyneside" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: blue; text-decoration: none;">Green Flag Award for 2020</a>.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">North Tyneside’s Elected Mayor, Norma Redfearn CBE, said: “We are extremely proud of our award-winning green spaces in North Tyneside and this wonderful collection of creative writing captures the special meaning that they hold for local people.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">“Our natural landscapes have always been important and very well-loved, but the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted their true importance as places where people can go for exercise and recreation and to enjoy some peace and quiet.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">“Like other residents, the authors have lived through lockdown and persevered with their task. They have produced a book of immense importance that will have deep resonance for the people of North Tyneside who have sought sanctuary and solace in the green spaces of the borough.”</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The poetry in the book draws its inspiration from green spaces across the borough, including Killingworth Lakeside, Northumberland Park, the Rising Sun Country Park and Chirton Dene Park.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The submissions were selected by Dr Keith Armstrong for the publication.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">He said: “It has been very inspiring to have been commissioned by North Tyneside Council to bring together our compilation of creative writing and images celebrating the parks and hidden nature across the borough. In these difficult times we hope that our book lifts local people’s spirits and helps put their love of local greenery into their own words as a way of bringing some sunlight into all our lives. Northern Voices Community Projects is happy to have had the opportunity again to work with the Council and we trust that more joint projects will follow over the following years. This book makes us all optimistic about our future and has been a joy to work on.”</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Peter Dixon, of Northern Community Voices, said: “We all have our favourite park; a place to walk with a loved one, explore with our children, have picnics or use for exercise or contemplation. Green Spaces is a reflection of North Tyneside's wealth of parks. For a compact borough the selection of habitats is amazing - from secluded ancient woodlands to the tops of repurposed pit heaps, formal gardens to bowling greens, streams and lakes to pathways following old waggonways. Spending time in all of these places I was struck by the sheer number of people who use them; dogwalkers, young mum's with buggies and toddlers, joggers, couples, families, birdwatchers..and the occasional poet or photographer. Despite the trials and restrictions of Covid-19 I had enormous fun exploring each of these parks and wild spaces. The book should make good Christmas reading - a chance to contemplate walks in the coming year!</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The book is priced at £9 and will be available to buy from St Mary’s Lighthouse and via the <a href="http://www.northernvoicescommunityprojects.co.uk/Northern_Voices_Community_Projects/Welcome.html" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: blue; text-decoration: none;">Northern Voices Community Projects website</a>.</p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></section></div>keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-31304319566551757992020-11-20T18:17:00.002+00:002020-11-20T18:23:16.784+00:00TWO RIVERS MEET<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_AN0QeSRrUsL1gMc5_6-17RCYuMJhfCM1SDNJDMMhWr5hrFR8lbYO9ujlKoefmeOZYNDMlXQOH9P4S3ld7g2C-eOWu9B_GpvwFTMxzlGGu1v7i0VG_1ssFm-Gn06M8BdUP5L2kePSqip/s959/906DDB59-4875-4EDB-A113-DA4F760036EF.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_AN0QeSRrUsL1gMc5_6-17RCYuMJhfCM1SDNJDMMhWr5hrFR8lbYO9ujlKoefmeOZYNDMlXQOH9P4S3ld7g2C-eOWu9B_GpvwFTMxzlGGu1v7i0VG_1ssFm-Gn06M8BdUP5L2kePSqip/w400-h640/906DDB59-4875-4EDB-A113-DA4F760036EF.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-65749172222555583412020-11-11T15:23:00.010+00:002020-11-14T07:18:54.928+00:00MARSDEN ROCK AND MARSDEN GROTTO<p> </p><div class="post hentry" style="margin: 0px 0px 30px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD0SasuX_JNBoAXtxartIM6VJUq5SlDB7J-Vy55p8HW9E5msB9EQB3pEuywfn_X3LSDsgAZ4n9qoWl7xV0Y33p2fpFPnYRkAvU9oclSyJ0KZvLgJvfUkp1_golkDdngWuFy5ebxtfNMDul/s400/9BA82BDE-04FC-4F7E-AD8C-18A2951CD2AF.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="285" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD0SasuX_JNBoAXtxartIM6VJUq5SlDB7J-Vy55p8HW9E5msB9EQB3pEuywfn_X3LSDsgAZ4n9qoWl7xV0Y33p2fpFPnYRkAvU9oclSyJ0KZvLgJvfUkp1_golkDdngWuFy5ebxtfNMDul/s16000/9BA82BDE-04FC-4F7E-AD8C-18A2951CD2AF.jpeg" /></a><u><b><span style="font-size: large;">MARSDEN ROCK</span></b></u><br /><div class="post-body entry-content"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="post-body entry-content"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sensational Rock,</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>swimming in light.</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Bird cries clinging to ancient ledges,</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Kittiwakes smashing against time.</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>What tales you could tell.</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Your face is so moody,</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>flickers with breezes,</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>crumbles in a hot afternoon.</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Climbing your powdery steps,</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>we look down on the sea</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>thrashing at you. </b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>We join a choir of birds at your peak,</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>cry out to the sky</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>in good spirits.</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Nesting for the sake of it,</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>our lyrics are remnants on the shore.</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>We keep chipping away,</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>do we not? </b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>We slip</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>through the pebbles,</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>splashing</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>with babies.</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>We leave our mark,</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>a grain</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>on the ancient landscape.</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>We go.</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>We dance like the sunlight</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>on your scarred body: </b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>tripping,</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>falling,</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>singing</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>away.</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>KEITH ARMSTRONG</b></span></div><div class="post-body entry-content"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="post-body entry-content"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">As featured in new book by Bill Greenwell: </span><br /></b></span></div><div class="post-footer" style="color: #444444; font-size: 10.92px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="post-footer-line post-footer-line-1"><span class="post-timestamp"><a class="timestamp-link" href="http://keithyboyarmstrong.blogspot.com/2017/07/marsden-rock.html" rel="bookmark" style="border: medium none; color: #070707; text-decoration: none;" title="permanent link"><abbr class="published" style="border: medium none;" title="2017-07-18T07:35:00+01:00"><br /></abbr></a></span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF0i5zSZ3yaqLrtO9TXZZNDZa4zA-Yesn31X6ThFbjzGkmZkO9klMbSSNiWtvmEwoXE6VlP4RGWXjbzyx8CqObj9MkRogfx0CB4WeGxBtY2aV0NJLNjZwNktwyvMQFb1YqJ1WDMYjZOqWI/s800/370957B4-5CA4-4BA4-BC0F-57E93B2D1A89.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF0i5zSZ3yaqLrtO9TXZZNDZa4zA-Yesn31X6ThFbjzGkmZkO9klMbSSNiWtvmEwoXE6VlP4RGWXjbzyx8CqObj9MkRogfx0CB4WeGxBtY2aV0NJLNjZwNktwyvMQFb1YqJ1WDMYjZOqWI/s16000/370957B4-5CA4-4BA4-BC0F-57E93B2D1A89.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><p></p>keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-65190319313582869982020-11-04T15:27:00.018+00:002020-12-20T11:20:47.950+00:00TUEBINGEN LOCKDOWN EXHIBITION - POETRY BY KEITH ARMSTRONG; PHOTOS BY ULRICH METZ<br /><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span face="sans-serif"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXchHZVsVC9PzjU052ug8SdnI7Zicxj1KeQTM_8WXqyMA7tZySeJyTWmJHkaxWNo2s0lEu6hHTZuEmuxL4puMkYHZpITE8Bt38sBB67iOW2FbYgrSgxhcSCIDdRFjiRYxSqfnox0cVbK1/s2048/tueblockdown.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXchHZVsVC9PzjU052ug8SdnI7Zicxj1KeQTM_8WXqyMA7tZySeJyTWmJHkaxWNo2s0lEu6hHTZuEmuxL4puMkYHZpITE8Bt38sBB67iOW2FbYgrSgxhcSCIDdRFjiRYxSqfnox0cVbK1/w640-h480/tueblockdown.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span></b></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span face="sans-serif"> </span></b></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span face="sans-serif"> </span></b></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span face="sans-serif"> </span></b></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXjnbd3wwRPNzoIgHM0mEyvjNwQdPOfNGJ1bzqrsOb7gZ2nL75HzoORGw4WyYV_ve20u97YF7-blPySPiowEdiil_LNtFGzSBf-RKRD-lzXZfMy-GiaHMZBcNmjK-_IujRvh-IPB8aMObN/s1200/GtZTrb-A.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="1200" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXjnbd3wwRPNzoIgHM0mEyvjNwQdPOfNGJ1bzqrsOb7gZ2nL75HzoORGw4WyYV_ve20u97YF7-blPySPiowEdiil_LNtFGzSBf-RKRD-lzXZfMy-GiaHMZBcNmjK-_IujRvh-IPB8aMObN/w640-h428/GtZTrb-A.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><b>TUEBINGEN LOCKDOWN EXHIBITION - POETRY BY KEITH ARMSTRONG; PHOTOS BY ULRICH METZ</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>The
idea of capturing the effects of the pandemic in a long-term series
of pictures came up after the first lockdown had turned Tübingen into a
"ghost town".</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>At least that was my impression when I
was out and about in the deserted city center at lunchtime. Well-known
alleys and squares, everyday life, cultural events etc. looked different
- and were suddenly new to me in photography.</b></p><p><b>In mid-March I had
already started to document the changes in my environment with an analog
camera and b / w film, and later with a monochrome digital camera. The
photo of the women in my "Kiez" was one of the first pictures in the
series. The friends made the most of the unfamiliar situation and met
while observing the rules of distance. Nobody could have imagined that
it would ever come to that.</b></p><p><b>In the spring, I was in close email
contact with Dr. Keith Armstrong, a poet from our English twin town
Durham. From there, too, news came about this life in special times.
Armstrong was quickly convinced of the exhibition idea and contributed
his impressions to my pictures in the form of poems.</b></p><p><b>Since we are currently in a lockdown again, I will probably still not run out of motives. Unfortunately.</b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>Ulrich Metz</b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A FALLEN GLOVE</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">'Tuebingen ... .is like a fallen glove; it lies there in an empty and hushed hangover ....' (Eduard Moerike}</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">'If
there is anything that one can always long for and sometimes find, it
is the loving attachment to another human being.’ (Albert Camus)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">(1)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The sky above the Rathaus</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">has grown</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">so blue.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">All the planes</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">have flown away</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">and made</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">the clouds</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">pure and clean,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">filled with a sparkling rain.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Listen close</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">and you can hear</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">birds' wings flapping</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">and their songs</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">wafting over the Neckar.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">All well and good</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">but today</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">we are crippled</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">by a virus</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">that kills choirs</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">and separates</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">people</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">from each other</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">when all they ever yearned for</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">was to hug their families</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">and to bury their old people</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">with some kind</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">of dignity.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">It will pass.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Choirs around the world</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">will embrace</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">each other again.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">And celebrate</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">the blue skies</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">and how,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">especially in a crisis,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">people can find </span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">new ways</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">of crafting</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">love.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">KEITH ARMSTRONG</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">(2)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Hundreds of miles</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">away,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">I am touching </span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">trees</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">on the Platanenallee.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">I am expressing </span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">solidarity</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">behind my mask.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">I am bridging, </span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">with my imagination,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">social distancing</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">so that I can enjoy</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">feeling the breath from the river</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">whispering joy</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">through Tuebingen's branches</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">and briefly kissing away</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">the curse of dreams</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">dying.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">KEITH ARMSTRONG</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">(3)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">BOULANGER LOCKDOWN</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The bar</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">has fallen</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">silent,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">shut down</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">by a quirk</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">of nature,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">closed</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">out of fear.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">I remember</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">the noise</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">of people ranting</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">in the vibrant night,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">the clatter</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">of their tongues,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">and beer glasses</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">echoing</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">in my dreams.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Now</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">the tables are covered</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">in a virus shroud.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">We cannot touch</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">the surface of the wood,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">we cannot even smile.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">But, from Durham,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">I send laughter</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">to the old and young,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">the lonely.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">I email hope </span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">to the suffering.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">My old friend,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">I will not forget</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">the poems you made:</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">they will live on</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">in the beauty </span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">of your grandchildren.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">KEITH ARMSTRONG</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">(4)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">THE BUSKER</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">This busker</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">plays a song</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">drunk with grief.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">It seems that</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">all life's sadness</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">is gathered</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">in his loner's voice</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">that flutters</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">and stutters</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">across the street</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">in this closed-down town;</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">this cul de sac</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">soaked</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">in wasted wine</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">and bitter memories</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">of better days.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">KEITH ARMSTRONG</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">(5)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">PANDEMIC WEDDING</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">This is a marriage of loneliness, </span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">of inconvenience,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">of social distance;</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">a separation</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">united in a strong affection,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">a love of life</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">that transcends</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">a lockdown,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">overcomes</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">the fear of touching.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">KEITH ARMSTRONG</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">(6) </span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The next time</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">I stride</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">through the door</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">of the Cafe Piccolo,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">I will not wear</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">a face mask,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">I will not be scared</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">to open up my heart.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">I will take a beer</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">in my lips</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">and swallow</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">the sunshine of it,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">cracking open</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">a new joke</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">to share with Michele</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">and next year's</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">spring flowers.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">KEITH ARMSTRONG</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">(7)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">ON CORONASTRASSE</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">On Coronastrasse,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">there are lovers unable to touch one another,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">children cut off from the old,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">vicars who cannot pray in their own churches.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">On Coronastrasse,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">there are working girls who cannot find work,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">footballers with no games to play in,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">libraries with no books to borrow from.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">On Coronastrasse,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">there are hotels with no rooms to stay in,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">buses and trains without any passengers,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">seminar rooms emptied of seminars.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">On Coronastrasse,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">there will be sunshine again,</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">wine and song to fill the days and nights</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">and futures to dance in.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">KEITH ARMSTRONG</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyMifzb5lZz-CQEDiqSTN-avOWkLfMpN4Ob9MDao-SP8YODOY84ZEtF34_mkWgTaecQNdNvlmHhS4lXoo0FhW6Wd1eyEagByLmvL6mLo7qss2LW0c_fUX7yj76GPzUIN40ba0NAIj_CxrR/s2048/4CDFD8FC-611E-433E-8D59-CAF347168B58.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyMifzb5lZz-CQEDiqSTN-avOWkLfMpN4Ob9MDao-SP8YODOY84ZEtF34_mkWgTaecQNdNvlmHhS4lXoo0FhW6Wd1eyEagByLmvL6mLo7qss2LW0c_fUX7yj76GPzUIN40ba0NAIj_CxrR/s320/4CDFD8FC-611E-433E-8D59-CAF347168B58.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-68943677166001737452020-10-21T19:05:00.007+01:002020-10-22T19:33:43.076+01:00THE STREETS OF TYNE<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXoM7CTStplrwFH2gWicJkMpwifl1y3v3-qhoq_C1MD3S176x4CUj8bu7HZOE9bF6Y655dHZJYEsNGgueyTxv_JuOspHvvPsvHFIbFOOfMtVs0IWL3eRyvjZEbmoyRiQeLnvzqLgkzEwg/s1440/BE97111E-5179-4AA0-8BF9-505E812A433A.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1205" data-original-width="1440" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXoM7CTStplrwFH2gWicJkMpwifl1y3v3-qhoq_C1MD3S176x4CUj8bu7HZOE9bF6Y655dHZJYEsNGgueyTxv_JuOspHvvPsvHFIbFOOfMtVs0IWL3eRyvjZEbmoyRiQeLnvzqLgkzEwg/w640-h536/BE97111E-5179-4AA0-8BF9-505E812A433A.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /><span style="font-size: large;">THE STREETS OF TYNE<br /><br /><br />I kicked out in Half Moon Yard,<br />bucked a rotten system.<br />Fell out with fools in All Hallows Lane<br />and grew up feeling loved.<br /><br />She dragged my hand down Rabbit Banks Road,<br />there seemed nowhere else to take it.<br />We mucked about in Plummer Chare,<br />soaked up the painful rain.<br /><br />I wanted to control my life,<br />shout songs on Amen Corner.<br />I’d carry bags of modern ballads,<br />hawk pamphlets on Dog Bank.<br /><br />Wild girls who blazed through Pipewell Gate<br />taught my veins to thrill.<br />I caught her heart on Pandon Bank,<br />my eyes filled up with fear.<br /><br />Wanted to carve out a poem,<br />inspire the Garth Heads dreamers.<br />A lad grew up to dance along <br />the length of Pilgrim Street.<br /><br />I take my wild hopes now to chance<br />the slope of Dog Leap Stairs.<br />Follow the pulse of my Tyneside days,<br />burn passion down The Side. </span></b></div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>KEITH ARMSTRONG<br /></b></span><div dir="ltr" id="AppleMailSignature"><br /></div></div>keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-62442727720096305032020-10-09T21:08:00.005+01:002020-10-10T15:11:34.432+01:00TUEBINGEN/DURHAM LITERARY/ARTS TWINNING UPDATE<p><br /></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3fM-o-NQkk8kemBaGs2PotF9mmn-qS79-0WCszG1ba9PHdEI3wslKcxE-XPUTx3TfeQIIga6g6E945R8YbeMX2M69DL5vSgS6cQurec7R-17c6gfoW909Maeq3p-svq1qcsQzYdl9lhpV/s1600/cropped-tubingen-2867794_1920-1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="1600" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3fM-o-NQkk8kemBaGs2PotF9mmn-qS79-0WCszG1ba9PHdEI3wslKcxE-XPUTx3TfeQIIga6g6E945R8YbeMX2M69DL5vSgS6cQurec7R-17c6gfoW909Maeq3p-svq1qcsQzYdl9lhpV/s640/cropped-tubingen-2867794_1920-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span><b>TUEBINGEN/DURHAM LITERARY/ARTS TWINNING<br /><br />The partnership with County Durham and the City of Tuebingen in South Germany was established in 1969. <br />Poet
Doctor Keith Armstrong, who gained his doctorate at the University on
Durham in 2007, following on from Bachelor's and Master's degrees there,
first visited Tuebingen in November 1987 to give readings and talks for
a period of three weeks. Since then he has travelled to the city over
40 times and helped arrange for Durham and North East poets, musicians
and artists and their counterparts in Tuebingen to visit their
respective cultural twins.<br /><br />TO HELP CELEBRATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE OFFICIAL TWINNING, KEITH RETURNED TO TUEBINGEN FROM JULY 3RD TO
7TH 2019 AT THE INVITATION OF THE CULTURAL OFFICE IN TUEBINGEN WHEN HE
APPEARED AT THE BOOK FESTIVAL TO READ FROM HIS LATEST TUEBINGEN POETRY
AND FROM THE TUEBINGEN/DURHAM LITERARY ANTHOLOGY 'WORD SHARING'.<br />HE TRAVELLED WITH NORTHUMBRIAN PIPER CHRIS ORMSTON AND WAS JOINED BY TUEBINGEN PERFORMERS AND FRIENDS FOR THE OCCASION.</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><b>MOVING ON TO 2020, KEITH IS NOW WORKING ON A COLLABORATION WITH TUEBINGEN PHOTOGRAPHER ULRICH METZ.<br /></b></span></span></p><div class="auto-created-dir-div" dir="auto" style="unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: large;">ONE RESULT OF THIS IS KEITH'S 'CORONA POEMS' SEQUENCE - INSPIRED BY THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF ULRICH TAKEN DURING THE LOCKDOWN, AND ITS AFTERMATH, IN TUEBINGEN THIS YEAR.<br /></span> <span style="font-size: large; text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">A
DISPLAY OF ULRICH'S PHOTOGRAPHS ALONGSIDE THOSE OF 8 OTHER
PHOTOGRAPHERS COMMENCED ON SATURDAY OCTOBER 3RD AT 11AM IN TUEBINGEN'S
HOLZMARKT WITH A GUIDED TOUR OF 23 STORE WINDOWS IN THE CITY WHERE THE
PHOTOS, AND KEITH'S POETRY TEXTS, ARE FEATURED FOR A PERIOD OF 6 WEEKS.</span><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><b>AND
DON'T FORGET THE UPDATED COLLECTION OF KEITH'S TUEBINGEN POEMS (1987 TO DATE),
'HERMANN HESSE IN THE GUTTER', IS NOW AVAILABLE AT £5 FROM NORTHERN VOICES
COMMUNITY PROJECTS.<br /><br />THE STORY SO FAR:<br /><br />Keith returned to
Tuebingen in September 2016 for readings of his poems inspired by his
visits to Tuebingen over the years, including a literary promenade
around the old town and along the Neckar accompanied by accordionist
Peter Weiss. <br />He was also there in November 2017 with fellow poet
Paul Summers and folk musician Gary Miller to attend the launch of a new
anthology, Word Sharing, published by the Cultural Office in Tuebingen
and edited by Carolyn Murphey Melchers and Michael Raffel in Tuebingen
and Keith Armstrong in Durham to mark 30 years of the literary twinning
between Tuebingen and Durham and featuring a selection of poetry by some
22 writers from Tuebingen and Durham.<br />The anthology had its Durham
launch as part of a World Book Day event on Monday 23rd April 2018 at
the University of Durham. Special guests at the event were writers
Andrea Mittag and Matthias Kaiser from Tuebingen who read alongside
Durham poets Jackie Litherland, Katrina Porteous, Paul Summers, Rob
Walton and Keith Armstrong, with Durham folk music from Gary Miller and
Mick Tyas - all in all, a memorable occasion with wine, poetry and song!
Andrea and Matthias also appeared at specially arrranged seminars in
the English and German Departments of the University of Durham.<br /><br />Before
this, Tuebingen poets Anna Fedorova and Yannick Lengkeek came to Durham
in November 2015 for readings and discussions, with Manuela Schmidt and
Florian Neuner following suit in April 2017, and Eva Christina Zeller
returned to Durham in November 2017 as part of the exchange programme
for readings and workshops at the University.<br /><br />Looking further
back, a special celebration of the literary/arts links between the
cultural partners was held on May 17th 2015 at Tuebingen’s Club Voltaire
as part of the Tuebingen Buecherfest. This was arranged by poet Tibor
Schneider, Michael Raffel of the Buecherfest and Doctor Armstrong. Those
featured included Gary Miller, singer/songwriter from Durham band ‘The
Whisky Priests’, poets Carolyn Murphey Melchers, Sara Hauser, Anna
Fedorova, Yannick Lengkeek and Tibor Schneider and rock musician Juergen
Sturm with Mary Jane.<br /><br />Keith Armstrong was also in Tuebingen from
Tuesday 11th November 2014 to Saturday 15th when he performed his
poetry in the legendary Heckenhauer’s Bookshop, one of his favourite
bars The Boulanger, at the Carlo-Schmid-Gymnasium (school) and at
Weinhaus Beck for a poetry breakfast. He was joined by Tibor Schneider,
Sara Hauser, Yannick Lengkeek and Anna Fedorova with Peter Weiss on
accordion and Juergen Sturm on rock guitar and vocals.<br /><br />Before
this, he was in Tuebingen from Wednesday 2nd to Saturday 5th April 2014
with artist/photographer Peter Dixon for readings with Tuebingen writers
Eva Christina Zeller, Sara Hauser, Tibor Schneider and Florian Neuner
at Weinhaus Beck, a school visit and other networking initiatives. This
followed on from his visit from Monday 4th November to Thursday 7th 2013
when he took part in a major symposium on the theme of writer Hermann
Hesse who lived and worked in Tuebingen from 1895-1899. As well as
joining in with the discussions and giving a reading from his poems on
Hesse and Tuebingen, Keith met with poets, academics, teachers,
musicians, cultural and media workers. <br /><br />Sara Hauser visited
Durham from Monday 12th to Thursday 15th May 2014 for sessions at the
University's English and German Departments and meetings with local
writers, artists and musicians.<br />So the twinning continues to go from
strength to strength. Looking back on things, Armstrong and folk rock
musician Gary Miller, lead singer of Durham band the Whisky Priests,
travelled to Tuebingen at the end of March 2012 for performances in
pubs, cabaret venues and schools where they performed with Tuebingen
poet Tibor Schneider who visited Durham in October of that year as part
of the ongoing exchange. <br />Tibor joined his Durham counterparts for
readings at Durham University and at the Half Moon Inn. He was also
interviewed on BBC Radio Tees concerning his Durham visit.<br /><br />Keith
Armstrong and Gary Miller returned the compliment with a trip to
Tuebingen in March 2013 where they performed again in bars, cafes and
schools with poets Tibor Schneider, Sara Hauser and Tuebingen musicians.
<br />In 2011, Tuebingen rock musician Juergen Sturm jetted in with his
music partner Mary Jane at the end of October for pub gigs, including a
twinning event in Durham on Monday 31st October featuring Juergen and
Mary Jane with Durham folk musicians and poets. That followed on from a
visit to Tuebingen in South Germany in early April 2011 by Keith
Armstrong and photographer/artist Peter Dixon. The intrepid pair worked
together on a touring display featuring Armstrong's poems and Dixon's
photographs documenting the unique link between Tuebingen and Durham
which was staged initially in the Durham Room at County Hall, Durham in
November. Armstrong performed his poetry in cafes, bars and schools and
met up with Tuebingen friends, old and new, with the multi-talented
Dixon capturing all of it on film. <br /><br />This trip reciprocated a
visit to Durham in November 2010 by Tuebingen poets Henning Ziebritzki
and Carolyn Murphey Melchers, when Juergen Stuerm also took part in a
series of pub performances. There was a special event at Clayport
Library, Durham City on Monday November 1st with the Tuebingen poets and
special guests from Durham, followed by a rousing session in the Dun
Cow when Juergen, with Mary Jane, and his Durham counterparts, Gary
Miller and Marie Little belted out their lively songs.<br />Armstrong was
also in Tuebingen in May 2010 with Gary Miller for performances in his
favourite Tuebingen bar ‘The Boulanger’ and at a local school. This
followed a special guest appearance in 2009 at the biannual Book
Festival, a reading with Tuebingen counterpart Eva Christina Zeller and a
visit to local schools. Eva visited Durham for readings in schools and
at a special event on May 13th 2009 at Clayport Library which also
featured poets Katrina Porteous, Jackie Litherland, Cynthia Fuller, and
William Martin, as well as Doctor Armstrong and music from the Durham
Scratch Choir and Andy Jackson.<br /><br />A highly successful series of
events were held in 2007 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the
literary/arts twinning established by Keith Armstrong when he first
visited Tuebingen in 1987 for a month’s residency, supported by Durham
County Council and Tuebingen’s Kulturamt. Since then, there have been
readings and performances in pubs, universities and castles, schools,
libraries, book festivals, jazz and cabaret clubs, even in Hermann
Hesse’s old apartment, involving poets, writers, teachers and musicians
from the twin partnerships of Durham and Tuebingen.<br />Tuebingen’s music
duo Acoustic Storm, poet/translator Carolyn Murphey Melchers and
Cultural Officer visited Durham and the North East in October/November
2007. The musicians performed in Durham schools and pubs and there was a
special evening in Durham’s Clayport Library to celebrate the twinning,
with Keith Armstrong launching his new Tuebingen poetry booklet and
performances by poets Carolyn Murphey Melchers, Katrina Porteous,
William Martin, Michael Standen, Ian Horn, Cynthia Fuller, Hugh Doyle
and musicians Acoustic Storm, Marie Little and Gary Miller. Margit
Aldinger of the Kulturamt in Tuebingen and Brian Stobie of the
International Department, Durham County Council, also addressed the
audience.<br /><br />For the record, here's a list of those who have made it happen so far:<br /><br />Tuebingen visitors to Durham since 1987:<br /><br />Carolyn
Murphey Melchers, Karin Miedler, Gerhard Oberlin, Uwe Kolbe, Johannes
Bauer, Eva Christina Zeller, Simone Mittmann, Florian Werner, Juergen
Sturm, Mary Jane, Wolf Abromeit, Christopher Harvie, Eberhard Bort,
Marcus Hammerschmitt, Henning Ziebritzki, Andy and Alessandra Fazion
Marx, Otto Buchegger, Tibor Schneider, Sara Hauser, Anna Fedorova,
Yannick Lengkeek, Manuela Schmidt, Florian Neuner, Andrea Mittag,
Matthias Kaiser.<br /><br />Durham visitors to Tuebingen since 1987:<br /><br />Keith
Armstrong, the late Michael Standen (Colpitts Poetry), the late Julia
Darling, Andy Jackson, Fiona MacPherson, Katrina Porteous, Marie Little,
Ian Horn (Colpitts Poetry), the late Alan C. Brown, Linda France,
Jackie Litherland (Colpitts Poetry), Cynthia Fuller, Margaret Wilkinson,
Jez Lowe, the late Jack Routledge, Gary Miller, Matthew Burge, David
Stead, Hugh Doyle, Peter Dixon, Paul Summers, Chris Ormston.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />FURTHER INFORMATION: NORTHERN VOICES COMMUNITY PROJECTS TEL. 0191 2529531.</b></span></span></p>keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-61386679788468599472020-10-07T14:49:00.027+01:002020-10-14T08:06:27.077+01:00CORONA POEMS - LOCKDOWN IN TUEBINGEN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8zrcXA33aoXcF8Zwvac2HZ3GevdVF4ql2cznKzQ0i3Mmk84bU8qj10614ntLrmWTuGjv0g7REofgzrDmHF9X68m-UceIhLfM768FlXSfLWJ2KTHCMnDInJJ7fHpLLblvzFyNSJA-3ruKW/s1200/430ECC32-463B-4F65-A345-A610401AEA6E.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="1200" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8zrcXA33aoXcF8Zwvac2HZ3GevdVF4ql2cznKzQ0i3Mmk84bU8qj10614ntLrmWTuGjv0g7REofgzrDmHF9X68m-UceIhLfM768FlXSfLWJ2KTHCMnDInJJ7fHpLLblvzFyNSJA-3ruKW/w640-h428/430ECC32-463B-4F65-A345-A610401AEA6E.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_2l2kVa1jZ7xr5fW63E4mbizek2NlRsaDzHLA3-3dQSCrz5GFm4x1gQCDvYXUJdrxnblBUMViFHoK05ousREPyI6LMVlb-Hm5N5-skvOWaf5k86tPGw8mofgnY9irU0arwu8F3Qfix7i/s1200/960E71F5-8E46-4DD0-BC53-8CFC7A6ACD2E.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="1200" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_2l2kVa1jZ7xr5fW63E4mbizek2NlRsaDzHLA3-3dQSCrz5GFm4x1gQCDvYXUJdrxnblBUMViFHoK05ousREPyI6LMVlb-Hm5N5-skvOWaf5k86tPGw8mofgnY9irU0arwu8F3Qfix7i/w640-h428/960E71F5-8E46-4DD0-BC53-8CFC7A6ACD2E.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTKyWBvdtymwD2EwjU5Bf0kQ3PDMBVPXJB9BiI1_vhq7sXw0ZMKxldA3maoIDvXfnMI7AGyMfsdHAa4-i0XiFekWYVlk3WSriSpJf-mvg952YPoN78e55vi8mzQWWK8UyCpGCAdTaUpcJ/s1200/C2DDD6C2-1F7A-45A7-8A6D-B69A2316D8EE.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="1200" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTKyWBvdtymwD2EwjU5Bf0kQ3PDMBVPXJB9BiI1_vhq7sXw0ZMKxldA3maoIDvXfnMI7AGyMfsdHAa4-i0XiFekWYVlk3WSriSpJf-mvg952YPoN78e55vi8mzQWWK8UyCpGCAdTaUpcJ/w640-h428/C2DDD6C2-1F7A-45A7-8A6D-B69A2316D8EE.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><br /><div class="auto-created-dir-div" dir="auto" style="unicode-bidi: embed;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrNv_xrlJgqpLQhLP-khAIQ-TSgC__Bu1MAtFGdSaPpnSQrwAuEV7hdB5Z2QqgloKYRfgty5soqh7cyAbUpEHlE7-VYeYSLI14TH8_Wg5Nh0JORu4ulpklxubZ_IBB431U1nyUmuuXU6NP/s1200/7E897ABB-3D4D-4B4C-80A8-B19331675987.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1200" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrNv_xrlJgqpLQhLP-khAIQ-TSgC__Bu1MAtFGdSaPpnSQrwAuEV7hdB5Z2QqgloKYRfgty5soqh7cyAbUpEHlE7-VYeYSLI14TH8_Wg5Nh0JORu4ulpklxubZ_IBB431U1nyUmuuXU6NP/w640-h428/7E897ABB-3D4D-4B4C-80A8-B19331675987.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4qzXIG3S5ken0L0k21HRel9TDKi60bJaq2bG34x1YY0IsUzny-QnjsApy6m8wlV34POcaxHb0Y5TUy3g5m2cIv2W76DrsvGQy0s-6d1Bqn5pWpKPpjM_NaISJb563N56jnUks-IMBWcHa/s1200/5E863F34-991A-43AB-B0E8-0642E69AF67B.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="782" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4qzXIG3S5ken0L0k21HRel9TDKi60bJaq2bG34x1YY0IsUzny-QnjsApy6m8wlV34POcaxHb0Y5TUy3g5m2cIv2W76DrsvGQy0s-6d1Bqn5pWpKPpjM_NaISJb563N56jnUks-IMBWcHa/w418-h640/5E863F34-991A-43AB-B0E8-0642E69AF67B.jpeg" width="418" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="auto-created-dir-div" dir="auto" style="unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="auto-created-dir-div" dir="auto" style="unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: large;">CORONA POEMS - INSPIRED BY THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF ULRICH METZ TAKEN DURING THE LOCKDOWN, AND ITS AFTERMATH, IN TUEBINGEN, TWIN CITY OF DURHAM.<br /></span> <span style="font-size: large; text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div><div class="auto-created-dir-div" dir="auto" style="unicode-bidi: embed;"><p><span style="font-size: large;">A
DISPLAY OF ULRICH'S PHOTOGRAPHS ALONGSIDE THOSE OF 8 OTHER
PHOTOGRAPHERS COMMENCED ON SATURDAY OCTOBER 3RD AT 11AM IN TUEBINGEN'S
HOLZMARKT WITH A GUIDED TOUR OF 23 STORE WINDOWS IN THE CITY WHERE THE
PHOTOS, AND MY POETRY TEXTS, ARE FEATURED FOR A PERIOD OF 6 WEEKS.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large; text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large; text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large; text-decoration: underline;">A FALLEN GLOVE</span></p><span style="font-size: large;"> <br /> <br /> 'Tuebingen ... .is like a fallen glove; it lies there in an empty and hushed hangover ....' (Eduard Moerike}<br /> <br /> <br />
'If there is anything that one can always long for and sometimes find,
it is the loving attachment to another human being. (Albert Camus)<br /> <br /> <br /> (1)<br /> <br /> <br /> The sky above the Rathaus<br /> <br /> has grown<br /> <br /> so blue.<br /> <br /> All the planes<br /> <br /> have flown away<br /> <br /> and made<br /> <br /> the clouds<br /> <br /> pure and clean,<br /> <br /> filled with a sparkling rain.<br /> <br /> <br /> Listen close<br /> <br /> and you can hear<br /> <br /> birds' wings flapping<br /> <br /> and their songs<br /> <br /> wafting over the Neckar.<br /> <br /> <br /> All well and good<br /> <br /> but today<br /> <br /> we are crippled<br /> <br /> by a virus<br /> <br /> that kills choirs<br /> <br /> and separates<br /> <br /> people<br /> <br /> from each other<br /> <br /> when all they ever yearned for<br /> <br /> was to hug their families<br /> <br /> and to bury their old people<br /> <br /> with some kind<br /> </span></div><div class="auto-created-dir-div" dir="auto" style="unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: large;">of dignity.<br /> <br /> <br /> It will pass.<br /> <br /> Choirs around the world<br /> <br /> will embrace<br /> <br /> each other again.<br /> <br /> And celebrate<br /> <br /> the blue skies<br /> <br /> and how,<br /> <br /> especially in a crisis,<br /> <br /> people can find<br /> <br /> new ways<br /> <br /> of crafting<br /> <br /> love.<br /> <br /> <br /> </span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="container-1489-outerCt" role="presentation" style="display: table; height: 100%; width: 100%;"><p>(2)</p><p><br /></p><p>Hundreds of miles</p><p>away,</p><p>I am touching <br /></p><p>trees</p><p>on the Platanenallee.</p><p>I am expressing <br /></p><p>solidarity</p><p>behind my mask.</p><p>I am bridging, <br /></p><p>with my imagination,</p><p>social distancing</p><p>so that I can enjoy</p><p>feeling the breath from the river</p><p>whispering joy</p><p>through Tuebingen's branches</p><p>and briefly kissing away</p><p>the curse of dreams</p><p>dying.</p><p><br /></p><p>(3)<br /></p><p><br /></p><p>BOULANGER LOCKDOWN</p><p><br /></p><p>The bar</p><p>has fallen</p><p>silent,</p><p>shut down</p><p>by a quirk</p><p>of nature,</p><p>closed</p><p>out of fear.</p><p><br /></p><p>I remember</p><p>the noise</p><p>of people ranting</p><p>in the vibrant night,</p><p>the clatter</p><p>of their tongues,</p><p>and beer glasses</p><p>echoing</p><p>in my dreams.</p><p><br /></p><p>Now</p><p>the tables are covered</p><p>in a virus shroud.</p><p>We cannot touch</p><p>the surface of the wood,</p><p>we cannot even smile.</p><p><br /></p><p>But, from Durham,</p><p>I send laughter</p><p>to the old and young,</p><p>the lonely.</p><p>I email hope <br /></p><p>to the suffering.</p><p><br /></p><p>My old friend,</p><p>I will not forget</p><p>the poems you made:</p><p>they will live on</p><p>in the beauty <br /></p><p>of your grandchildren.</p><p><br /></p></span></span><p><span style="font-size: large;">(4)<br /></span></p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">THE BUSKER</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>This busker<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">plays a song</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">drunk with grief.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">It seems that</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">all life's sadness</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">is gathered</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">in his loner's voice</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">that flutters</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">and stutters</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">across the street</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">in this closed-down town;</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">this cul de sac</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">soaked</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">in wasted wine</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">and bitter memories</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">of better days.</span></p><p><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="container-1489-outerCt" role="presentation" style="display: table; height: 100%; width: 100%;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">(5)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">PANDEMIC WEDDING</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">This is marriage of loneliness, <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">of inconvenience,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">of social distance;</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">a separation</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">united in a strong affection,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">a love of life</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">that transcends</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">a lockdown,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">overcomes</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">the fear of touching.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="container-1489-outerCt" role="presentation" style="display: table; height: 100%; width: 100%;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">(6) <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The next time</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I stride</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">through the door</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">of the Cafe Piccolo,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I will not wear</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">a face mask,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I will not be scared</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">to open up my heart.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I will take a beer</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">in my lips</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">and swallow</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">the sunshine of it,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">cracking open</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">a new joke</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">to share with Michele</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">and next year's</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">spring flowers.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span id="container-1489-outerCt" role="presentation" style="display: table; height: 100%; width: 100%;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">(7)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">ON CORONASTRASSE</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">On Coronastrasse,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">there are lovers unable to touch one another,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">children cut off from the old,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">vicars who cannot pray in their own churches.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">On Coronastrasse,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">there are working girls who cannot find work,</span></p><span style="font-size: large;">footballers with no games to play in,</span><p><span style="font-size: large;">libraries with no books to borrow from.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">On Coronastrasse,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">there are hotels with no rooms to stay in,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">buses and trains without any passengers,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">seminar rooms emptied of seminars.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">On Coronastrasse,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">there will be sunshine again,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">wine and song to fill the days and nights</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">and futures to dance in.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">KEITH ARMSTRONG</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><span id="container-1489-outerCt" role="presentation" style="display: table; height: 100%; width: 100%;"></span><span id="container-1489-outerCt" role="presentation" style="display: table; height: 100%; width: 100%;"><div class="x-container rui-mail-msgBody x-ltr x-container-default x-layout-fit" id="msgBody-1544" style="padding: 20px 30px 17px 18px; width: 703px;"><div class="x-container rui-mail-msgBody-content automation-mail-msgbody-content x-fit-item x-ltr x-container-default" id="container-1545" style="margin: 0px; width: 664px;"><div class="auto-created-dir-div" dir="auto" style="unicode-bidi: embed;"><div dir="ltr"><span></span></div><div dir="ltr"> <div class="auto-created-dir-div" dir="auto" style="unicode-bidi: embed;"><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></p><br /></div></div></div></div></div></span></div>keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-6164337070292225012020-10-06T10:04:00.008+01:002020-10-06T14:46:17.240+01:00OUT NOW! GREEN SPACES<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdrKwlld7Wthw7DwAOMjytdTKR1x9xo2NxY-KHtkl9Pa_bU5KqpFY-cOXfheXHPo1M7mZScZKHfQeA1B3Sbd-vZLgomAFOvOCdGXROfkBJp6sH5Op6yDsG8pFVdvw02mJXNjdY3x2VXMOE/s640/BDD1252B-2052-4AA9-9510-1C1E1810FE4B.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="640" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdrKwlld7Wthw7DwAOMjytdTKR1x9xo2NxY-KHtkl9Pa_bU5KqpFY-cOXfheXHPo1M7mZScZKHfQeA1B3Sbd-vZLgomAFOvOCdGXROfkBJp6sH5Op6yDsG8pFVdvw02mJXNjdY3x2VXMOE/w640-h610/BDD1252B-2052-4AA9-9510-1C1E1810FE4B.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><br /><p></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjelJwK6f-i2e38RmCCNREkwpAuMdt1N2MswuK0_xJA3_WPc3YL8dSsjLRf0Zl3rdV2eduSSfIrGwBC1o4NZUXNlny9ZINZ3a42Cl_TsoLtytxI5sYBaWsNaDJVT67UdkpQlv4Dj9y29HQT/s1816/471FDB5A-33C7-4F9E-89A9-7C17AB1AA855.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1731" data-original-width="1816" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjelJwK6f-i2e38RmCCNREkwpAuMdt1N2MswuK0_xJA3_WPc3YL8dSsjLRf0Zl3rdV2eduSSfIrGwBC1o4NZUXNlny9ZINZ3a42Cl_TsoLtytxI5sYBaWsNaDJVT67UdkpQlv4Dj9y29HQT/w640-h610/471FDB5A-33C7-4F9E-89A9-7C17AB1AA855.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWMx_qroQvG6WVo_BdsQ2iOGll6USnqwvpu9OR6uvvZIMPKf9LyOyA64hEr3EuCPXHR3KavznITPdB4gqeguOm4i5iQhvFnlFteEWP6Bo9ZrSaZTyn-QNhamdiHCpDuX_IPNGjKRKnZZ2/s1816/95CF04D5-5739-4BE0-B576-8C7EEDE514AB.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1731" data-original-width="1816" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWMx_qroQvG6WVo_BdsQ2iOGll6USnqwvpu9OR6uvvZIMPKf9LyOyA64hEr3EuCPXHR3KavznITPdB4gqeguOm4i5iQhvFnlFteEWP6Bo9ZrSaZTyn-QNhamdiHCpDuX_IPNGjKRKnZZ2/w640-h610/95CF04D5-5739-4BE0-B576-8C7EEDE514AB.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p>keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-85047330767356063592020-09-14T22:08:00.006+01:002020-09-15T20:32:50.282+01:00I WILL SING OF MY OWN NEWCASTLE<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCm4-CkZIYxpfvMwAAu5b-F-7zhV2ilyGQWatAk8W_xxxx_OhcqJTwXMW5nBXpKInQjLY0ZD0cbXNNxhyphenhyphen9MaJh_mL06FalSgnbysU_G_87bDtBa6ZEpkGuzfvfxchDjw3xVABcvU3ZtK0/s768/4E38D8D3-D4A7-4A7E-B26A-256CB55569A3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="541" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCm4-CkZIYxpfvMwAAu5b-F-7zhV2ilyGQWatAk8W_xxxx_OhcqJTwXMW5nBXpKInQjLY0ZD0cbXNNxhyphenhyphen9MaJh_mL06FalSgnbysU_G_87bDtBa6ZEpkGuzfvfxchDjw3xVABcvU3ZtK0/w281-h400/4E38D8D3-D4A7-4A7E-B26A-256CB55569A3.jpeg" width="281" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4yqMuGuWxmmrI8tqyRsFmPb2PSFzhEF_FVOYTQgvLQMxnGQgok_yzNBA67PEbZvoNMZx6GTAFytPy1VV3Yb7WghYHN3KyN_PNCnbkmnOVtkl1jPC-dkSZjhpfyIiyZB1gJlleehh38ixb/s1824/EECB495F-3729-4C50-82F1-E3DC5D366675.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="1824" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4yqMuGuWxmmrI8tqyRsFmPb2PSFzhEF_FVOYTQgvLQMxnGQgok_yzNBA67PEbZvoNMZx6GTAFytPy1VV3Yb7WghYHN3KyN_PNCnbkmnOVtkl1jPC-dkSZjhpfyIiyZB1gJlleehh38ixb/w400-h266/EECB495F-3729-4C50-82F1-E3DC5D366675.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi95IOtcdhn9VOn8g8YGz4_MOkvd9LBn-1MAJFSCd6qF6-obZDw4DQwnWXbxqyTr8doZVKzAGGvpjJH0Cp0OeiZuAPCThJA-5NG6L_Earlh9wK6DVF5K1tqg4YLqRWgjsRzr1FOj54r1Xx2/s600/EA00F787-56AC-412C-BD5F-2E8B98F93F64.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi95IOtcdhn9VOn8g8YGz4_MOkvd9LBn-1MAJFSCd6qF6-obZDw4DQwnWXbxqyTr8doZVKzAGGvpjJH0Cp0OeiZuAPCThJA-5NG6L_Earlh9wK6DVF5K1tqg4YLqRWgjsRzr1FOj54r1Xx2/w400-h265/EA00F787-56AC-412C-BD5F-2E8B98F93F64.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcHxS2FF0lW_n6EtG3piCO6oLDUu79CYAWy6GF4OrDGSf5aDjrleohtyuk6zDuiMKLVdZoDPkWEXcShZyXiEd35d_83XESl86mzXJG6BejOPt_aFaHyDb3W-LC7OpBVnOo7GpQmZm0d5I/s920/CAA52557-6335-4F14-B25A-6AEAA4453BC2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="651" data-original-width="920" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcHxS2FF0lW_n6EtG3piCO6oLDUu79CYAWy6GF4OrDGSf5aDjrleohtyuk6zDuiMKLVdZoDPkWEXcShZyXiEd35d_83XESl86mzXJG6BejOPt_aFaHyDb3W-LC7OpBVnOo7GpQmZm0d5I/w400-h283/CAA52557-6335-4F14-B25A-6AEAA4453BC2.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPs7q7Vk-FWmesRuy-EHJ5gigWoKcIzbrUM3ErW6LhD6nW7fUNNAqYmS2IpqyiiyI3CU99fYJVGDzU8h2-iJl-pLGmhXXtmLkWv86B7FHJsZvqdmJtrQ1zcupSGqSm2j9PqTvJqFwosXD/s1120/7222FE2E-49F1-4B0D-BC4D-05CC739A04CB.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="747" data-original-width="1120" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPs7q7Vk-FWmesRuy-EHJ5gigWoKcIzbrUM3ErW6LhD6nW7fUNNAqYmS2IpqyiiyI3CU99fYJVGDzU8h2-iJl-pLGmhXXtmLkWv86B7FHJsZvqdmJtrQ1zcupSGqSm2j9PqTvJqFwosXD/w400-h266/7222FE2E-49F1-4B0D-BC4D-05CC739A04CB.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "times new roman", "times", "freeserif", serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><div class="mtm" style="margin-top: 10px;"><div style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";">I WILL SING OF MY OWN NEWCASTLE</span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br /><div class="mtm" style="margin-top: 10px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";">sing of my home city<br />sing of a true geordie heart<br />sing of a river swell in me<br />sing of a sea of the canny<br />sing of the newcastle day<br /><br />sing of a history of poetry<br />sing of the pudding chare rain <br />sing of the puddles and clarts<br />sing of the bodies of sailors<br />sing of the golden sea<br /><br />sing of our childrens’ laughter<br />sing of the boats in our eyes<br />sing of the bridges in sunshine<br />sing of the fish in the tyne<br />sing of the lost yards and the pits <br /><br />sing of the high level railway<br />sing of the love in my face<br />sing of the garths and the castle<br />sing of the screaming lasses<br />sing of the sad on the side<br /><br />sing of the battles’ remains<br />sing of the walls round our dreams<br />sing of the scribblers and dribblers<br />sing of the scratchers of livings<br />sing of the quayside night<br /> </span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";">sing of the kicks and the kisses<br />sing of the strays and the chancers<br />sing of the swiggers of ale<br />sing of the hammer of memory<br />sing of the welders’ revenge<br /><br />sing of a battered townscape<br />sing of a song underground<br />sing of a powerless wasteland<br />sing of a buried bard<br />sing of the bones of tom spence<br /><br />sing of the cocky bastards<br />sing of a black and white tide<br />sing of the ferry boat leaving<br />sing of cathedral bells crying<br />sing of the tyneside skies<br /><br />sing of my mother and father<br />sing of my sister’s kindness<br />sing of the hope in my stride<br />sing of a people’s passion<br />sing of the strength of the wind <br /><br /><br />KEITH ARMSTRONG</span></span> <span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><i>(as featured on BBC Radio 4) </i></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif;"></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: #ff8307; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.65px;"></span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "times new roman", "times", "freeserif", serif; font-size: 13.65px;" /><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "times new roman", "times", "freeserif", serif; font-size: 13.65px; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif;"></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: #ff8307; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 13.65px;"></span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(7, 7, 7); color: #070707; font-family: "times new roman", "times", "freeserif", serif; font-size: 13.65px;" />keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-29401079026658193802020-09-14T09:27:00.011+01:002020-09-14T09:59:56.650+01:00BACK TO SCHOOL!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh452U1165nRRj5r69oN6yxbNLhdy_65r9VjVWofs6DT-g-kWyJE9mkRglUHvfSwSMz1IxoWLXtF4X0XcJdWEtTyGvy8Z5AzZoDjg45wP37wPZcxkRqZ7s6MlRsbTgbdGdno8KSzOSJtSsI/s640/4A17C46D-5CC3-4F5F-966D-DF337DBB3B5A.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh452U1165nRRj5r69oN6yxbNLhdy_65r9VjVWofs6DT-g-kWyJE9mkRglUHvfSwSMz1IxoWLXtF4X0XcJdWEtTyGvy8Z5AzZoDjg45wP37wPZcxkRqZ7s6MlRsbTgbdGdno8KSzOSJtSsI/w500-h333/4A17C46D-5CC3-4F5F-966D-DF337DBB3B5A.jpeg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio9dbstauKIBXDh74FyM8VfWxx5pwpkSyvnNsvmtMJ88OQT9ul2DNpYEvIIcMwPKqIQ6TOyMjkGEc6vP-HBZBaw7msV1814xUMQqWl5Lj8hsz2yIrsLAYZno4Sp_VsJAMr1xet-atIk_RA/s640/6A3E19C7-2E61-4E7B-82F0-2CA371AA3BDA.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio9dbstauKIBXDh74FyM8VfWxx5pwpkSyvnNsvmtMJ88OQT9ul2DNpYEvIIcMwPKqIQ6TOyMjkGEc6vP-HBZBaw7msV1814xUMQqWl5Lj8hsz2yIrsLAYZno4Sp_VsJAMr1xet-atIk_RA/w500-h333/6A3E19C7-2E61-4E7B-82F0-2CA371AA3BDA.jpeg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbtLd70Umev_WdAg8-FW8Ei57jrm7MED5RfqD1PQFh8y-RySjOHKeXjEejARFt7aPjOgRlsBEW5qlsJqbsuRGLibJJKajTxO0ANk1khBZYxkEYyZgwpEur9vhJZRdnF1k4FzrnI8EAAkm/s640/7B0AC8AF-D95E-46BB-99CE-D33E81E63698.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbtLd70Umev_WdAg8-FW8Ei57jrm7MED5RfqD1PQFh8y-RySjOHKeXjEejARFt7aPjOgRlsBEW5qlsJqbsuRGLibJJKajTxO0ANk1khBZYxkEYyZgwpEur9vhJZRdnF1k4FzrnI8EAAkm/w500-h333/7B0AC8AF-D95E-46BB-99CE-D33E81E63698.jpeg" width="500" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-7143555429326069002020-09-10T19:28:00.003+01:002020-09-10T19:34:51.280+01:00COMING SOON<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhPj8SLhT4EaftHGl2igELCqfa3Z-RgFT-0rj4bFRos_R159B2qAc9AL2CYN_edHNNp2H_rluHb6y7SdcQPlvIqvSf-OSgpcFS2tz6Z6JfueUDRtMxSg0BNCyh4Krs500W1Od8dvzWPwYf/s1816/469D191B-9CC6-4B68-9BD4-01384A135722.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1731" data-original-width="1816" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhPj8SLhT4EaftHGl2igELCqfa3Z-RgFT-0rj4bFRos_R159B2qAc9AL2CYN_edHNNp2H_rluHb6y7SdcQPlvIqvSf-OSgpcFS2tz6Z6JfueUDRtMxSg0BNCyh4Krs500W1Od8dvzWPwYf/s320/469D191B-9CC6-4B68-9BD4-01384A135722.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-68542595305029216682020-09-02T09:29:00.005+01:002020-09-02T10:28:14.321+01:00GREEN SPACES BOOK - A MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wv3P-AYAd36n0cIicfBTncb4Ly3ZmdCsAdmFRclmZ0Cz4BQTNrsCsyCi_4VX9gYyK1T1Cn3wHSSyIWY41mOVd6oOewdWV8ppv7oi2y3kcEXxYkTRTrz-VbEwKNtAv-IoEN_Vac-ZAkIh/s640/88DDDAA2-61E5-4039-81BF-5E827443ECEE.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wv3P-AYAd36n0cIicfBTncb4Ly3ZmdCsAdmFRclmZ0Cz4BQTNrsCsyCi_4VX9gYyK1T1Cn3wHSSyIWY41mOVd6oOewdWV8ppv7oi2y3kcEXxYkTRTrz-VbEwKNtAv-IoEN_Vac-ZAkIh/s0/88DDDAA2-61E5-4039-81BF-5E827443ECEE.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Foreword</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Green spaces
have always been important, but how important has been revealed by the Covid-19
pandemic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The authors of this book could
not have known the challenging conditions of its production when North Tyneside
Council commissioned them to celebrate our green spaces in the autumn of
2019.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like other residents of the borough
the authors have lived through the lockdown constraints and restrictions but
persevered in their task.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">As the autumn
of 2020 approaches we publish a book of immense importance and one which will
have a deep resonance to the people of North Tyneside who have sought sanctuary
and solace in the green spaces of the borough.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">This book
captures the spirit of creativity of local people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A refusal to allow adversity to quell a
creative spark that is inspired by the open spaces and natural environments
that have sustained us through these difficult times and will sustain us in
times to come.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">While many
have enjoyed our parks and green spaces over the years, many more have come to
understand their importance at the present time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This book ably showcases some of those spaces
and will hopefully inspire many more to visit the parks and green spaces of the
borough. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Norma
Redfearn CBE</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Elected
Mayor of North Tyneside</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">September
2020</span></p>
keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-27506558350303258902020-08-28T22:01:00.001+01:002020-08-28T22:01:19.766+01:00CULTURE NIGHT<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-C4U0piqXsNcV6LU90RF_smuOeSVnEl4JIeKd8nWaAr82E2gkxRw3L3ttjjtBkF4RAhRRZu9_64fJnRtT8ttcC4_tFDzPyrNdVysO7dD7Gb65IXXFFg1awLp8nsCIdR1iLU0Rc3kv-FDK/s1861/564B15C6-F1DC-4012-9D84-76D9562870F5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1861" data-original-width="1316" height="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-C4U0piqXsNcV6LU90RF_smuOeSVnEl4JIeKd8nWaAr82E2gkxRw3L3ttjjtBkF4RAhRRZu9_64fJnRtT8ttcC4_tFDzPyrNdVysO7dD7Gb65IXXFFg1awLp8nsCIdR1iLU0Rc3kv-FDK/w566-h800/564B15C6-F1DC-4012-9D84-76D9562870F5.jpeg" width="566" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-83884971250542502612020-08-22T20:21:00.001+01:002020-08-22T20:21:18.408+01:00BOOGIE ON JINGLE!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMf5UfC2cbuYWbAqxlkQGWJOuoztx3Khqa7HUBF2sf4n5Os_jVf9pTWPlKsBiGdmpQfzbwtTzwXO6l3OXh_ovFb4Vk3PwLVZ25FX5ztc-x_gGONeVa8ofU5x2225pw6sB-QSru9ZYEOCe/s1280/8E5C413B-00FE-4CBD-AB56-746885BF24CA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMf5UfC2cbuYWbAqxlkQGWJOuoztx3Khqa7HUBF2sf4n5Os_jVf9pTWPlKsBiGdmpQfzbwtTzwXO6l3OXh_ovFb4Vk3PwLVZ25FX5ztc-x_gGONeVa8ofU5x2225pw6sB-QSru9ZYEOCe/s640/8E5C413B-00FE-4CBD-AB56-746885BF24CA.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p>keith armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01727294816809244444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624233227915548914.post-87963298406441485362020-08-19T20:20:00.001+01:002020-08-19T20:20:56.125+01:00WITH FRIENDS IN THE BRIDGE HOTEL, NEWCASTLE<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9So_QIFRwL36KMKyyuXrJfZYQzD-bxhL5SP2i9iua169eCDXkttMudFLDPN9Xth9SDjhIwPtiwrMN0hb19Fun1BJqawkPhZ2P7emgmVvTV-OAwcasmOux8IDITvA6ksNXK8YXouvBu03Z/s1600/EA2D7A64-1D6A-4EF7-A03B-A496D6EC14E1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="966" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9So_QIFRwL36KMKyyuXrJfZYQzD-bxhL5SP2i9iua169eCDXkttMudFLDPN9Xth9SDjhIwPtiwrMN0hb19Fun1BJqawkPhZ2P7emgmVvTV-OAwcasmOux8IDITvA6ksNXK8YXouvBu03Z/s640/EA2D7A64-1D6A-4EF7-A03B-A496D6EC14E1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFXoyTvOz4gTIo2QJTSZA0aJd0cOiJaYXfUdP0ACImyN9sD6Lkv8CWHjiZRN5EReFjZbk29Z0B0mCbH_Nz932swXY18I47gbhE-kfzZj4uJ2DKN3LXfg9QOU_hKU6cHAGhoQ-xDVz-RKI/s1280/B904FDCD-C4A4-4A19-AB35-E87EF7BD81BB.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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