Hi All

     I don’t know whether you’re surgically attached to your smartphones or can remember the distant days when you had to get up and walk to the television to change channels - and there weren’t very many to change!  I thought I’d give you the challenge this month of writing about Gadgets.  It can be anything from a dishwasher to a robotic toy.  You decide.  The only rules are that it must be no more than twenty lines and please submit your poem by Thursday 21st April.

     And before I go, I promised a few more of the runners up poems from the Library competition.  You seriously think  you can do better?  One way to find out - do you best to come up with an entry for April.

     Take care and keep on writing!

     Judy

MY LIBRARY BY HARSHITTA RAJMOHAN

It’s just shelves and shelves stacked with books,                                   

but deep inside the hidden books, lies enchanting stories.            

I soar through the air to a land that awaits                                               

from flying turtles, to pandas with skates.

Here I’ve been an elf, mermaid and a fairy,                                    

I would see green strawberries, blue  gooseberries                                

and orange raspberries!                                  

As my imagination grows,

the light in my heart glows,                                                                   

seeking in different adventures, 

finding pirates with buried treasures 

It's just shelves and shelves stacked with books

but deep inside the hidden books, lies enchanting stories                                                              
MY FAVOURITE AUTHOR BY DON REUBEN
If we must die by Claude McKay ( Liberator, July 1919 )
Few people know of Claude McKay??
The highly respected  Jamaican poet.
Born in 1889 of freeborn parents, but enslaved grand parents.

His mother was sweet natured and fond of books.

His dad a farmer who focused on education for his children.

Claude’s interest in books began at age 9

when he lived with his brother who was a Head Teacher.
Claude wrote 200 poems.
Claude is my favourite author because of the expressive and poignant approach

to the poem "if we must die."
He vividly captivated the readers’ imagination and allows a profound understanding

of courage, dignity and fighting spirit especially when faced with death.
Claude encapsulates honour pride and bravery even if situations seem hopeless which is intrinsically skilful.

Claude allows the reader introspection of the subject,

which therefore evokes inner strength.
This poem was written by the author during the First World War.
It is understood that Sir Winston Churchill utilised his inspiring words.
Claude McKay was indeed a poetic genius ahead of his time.
Surely!  This brilliant author left an invaluable legacy for us all.
 

THE LIBRARY BY PATRICIA J TAUSZ

The library is a special place for me

Here I can browse all kinds of books for free

Detective and Romantic Novels, all other kinds of fiction too

Then there are non-fiction varieties for the likes of me and you.

I can borrow books to read at my leisure

Going to the public library is sheer unadulterated pleasure

Reference books to answer questions on this and that

When I was a youngster in the library it was forbidden to chat,

I saw the library from the inside too

For as a trainee librarian I studied for a career new

I learned to catalogue the various tomes and repair any damaged books

Now in the storeroom there are many books wherever one looks.

It's great to able to read and reserve the latest books for any project I need:

So don't shut our local library is what I now plead.

PERUSING AND DESKTOP USING BY JOHN M. CLARKE

Sometimes I find the library

A haven of peace for me

Using computers one enjoys

As long as there’s not too much noise

But to find my favourite books

It may be elsewhere I may look

For adventures of William Brown

Or Jennings plans letting him down

Anthologies in my bookcase

Are putting smiles upon my face

One has stories by H.G. Wells

All science fiction that he tells

A great tome from Conan Doyle’s hand

Complete with drawings from the Strand

The magazine where Sherlock Holmes

Had originally made his home

Though there is a pc fight on

I still enjoy Enid Blyton

Though I now spot every mistake

My pleasure they will never shake