I joined The Poetry Society last week.
It’s my version of a mid-life crisis. I didn’t buy a motor cycle or a sports car when I hit mid-life crisis time, and I avoided the leather trouser and ponytail look, so I decided it was acceptable. To be fair, it wasn’t a logical decision – it was all based on practicality.
With my bad knee and generous proportions I’m not going to fit into a sports car or (more importantly) get out of one. Same goes for leather trousers.
I no longer have the follicular fortitude for a ponytail, so that was out, and it only left the motor cycle. Harley-Davidson do a very reasonable finance plan, which is tailored to the needs of a middle-aged men who wants to demonstrate both machismo and economy.
Julia looked at me resignedly, as she does.
Married men will know that look.
After a few years I finally found the ideal thing to demonstrate my bohemian credentials with economy, and avoid people pointing at me in the street. Membership of the Poetry Society is available from £22 a year. Well, basic membership is. Full membership is £37. Well, almost. That’s actually the concessionary price. It cost me £43 in the end.
£22 to £43 in one swift movement. And they say poets have no regard for business. Ha!
When it arrived there was a healthy clunk from the package, containing a magazine the size of a book and a load of papers. I’ve not looked yet as, in my experience, such stuff is hardly ever worth reading. I’ll read the Poetry Review later.
Meanwhile I’m fascinated by the membership card. Yes, a credit card sized card for my wallet. You wonder how Wordsworth and Byron managed without a card and a laptop.
With that now safely tucked away between my TESCO card and my RSPB card I can finally begin being “mad, bad and dangerous to know”.
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Congratulations! I had a giggle reading all your tags and wondering who you might attract to your blog with them. I love reading poetry but have never been able to write it. As my daughters know, I can only ever think of rude rhymes. I await with eagerness the results of your Poetry Society membership.
Yes, those rude words just keep sneaking in. 🙂
😉
I like the phrase “follicular fortitude”. 🙂 Congratulations on joining the poetry society!
Thank you. 🙂
Do intend to lean towards the romantic or the metaphysical in your limericks?
Of the two, I’d have to say metaphysical. However, it may be at that end of metaphysics that involves rude words.
Always a good end to be at
🙂
It’ll be interested to view the results lol
As soon as I said “limerick” the word Nantucket entered my head and won’t go…
Julia should be thankful it wasn’t a tattoo. That’s what the husband of one or my friends has gone and got. Two actually.
I’ll tell her that. 🙂
😊
Love it! Especially the card.
I suddenly feel like part of the Establishment. 🙂
I am going to start work on a selection of anti-establishment Limericks right away.
There you go! Be sure to post some of them.
🙂 First task is to find some clean rhymes
Yet more stuff to read – even before you get to poetry it seems
So many words, so little time Derrick. 🙂
Let’s face it, we’ll never get it done 🙂
No, but we will have fun trying. 🙂
Yep
😉