Not Quite Trite: Poetry, Some Pleasant

By William Pearson

These poems range from the nonsensical, through reflections on personal experiences, to comments on the state of the planet upon which we all live. During a long lifetime, diverse interests or specific events—either in the author’s personal life or in the wider world—have led to an emotional artistic outlet being sought in the composition of poetry. The work leads off with a limerick. This is exemplary of the style usually followed, namely one based on rhyme and rhythm. The bulk of the work is in English, but the author’s interest in foreign languages—and having spent time abroad—has led to a few forays into the wider linguistic experience to be found in other Western European cultures. So it came to be: For better or for worse, release the hounds of verse. There is no intention to educate, but it is hoped that the reader might sometimes be amused and sometimes be provoked, or even perhaps inspired. The poems are in no particular order apart from that of the alphabet. They are followed by a notes section, giving information on the timing and circumstances of each poem, and, occasionally, supplemented by illustrations. Two of the latter are cartoons by Luke Pearson, the author’s grandson.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris UK
• Release date: May 21, 2019
• ISBN: 9781543494495

Book preview

Copyright © 2019 by William Pearson.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2019901506

ISBN:              Hardcover                           978-1-5434-9451-8

                        Softcover                              978-1-5434-9450-1

                        eBook                                   978-1-5434-9449-5

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date:  05/20/2019

Xlibris

800-056-3182

www.Xlibrispublishing.co.uk

790497

By the same author:

Erik Bloodaxe: His Life and Times

A Royal Viking in his Historical and Geographical Settings

Beowulf the Jute; His Life and Times

Angles, Saxons and Doubts

CONTENTS

Foreword

List of Poems

1.     A Few Worthless Words from William

2.     Alfred, Robert, Malcolm and Nosmo: All Kings

3.     Beowulf and Unferth

4.     Bryllup In De Neunzehn Fifties

5.     Coping in Copenhagen

6.     Digt Uden Pligt

7.     Drawing Conclusions

8.     For Better or Four Verse

9.     Forlorn on Foreshore as Foreshadowed

10.   Frog in the Throes

11.   Full Moonshine

12.   Lament for Stockton Grange

13.   Morning Motoring

14.   Muldvarpvalsen

15.   My See-Saw

16.   Nocturna: Surriento

17.   Not Quite Trite

18.   Snobs and Slobs

19.   Some Rude Words

20.   Suss Spendthrift

21.   Swing Gently, Sweet See-Saw

22.   Terreskane Hotel

23.   The Early Worm

24.   The Fashion Change

25.   The Founders

26.   The Lost Cause

27.   The Standing Stone

28.   The Ugly Amoeba

29.   They Came to Albion

30.   This Evolution

31.   Three Hens

32.   Three in a Bar

33.   Three Ps in Approbation

34.   To Sylvia

35.   Trauriges Gedicht

36.   Ween Snookered by Mole

37.   Who?

38.   Who’s Afraid of the Jute Beowulf?

39.   Yarrow Water

40.   Z Enough

Notes and Illustrations

To my family:

my wife June,

my sons Bruce, Edwin and Oswald,

and their families

Foreword

See poem 1

List of Poems

1. A Few Worthless Words from William

2. Alfred, Robert, Malcolm and Nosmo: All Kings

3. Beowulf and Unferth

4. Bryllup in de Neunzehn Fifties

5. Coping in Copenhagen

6. Digt uden Pligt

7. Drawing Conclusions

8. For Better or Four Verse

9. Forlorn on Foreshore as Foreshadowed

10. Frog in the Throes

11. Full Moonshine

12. Lament for Stockton Grange

13. Morning Motoring

14. Muldvarpvalsen

15. My See-Saw

16. Nocturna: Surriento

17. Not Quite Trite

18. Snobs and Slobs

19. Some Rude Words

20. Suss Spendthrift

21. Swing Gently, Sweet See-Saw

22. Terreskane Hotel

23. The Early Worm

24. The Fashion Change

25. The Founders

26. The Lost Cause

27. The Standing Stone

28. The Ugly Amoeba

29. They Came to Albion

30. This Evolution

31. Three Hens

32. Three in a Bar

33. Three Ps in Approbation

34. To Sylvia

35. Trauriges Gedicht

36. Ween Snookered by Mole

37. Who?

38.