Robert Melliard

Member since June 12, 2014

Member for 11 years, 11 months

member

68 Poems

565 Comments

3 Followers

Most recent

Switch Off

Posted Aug 9, 2014 · 18 lines · 12 critiques

I couldn't switch on the news today.
I knew the world would still be groaning
with fighting in Ukraine,
deaths in Gaza, ebola in Africa
and mayhem in Iraq.

What was the point of watching it all again?
Haven't we got enough problems of our own?

But tomorrow I expect I'll turn it on once more,
enthralled by exploding bombs, dying patients,
troop movements, obscure strategies,
and the hunger and thirst of desperate refugees.

How can I ignore all that?

To switch off I turn to Facebook,
drawn in by trivial snippets
from the lives of a hundred individuals,
most of whom I hardly know.

But that's not really enough, is it?
Any advice would be welcome.

Robert Melliard’s timeline

June 2024
12 Wed

Anniversary
10 years of membership
June 2019
12 Wed

Anniversary
5 years of membership
June 2015
12 Fri

Anniversary
One year of membership
August 2014
22 Fri

Received a critique
on Switch Off from @weirdelf
"to separate the calamitous world news from a personal life view, which can be disastrous thinking for someone who suffers from depression. The best I can to do is to try to converse face-to-face with people in real life…"
22 Fri

Received a critique
on The Fight from @weirdelf
"(which is one of the definitions of poetry) that presents a complex and tragic situation without recourse to sentimentality. Your style of 'pragmatic', often seemingly un-prosodic, poetry is rapidly growing on me. I hop…"
22 Fri

Received a critique
on As I Write from @weirdelf
"has been underestimated, I include myself, by mistaking your straight-forward, honest approach for a lack of poetic qualities. My sincere apologies. You are a fine poet."
22 Fri

Received a critique
on As I Write from @weirdelf
"humans are in conflict with at least some choice. Animals are purely victims in dealing with us."
22 Fri

Received a critique
on The Thrill Is Gone from @weirdelf
"the prosodic qualities are much more evident than I at first perceived, for the ways of Robert are "Subtle and (fortunately not) quick to anger". This is impressive work."
22 Fri

Received a critique
on This Economic Crisis from @weirdelf
"the poetic format makes it more likely to be read, which is justification in itself. You can imagine that being as strongly opinionated as I am this problem occurs with me frequently. Some of my worst poetry is when my…"
12 Tue

Received a critique
on Switch Off from @Esker
"calamity observed is different then getting right in there.. car crash...upside down car..small fire in engine.looks horrible.. steam rising..the big arc..huge long arc on pavement.. morning...only three cars...four peo…"
12 Tue

Received a critique
on Switch Off from @Esker
"although there is no real refrence to the idea of a switch... kind of a spoiler alert...thank you for this thoughtful poem about our modern moment in the now."
09 Sat

Posted a poem
Switch Off
"I couldn't switch on the news today."
Open thread 18 lines
July 2014
29 Tue

Critiqued
"NOTHING TO SEE" by @scribbler
"Using the old cliché division of form and content I would say this poem combines the two exceptionally well. The observations are precise and the rhymes seem unforced. As a result it creates a quiet, still, meditative a…"
29 Tue

Posted a poem
The Fight
"A woman who works for Médecins Sans Frontières"
Open thread 20 lines
17 Thu

Critiqued
"Counting the Regrets in Pentameter" by @Pugilist
"This is a brilliant poem but it leaves me with one doubt in my mind. If, as I understand, the last stanza implies that some kind of sadistic murder is about to take place, is this subject too distressing for poetry? I w…"
17 Thu

Critiqued
"Tragedy" by @alidzain
"You have managed to talk about current affairs in a poetic way, which is something I strive to do but find very difficult. I feel strongly that poetry should be able to deal with such burning issues as the siege of Gaza…"
14 Mon

Posted a poem
As I Write
"As I write a girl is being raped somewhere"
Open thread 22 lines
11 Fri

Posted a poem
The Thrill Is Gone
"For weeks I've been writing easily"
Open thread 24 lines
11 Fri

Critiqued
"A Vacant Stare That's Full" by @Ian.T
"I like the calmness this poem creates, as if distant love could protect us from ups and downs, at least that's the way I read it. Best wishes, Robert."
08 Tue

Posted a poem
To My Grandchild (From Afar)
"You're here at last (or rather there) ."
Open thread 38 lines
08 Tue

Critiqued
"worrisome" by @lovedly
"that my poem "Worry" may have inspired this one a little. Anyway that is neither here nor there, because this poem is complete in its own right and neatly defines the way we tend to think we're the first person to go th…"
08 Tue

Critiqued
"About Fasting" by @alidzain
"Wise words indeed, and simply and clearly expressed. I wish I could be as altruistic as this, but I grew up as practically an only child because my brother was much older than me, so I learnt to be rather selfish I'm af…"
07 Mon

Posted a poem
Worry
"I'm seriously worried now."
Open thread 31 lines
06 Sun

Posted a poem
Right Now
"Right now my daughter's in pain."
Open thread 13 lines
05 Sat

Critiqued
"Just wait for me" by @lovedly
"as well as interesting content. Sometimes we just "click" with people on the internet, as you suggest (at least, that is what I understand by "some gain the vein"). It's as if we'd known each other for years. That's how…"
04 Fri

Posted a poem
An Attempt To Be More Poetic
"A bird is well-designed to fly:"
Open thread 14 lines
03 Thu

Critiqued
"Fire Meet Gasoline " by @Barbara Writes
"I am not sure who or what is causing the explosion. Interaction with whom? Get what right? Reach for the truth about what? For a not-too-bright reader like me this poems needs to be a little clearer in meaning, despite…"
03 Thu

Posted a poem
When She's Away
"When She's away"
Open thread 23 lines
02 Wed

New follower
@lovedly
01 Tue

Posted a poem
This Economic Crisis
"My son has given up his job:"
Open thread 96 lines
June 2014
30 Mon

Posted a poem
Night Shift.
"I salute you night-shift workers"
Open thread 19 lines
29 Sun

Posted a poem
Asturian beaches
"Most of them are small and may surprise you"
Open thread 24 lines
27 Fri

New follower
@Bloodstone
20 Fri

New follower
@loved
12 Thu

Joined Neopoet
Membership begins

First poem published 1 days later.
December 2008
25 Thu

Most-discussed work
Ghastly British Food

29 critiques to date.
15 Mon

Highest posting month
December 2008 — 26 poems
November 2008
27 Thu

First critique offered
on "Her" by @Race_9togo
24 Mon

First publication
We took an old boat out

About Me

About me

Studied at Cambridge University but failed to take advantage of that privilege in my working life. Living in Spain. Married with three grown-up children who all have reasonably good jobs! Marriage a bit shaky but just about surviving. Soon to be grandparent.

Location: Asturias, Spain

Favorite Poets

Chaucer

Shakespeare

Du Bellay

Metaphysicals

Petrarch

Dante

Baudelaire

Lorca

Becquer

Coleridge

Contest Wins

This member has not yet won any contests.

Workshops

		Skill level:
Renga 9 "Hatred's Legacy"	(syllabus)	Wading Pool, Splash Pool, Olympic Pool, Plunge Pool	Started 2014-08-04	Concluded

10 years of membership

5 years of membership

One year of membership

on Switch Off from @weirdelf

on The Fight from @weirdelf

on As I Write from @weirdelf

on As I Write from @weirdelf

on The Thrill Is Gone from @weirdelf

on This Economic Crisis from @weirdelf

on Switch Off from @Esker

on Switch Off from @Esker

"NOTHING TO SEE" by @scribbler

"Counting the Regrets in Pentameter" by @Pugilist

"Tragedy" by @alidzain

"A Vacant Stare That's Full" by @Ian.T

"worrisome" by @lovedly

"About Fasting" by @alidzain

"Just wait for me" by @lovedly

"Fire Meet Gasoline " by @Barbara Writes

Membership begins

December 2008 — 26 poems

on "Her" by @Race_9togo

About Me

Recent Work

Contest Wins

Workshops

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