Love Poems on Kindle: Apart, I Found an Old Letter

My books on Kindle are now “live” i.e. for purchase. A bit tricky but I managed to include at least one taster poem in each sample that Amazon Kindle will send out to would be buyers.


These are:-

From “The Secrets Summer Keeps”:


http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0047DWAPY/


Apart



I fear the thing not yet actual, the vague awareness;


Merely this shadow on the wall,


Of the crouching beast coiled


Soon to spring, with claws.






Nothing wrong. "There" is fine with you,


Words remote over the phone.


But words give no comfort, distance ensures absence, insulates Soothement of fears...

I liked the made-up word “soothement” invented yet it seemed right to convey the idea (like ointment, “soothement” is what others give to make us feel better!).


From ”Sharing a Soft small Star”:


http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0047DWAV8/


I Found an Old Letter



I found an old letter that I had from you before


Praising love as a healer


Found inside someone


When they accept another through their door.




And though some lines had faded it continued


This is what the letter said


You are such a lovely person


I'll keep this thought for you, even if apart or dead.

 I look out of my window, love and kisses were at the end.


When you left my world was hurled


From the warmth of certainties we knew.


I'm reminded watching the news alone,


We could sure use some healing in our world.



This is a new poem. Are the lovers still alive but separated, or is it memory of the surviving partner, the other now passed on? Sometimes the strength of the lines lie in the looseness/ambiguity.

Mingled in with the lines are ordinary observations: looking out of the window, watching the TV news; a reminder that after the event – loss of love/a person- the daily flow of events continues, as a backdrop to our feelings.

More coming...

What now? Well I have my general poems to edit into collections plus one that may be almost entirely Blues / Song Lyrics - I'll see how things go.  The overall plan is to select the best poems and lyrics from the period 2001 to 2009, some of which currently exist only in printed form; adding new lyrics/poems from 2010, then release on Kindle.

I may do a limited run of printed copies, but these are likely to be very small in mnumber (6- 10  collection say) and mainly for family, immediate friends. 

Now published! My new love poem collections on Amazon Kindle.

Here’s the links to my love poem collections: The Secrets Summer keeps: Love poems Volume One, and Sharing a Soft Small Star. Love poems Volume Two.

Please go to the Amazon Kindle Store - UK (.co.uk) or world (.com) for more details. NB: Amazon Kindle can send a FREE sample of these books – the sample will contain at least one taster poem - to either your Kindle reader, or to your PC.

Just click on the link now to view the book details and obtain your FREE sample:-

Click here For UK readers:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=louis+j+casson

Click here For USA, other countries:
http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&rh=n%3A133140011%2Ck%3Alouis%20j%20casson&page=1


Reading my Blog, adding yourself to my emailing list.
Please tell others, friends and family, if you think they might be interested in my lyrics and poems. If they wish to be added to my emailing list, please leave a message to this post on my Blog giving your email address.

As always best wishes, and thank you for your continuing interest in and support of my work.

Louis

Books nearly ready for release on Amazon Kindle /Bryan Cowsert Country artist

Books nearly ready for release on Amazon Kindle.

Just doing the final editing and proof reading for the release next week of two volumes of love poems on Amazon Kindle, viz:- 'The Secrets Summer keeps' and 'Sharing a Soft Small Star'

Link to view covers, NB: not available for purchase/ download as yet.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=louis+j+casson&x=17&y=21

Will let you know when available on the Kindle store, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com

As usual a somewhat arduous task of selecting the best poems and lyrics from the the last ten years - some are sort of in between lyrics and poems - making the contents page etc, then a cover; but all worth it in the end. Plus...my own kindle reader arrived this week, so I'm keen to start using this and downloading books to read.!

Bryan Cowsert, Country music artist.
I reviewed a few sample tracks from Bryan's MySpace site, plus he sent me the link to this Youtube Video track, worth a listen to...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPnT9yAR1AA

"I Wasn't Ready" Bryan Cowsert and Far From The City

 

My Lake District Tour, I Found An Old Letter

Hello,

Back from Cumbria last week, weather traditional for those parts - wind and rain - but some sunny intervals! Here's the "virtual tour" as it were:-

Ullswater, they are rebuilding the pier at Pooley bridge; so the boats go from Glenridding at the moment. On the way there we spotted the Alpacas in the fields of the Alpaca Centre.
http://www.ullswater.co.uk/
http://www.thealpacacentre.co.uk/

Keswick , Breakfast @ Brysons - English Grill (NB: Tiffanys may be OK, but I doubt they serve Cumberland Sausage with brown sauce there) Toasted plumbread is great! Came away with Rum Butter and Simnel Cake.
http://www.brysonsofkeswick.co.uk/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/
http://www.keswick.org/

Carlisle. A visit to see the medieval glass windows in the Cathedral. The Castle is also worth a look.
http://www.carlislecathedral.org.uk/

Penrith/ Rheged Centre. Saw Secrets of the Pyramids on the Giant 3D screen (similar to iMax in London). http://www.rheged.com/

Whitehaven, visiting family. Must get to Muncaster Castle and Ravenglass railway again. Next time maybe. http://www.bbc.co.uk/cumbria/content/webcams/whitehaven_beacon1_webcam.shtml

Of course the muse of poems & lyrics went along with me; here's two I wrote this week:-

I Found An Old Letter


I found an old letter that I had from you before


Praising love as a healer


Found inside someone


When they accept another through their door.



And though some lines had faded it continued


This is what the letter said


You are such a lovely person


I’ll keep this thought for you, even if apart or dead.


I look out of my window, love and kisses were at the end.


When you left my world was hurled


From the warmth of certainties we knew


I’m reminded watching the news alone,


We could sure use some healing in our world.



Everything We Said


Was everything I said, a lie?


And all the things we did


Just practicing goodbye?


Truth held in a moment.


Lost in days,


Following love’s fall.


Happiness brief,


Sunshine through some clouds,


Is that all?




Was all you loved, some little play?


And all our nights, just ticking by,


Till then another day?


Feelings felt once


Deep, not easily undone.


Do you recall,


Believing too,


Or am I the solitary one?


Till next time, keep safe!

NB: All contents © Louis J. Casson , 2010  All rights reserved.

  

Lingering through... / Cumbria new home of the Blues? / Jimmy Haggard MP3 tracks review

Hi , just looking forward to another visit to Cumberland (now Cumbria) to visit family, seek the Lakes etc. This one is a reflective piece. Like most you have pictures taken @ past times, and the thought of a upcoming journey blended in to produce the following...
 
Lingering Through My Latter Days. (extract)


I’m gazing at a picture


Of a younger woman


Who still cares, still loves me.


Each morning the mirror


Reflects the older man


Facing changes, but love’s eyes see.


Love still lingers, love’s eyes see,


In the days and through the nights.


Going soon to see the roots country,


Visit folks and see the sites.

Love still lingers, love’s eyes see,


In the days and through the nights.


Remembering how it was, will be,


Humming tunes and songs with brights...


...Lingering through my latter days,



Couldn’t find better than you


Lingering through my latter days,


Simply alongside of you.

Simply alongside of you.

NB: All contents © Louis J. Casson , Purple Squirrel Poems, Cryptic Furnace Press 2010   All rights reserved.


Cumbria - new home of the Blues? Seems Cumbria/the English Lake District is fast becoming a hot bed of the Blues! What with the Maryport Blues Festival recently completed and being broadcast on the Paul Jones show BBC R2, http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006wrpd , http://www.maryportblues.co.uk/ and the Carlisle one coming in November http://www.carlislebluesfestival.com/ there's a real genuine interest and growing vibe in the region.

As an aside I wonder if it's due to the landscape? Denmark, Norway, Scandinavian countries also have a passion for Blues too!
  
Jimmy Haggard MP3 tracks review. Recently I came to know Jimmy Haggards work via the Blues Power Group (LinkedIn) so I took the time to do a quick review of Jimmy's MP3 tracks. There's never less than a high standard of workmanship, most of it the usual straight ahead blues - and nothing wrong there folks!


For me the tracks to note and watch are where Jimmy's influences, roots and playing click into a blend that takes the Blues beyond the norms & conventions.

This is the full review, Jimmy has a condensed version on his website http://www.jimmyhaggard.com/music.htm where you can listen to the tracks mentioned.


Mojo Hand.
I can only describe this as relaxed with a Bayou "Swamp" vibe.
We kick off this one with a killer riff at 0:06 - I wanted to hear it again but it didn't come up! (You really are a "Bad Boy" Jimmy) Also some really nice wah echo guitarwork at 1:20, 1:50 to note. Maybe the live version should set this right - not enough of the guitar stuff!
Jimmy's vocals at 0:10 reminded me of Lucinda Williams a little in the delivery.

Blue Sky.
Fairly straight ahead lyrics but these act as a nice foil to some sparky lead playing; if you like some crunchy cookies with your cream here it is!
I don't know who the bass player is, from a pic on Jimmy's website I assume he's also doubling on bass for this track. Overall there's a nice old Gibson EBO sound here - think Jack Bruce of Cream tone. Some good bass riffs avoiding cliches too. Builds nicely to the end.

It's Not Personal.
Picture a good slice of Dr. John on vocals, Phil Manzanera on guitar, more than a touch of funky reggae rhythm influence and we get.. this track.

Overall Jimmy's work shines best when he's minded to surprise you by taking the blues a little further. Not just "two toes in the mud", but wading out into the river.

You can hear more of his tracks on the Music page of his website, also sending a brief message via the Contact page to Jimmy for more details re gigs etc. Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, Jimmy is also part of the North Carolina Songwriters Co-op   http://www.ncsongwriters.org/fr_home.cfm

Reviewed by:  Louis J. Casson aka "Lowdown Louis" Blues lyrics and Poet 
Review date: August 24, 2010
NB: All contents © Louis J. Casson , Purple Squirrel Poems, Cryptic Furnace Press 2010 All rights reserved.

Back Again

Another week almost concluded - weekend to come. This postings piece came about as I was expecting a book I'd reserved at the Library (The Definitive Roy Orbison Collection, published by Hal Leonard) it was returned late which was a bit frustrating, but I have it now to play!

Earlier in the week I'd watched Benny Hinn's TV program This is Your Day, on GOD TV (Virgin Media, channel 279, @ 8.30am weekdays in the UK) where Benny quoted from the Psalms "like a parched land my soul cries for thee".

The above plus my  Blues orientation lead to the piece Back Again. A somewhat strange mix  to produce this output? ("Strange Brew", as Cream would say?) But all sorts of stuff influences.

I got the chorus first, a long one, and had to write it down on the back of an envelope before it vanished - usually within a half hour unless I note it down. I have the tune in my head so I 'll need to note this too somehow (tape?)

Boy with Girl, Boy loses Girl to another, Girl comes back again; is the basic storyline of this one.  I think I've a got freshness in the words covering this.

P.S. Realised that polenta is ground corn meal, in my supermarket, so I can make cornbread after all! An end to "that low and mournful sound" referred to in my last posting - cornbread is not just for Louisiana! 

    

Back Again (extract)


Someone though they’d keep you


But they gave you back again.


You refresh my soul


Like summer rain.


Don’t you go away now


Leave me parched again.


Days without you


Stack up to a life in vain.






Back again.


I’m loving this feeling


Again.



He felt he’d turned the lock


But you slipped off the stock.


You broke the chain.


He thought he’d call the tune


But you rewrote the music.


A new refrain...

 
NB: All lyrics © Louis J. Casson , Purple Squirrel Poems,
Cryptic Furnace Press 2010    All rights reserved.

"The Blues Done Come Around Again"

The title of this post is a Count Basie track - seemed appropriate as I'm posting Blues lyrics again (I can't quit the Blues but I left it alone for a little while, as Robert Plant almost sang).

Not a bad week. Some business coaching, plus my Dean Explorer living up to expectations - working on a version of Steady Rolling Man with the low E string dropped to D.

This piece came from watching Steven Seagal, adding a slice of GOD TV evangelism, and stirring gently. Like all my stuff it's not entirely a literal meaning, more images with comments thrown in. The double chorus stanzas , single verse stanza format just happened, nice to have a different twist.

No Cornbread To Be Found (extract)


What’s that wail across the bayou


That low and mourning sound?


Through all of Louisiana


No cornbread to be found.

Why Jesus wail across the world


His low and mourning sound?


Through all kinds of nations


Few salvation seekers to be found.


Got my ticket in my pocket


See the salvation show.


All Glory Jesus Jesus


Ask for money, see them go.


They're trying to bring the fire down


But something aint smelling right.


Got their heads all way up way up


Too far to see the light...


NB: All contents © Louis J. Casson , Purple Squirrel Poems,
Cryptic Furnace Press 2010   All rights reserved.