Poetry

Graduation Poem – An alternative perspective

08/23/2025 by Roy Sutton

If you’ve landed on this page, dear reader, you might just be looking for a graduation poem.

I’ve written one for you, but perhaps not one you might expect.

Most graduation poems are a celebration of the moment, and there’s nothing wrong with that approach. It’s the culmination of years of hard work, after all.

However, in the modern age, it seems that many young people look back and wonder whether the burden of student debt was worth it in terms of the potential return on the money and time invested.

You can decide on the merits or otherwise of that argument, of course, but I thought it might be interesting to offer an alternative perspective. One that might be considered more realistic, possibly?

If you like it, feel free to share it on social media.

Graduation Poem:

Please share with your friends:

If you did like this graduation poem, please consider sharing it.

Please share it now. If you can do that for me, then it will be truly appreciated.

Thank you for being so supportive.

Articles that might also appeal to you:

Filed Under: Poetry Tagged With: Graduation poem, Poems, Poems for today, Poetry, Verse

Poem set in the classic American diner

08/13/2025 by Roy Sutton

I have a new poem for you today, dear reader. It’s original, and I wrote it. The theme of this poem is the classic American diner.

When I shared it with a friend, I was asked how I came up with the idea.

So, I thought I’d share my response with you, too.

It started when I was listening to the song Breakfast in America by the British band Supertramp on the radio.

There are two lines in the song that caught my imagination. They were, “Could we have kippers for breakfast?” and “They gotta’ have ’em in Texas.”

I liked the way the writer had rhymed breakfast with Texas. Yes, it’s not an exact rhyme, but it’s close enough.

So, I decided to try to use those rhyming words in a poem, too.

The next stage in my thought process was to imagine life in an American diner and the banter a young man might have with the waitress.

Then, to make the structure of the poem different, I decided to construct the verses in the style of the form of poetry known as limericks. That is, each verse is a limerick, but they are all connected.

For those who are unfamiliar with this form of poetry, limericks are 5-line poems with a specific rhyme pattern, where lines 1, 2, and 5 rhyme with each other, with typically nine or ten syllables per line. And lines 3 and 4 rhyme with each other, with five to eight syllables per line.

Anyway, once I got the idea, the first version of the poem was simply a flow of consciousness. Then I left it for 24 hours before tidying it up a bit.

I hope you like it.

In case you’re wondering, the “fella from Brussels” I had in mind was the movie star and martial artist, Jean-Claude Van Damme. He is known as the Muscles from Brussels, or so I’m told.

Poem about the Classic American Diner:

Please share this poem with your friends:

If you found this poem about the classic American diner interesting, please share it on social media with your friends.

When you share, everyone wins.

Please share this post now.

If you can do that for me, I’ll be ever so grateful, and you’ll be helping a keen blogger reach a wider audience.

I appreciate your support. Thank you.

Articles that might also appeal to you:

Filed Under: Poetry Tagged With: American Diner, Classic American Diner, Original Poem, Original Poetry, Poem, Poems for everyday, Poet, Poetry

Poem about friendship to get you thinking

07/20/2025 by Roy Sutton

If you’re looking for a poem about friendship, I’ve written an original one for you today.

One of life’s great pleasures is sharing a good laugh with a close friend.

We often make the mistake of thinking we have lots of friends. However, for most people, that’s unlikely to be true.

We may have lots of acquaintances, and some may be excellent acquaintances, but that’s not the same thing as friends.

A friend is someone you could call at 3 am if you were in trouble and know they’d be willing and keen to help you. Every other person you know is just an acquaintance, with varying degrees of familiarity.

The reality is that most of us have one, two, or possibly three close friends, and they’re our tribe. And that’s all we need.

So, friendship matters, and we must all cherish our friends. Life wouldn’t be the same without them.

Here’s the poem I wrote with my take on friendship.

A poem about friendship:

Please share this poem with your friends:

If you found this poem about friendship interesting, please share it on social media with your friends.

When you share, everyone wins.

Please share this post now.

If you can do that for me, I’ll be ever so grateful, and you’ll be helping a keen blogger reach a wider audience.

I appreciate your support. Thank you.

Articles that might also appeal to you:

poem about friendship, poem about friendship, poem about friendship

Filed Under: Poetry Tagged With: Friendship, Original Poem, Original Poetry, Poem, Poem about friendship, Poetry, Poetry to get you thinking

6 Great Poems for Everyday Moments: Words to Brighten Your Day

07/01/2025 by Roy Sutton

In the rush of daily life, we rarely take the time to reflect on life and what it’s all about. That’s where poetry comes in, for me, at least. Poems for everyday aren’t just about grand emotions or lofty ideas; they’re about grounding us in the present, adding a layer of meaning and insight to the ordinary.

Today, I’ve written some original poems, and I thought I’d share them.

Whether you read them during your coffee break or right before bed, these verses are intended to make you think.

Please feel free to share them. And if you do enjoy them, you can always let me know via email at mail@mannislandmedia.com. Feedback from readers is always truly appreciated.

Please share this post:

Thank you for taking a few quiet moments with these poems. If they brought you a bit of calm, clarity, or comfort today, then they’ve done their job. Life moves fast, but poetry helps us pause to reconnect with ourselves and the world around us. I hope these poems for everyday will stay with you, whispering back to you when you need them most.

Please feel free to share them all.

I appreciate your support, dear reader. Thank you.

Tommy Atkins – A Poem and Reflection on VE DAY’s 80th Anniversary

05/05/2025 by Roy Sutton

Thank you, Tommy Atkins:

This week marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in (VE) Europe Day, so let’s show some respect for Tommy Atkins.

VE Day was, of course, a celebration. It marked the end of 6 long years of war in Europe in 1945.

It was a celebration in which our nation gave thanks to the brave men and women who served their country and defeated Fascism.

Yes, of course, many nations played their part, and we must be grateful to all of them too.

VE Day also marked the dawn of a new era. An era in which anything seemed possible.

We can look back now and make our own judgement about whether we’ve made the most of those post-World War II opportunities, but that really doesn’t matter.

What matters this week, and every week, is that we pay our respects to those who served.

There are few of them left now, so this is our last chance to thank those who gave their all for our freedom. Sadly, we must remember that many paid the ultimate sacrifice.

The world may not be perfect, but it’s better than it might have been. And it’s thanks to those brave men and women that it is.

As a mark of respect, I wrote today’s poem entitled Tommy Atkins.

In case you’re wondering, Tommy Atkins is a slang term for a common soldier in the British Army. Tommy is the everyman who served in Britain’s army.

So, let’s give thanks to Tommy and all who served to give us the freedom we still enjoy today.

Tommy Atkins Poem:

If you did enjoy this Tommy Atkins poem, please share it with your friends on social media.

Remember, when you share, everyone wins.

So go on, please share this post now.

If you can do that for me, I’ll be forever grateful, and you’ll be helping a keen blogger reach a wider audience.

Thank you.

Urban Fox: A poem for a modern phenomenon

04/26/2025 by Roy Sutton

Today’s theme is the urban fox.

In my younger days, here in England, the red fox was associated with sprawling woodlands and open fields in the countryside.

I remember once being on a train to Cornwall and seeing one in the wild for the first time. It was such an impressive sight. It was running across farmland, probably chasing a rabbit or something it hoped to eat for lunch.

Fast forward to modern times, and foxes have been driven from their natural habitat, which has resulted in the phenomenon of the urban fox.

We get them in our garden every day nowadays. They’re just creatures looking for food.

Most people seem to regard them as a nuisance, but my wife, Joan, and I are animal lovers, and we can’t help but leave a little food out for them.

They mean no harm; they’re just hungry.

If some scraps of food help them a little, we will always try to help them.

These days, they come right up to our living room window, looking forlorn and hungry. What can I say? We’re suckers for a sad face.

Anyway, I wrote today’s poem based on recent experiences. I hope you like it.

Feel free to share it. And if you see an urban fox, leave some food out for it.

Urban Fox Poem:

If you did enjoy this urban fox poem, please share it with your friends on social media.

Remember, when you share, everyone wins.

So go on, please share this post now.

If you can do that for me, I’ll be forever grateful, and you’ll be helping a keen blogger reach a wider audience.

Thank you.

The Guy in the Glass and why he really matters

03/24/2025 by Roy Sutton

If you’re unfamiliar with the poem “The Guy in the Glass,” dear reader, I recommend you spend a few moments reflecting on it now.

I’m sure you’ll know that life’s not a rehearsal. Whether we like it or not, we’ll live it only once.

It seems obvious to me that we must make the most of our time and try to enjoy every moment. That’s a healthy personal philosophy by which I certainly try to live, most of the time, at least.

Enjoying every single moment is not possible, of course.

There will always be good times, but, inevitably, there will be bad times too.

Let’s face it, you couldn’t appreciate the good times without experiencing a few bad times along the way, could you?

Now, I am a firm believer in the notion that you only get out of life what you put in.

If you drift along with little effort and a lot of unwise choices, then your future is likely to be unexciting at best, unless you get very, very lucky.

Whereas making some effort to realise your full potential; deciding what you want and pursuing your dreams with hard work and determination; this approach is more likely to lead to better life experiences.

Ask yourself this question:

When I’m old and frail and reflecting on years gone by, how will I feel if I’ve wasted those years?

The problem with time is that once it’s gone, it’s gone. You can’t get it back. So, surely time is our most precious resource?

The answers to the above questions matter only to you.

You’re the one who must look at yourself in the mirror each day. You’re the one who must look yourself in the eye.

You may fool other people with tales of what might have been, but you can’t fool yourself.

Deep down, you’ll know whether you tried or not. You’ll know whether you made a lot of choices you wish you hadn’t made. You’ll know whether you cheated yourself. And let’s face it, regret lies at the heart of cheating yourself.

So my advice would be, don’t do it.

When you look in the mirror each day, ask yourself some searching questions:

Are you making the most of your natural talent, whatever that might be?

Are you looking after your body and your mind?

Are you developing habits that will be detrimental to your well-being?

Are you looking after those who matter most to you?

Can you reflect on your life so far with at least some degree of pride and satisfaction?

If you’re getting too many negative answers, then perhaps it’s time for some changes in your life, don’t you think?

Reflecting on today’s idea is what got me thinking about the poem The Guy in the Glass, mentioned above.

This poem is included as part of the process Alcoholics Anonymous uses to help its client base.

However, I think it’s relevant to us all, regardless of whether we’re alcoholics or not. The underlying message is that your behaviour should be consistent with the need we all have to be able to look ourselves in the eye.

It is a thought-provoking verse, and, despite its title, the message applies equally to men and women. The glass is, of course, the mirror on your wall. The poem was written by the late Dale Wimbrow in 1934 for publication in The American Magazine:

Poem: The Guy in the Glass

Please share this post with your friends:

If you found this article useful, then please share it on social media with your friends.

When you share, everyone wins.

So go on, please share this post right now. If you do, I’ll be ever so grateful. You’ll be helping a keen blogger reach a wider audience, and that’ll be your good deed for the day.

Thank you for your support.

Tax poem for those who bear the burden

03/09/2025 by Roy Sutton

If you’re searching for a tax poem, I have an original one for you today.

It has been said that tax is the price we pay for living in a civilised society.

Someone must pay for the things we take for granted. Where would we be without healthcare, education, defence, roads, the rail network, and so much more? And it all comes at a cost.

On that basis, I agree we must accept the need to pay at least some taxes.

However, I think the tax burden must be managed carefully because tax acts as a disincentive to enterprise and hard work.

In the UK, currently, the tax burden is higher than it has been at any time since World War II. For me, that is far too high.

Politicians seem to think the solution to every problem is simply to throw money at it.

I agree that there will be times when the allocation of greater resources to a problem is the appropriate strategy.

However, frequently, it would be more appropriate to consider root and branch reform instead.

The problem with that, of course, is it would be generally unpopular and result in negative media headlines, which politicians hate.

So, they throw money at it instead and pass the bill on to Joe Public.

That leaves ordinary folk feeling like they’ve been mugged.

So, I condensed my thoughts on this subject into today’s poem.

If you like it, please feel free to share it on social media.

Tax poem

If you did enjoy this tax poem, please share it with your friends on social media.

Remember, when you share, everyone wins.

So go on, please share this post now.

If you can do that for me, I’ll be ever so grateful, and you’ll be helping a keen blogger reach a wider audience.

Thank you.

Poem about death: A philosophical view.

01/29/2025 by Roy Sutton

If you’re searching for a poem about death, I have an original one written for you today. We should not fear death, only suffering. Our only hope is that it will be peaceful and quick.

Death. It’s a word we often try to avoid, a taboo subject whispered in hushed tones.

However, it’s the only certainty we have in life apart from taxes.

Philosophers have long debated the meaning and significance of death, with perspectives varying widely across different cultures and belief systems.

I think death signifies that our race is run. Our contribution to humanity has been made, and it’s time for us to move on to the next world, wherever that may be. Our spirit is being released.

Death says, “No one lives forever!” and reminds us that we must all live for today. It’s a reminder that life is precious, and it is fleeting in the grand scheme of things too. We must enjoy it all while we can.

Having experienced the recent loss of a friend and pondered the significance of this philosophical question, I wrote the poem I’m sharing with readers today.

We’re all going to die; the only questions are when and how.

This poem about death offers my thoughts on the moment of death and its impact on loved ones. We can only hope it burdens no one unnecessarily in its wake.

Here is today’s poem. If you like it, please feel free to share it.