Mike O’Brien
@zoomburst.substack.com
1.2K followers 960 following 1K posts
Sixty odd years old. Running the Sixty Odd Press and a proud member of the Promote Indie Lit network zoomburst.substack.com sixtyoddpoets.substack.com promoteindielit.com
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
Sometimes a bit of Anglo Saxon invective is the only thing that will do, even in the world of formal #poetry...

...actually, especially in the world of formal poetry
50. Just Another Fucking Villanelle
...being a back handed homage to yet another poetic forme fixe
zoomburst.substack.com
I remember reading the novelisation of Enter the Dragon, so that I could pretend that I had passed for 18, got into the pictures and seen it.
Peter Pan? A novelisation?
Rosanna you have given me a great idea for a future event!
That is a quality piece David, each stanza a little essay in itself.
It's less than a fortnight until Poetry and Palaver 3 (The madness of Poetry and Palaver). If you can make it by plane, train, automobile, e-bike, or shanks's pony, do come along.
A seated King George III, with Mike O'Brien peeping over his arm, with a snail, a fish a giraffe a pair of spectacles and the sixty odd flower publicising an event in Mexborough, Town of Culture.
The #poetry of Chivonne Head - Sometimes surreal, sometimes funny, often moving, always original and thought provoking
39. Chivonne Head
Love, loss, family and open mic poetry
sixtyoddpoets.substack.com
Look into the soulful blue eyes of #ChristinaRossetti as painted by her would be lover John Brett. Read about the #poem in which she politely told him to stop pestering her. And sing along to the #folk song Oh No John! (no John, No John, No)
2.45 No, Thank You, John
Christina Rossetti puts a man firmly in his place.
zoomburst.substack.com
I have taken to writing reviews. Here are my thoughts on #poetry collections from Ian Parks, Matthew Paul and Rotherham Flux. (With a poem from each.)
What I've Been Reading
Three recently published poetry collections which are well worth spending some time with.
sixtyoddpoets.substack.com
I thought that they were Buster’s kids.
Hahaha. I Jove this one. Really human. You have captured a lot in that brief exchange.
this has a powerful intimacy - focusing on a tiny imperfection that only someone very close would notice
that's decided me. Thanks!
I like archaic - as long as its not overdone. It puts things in more of a timeless context. Im just toying with whether to uses "glasses" or "spectacles" in mine.
Thanks for your faith - I doubt I could do anything better than yours though.
thats a really clever poem. And opening it with "forgive me" is a masterstroke.
Excellent. I shall put my damned gloves on and venture forth into the autumn sunlight.