homerite

Living Poetry

Hello Everyone and welcome.

I'm Roger Homer, a writer with a different approach, aiming to show you your life experiences with new intensity and meaning.

My Basic Beliefs

Everything has an essential character (essence) which determines impact;
In humans, life's aim is full expression of this through their whole psyche;
Sufficient success produces the Good Life for all;
Essence is captured by passive contemplation, but is subject to mood;
I aim to achieve this and convey it to my readers as a living, vivid thing.

My collections could be seen as a trilogy, where I attempt this in various spheres:

In The Essence of Nature, the natural and man-made world;
In Love's Mirages, human heterosexual relationships;
In Britain's Dying, the negative spirit of the age, its consequences and solution.

Please see typical samples below: I change these periodically. Each collection, published by Troubador, can be purchased in paperback and e-book form (see links below). This website can also be seen on mobile.

"Like toys with broken springs... zigzags, gone, then back" (wagtails walking)

"Sparklers ... silver splashes, turning oily pools to a shivering rainbow" (the Black Country)

"Nature revealed ... by sharing of the heartbeat in nutshells of the universe" (music of Sibelius)

Rain rhythms

Night rain at wind's whim,

rolling regal across the sky,

hunting down in billows,

all drunk with freedom ...

But melts to mist,

hangs, coils, writhes,

wringing heart for heartease.

Then, shattering on glass, brain,

jolting you from armchair thoughts,

comes thicker, faster,

lashing house facades

till ripped away, it tears off,

swept against a racing moon.

Killer castle

Battlements which once poured scorn

fouled, torn down, scattered;

on the walls that stand,

shades of ingested emblems,

emblazonry curling like pared skin.

You feel the creeping cold

as an orphan would,

and look around, behind;

still death may storm in,

seize hearts for booty.

Escape!

Before this place consumes you,

shaking with silent laughter.

"Oh! for a love from the core, stripped back from so much learned"

"You sat on my care as on your worn armchair"

"One seized the other, sunk in its roots and drained the life"

Nature lessons

Plants, creatures, may seem

to cling in partnership,

but one has seized the other,

sunk in its roots

and drained the life away.

Trees nod in accord,

sparkle, shake with mirth

or shudder, thrash about,

then sighing heavily

lean close to console, advise;

rooted in empathy

they keep on growing.

Her two paintings

A ballerina

with a luminescent aura

startles from dark ground

within a beckoning glow,

obsessing over shoes with rapturous face:

the living-out submerged,

living the life inborn.

A winter scene:

poisoned sky, frozen fields

bare but for a lone tree

struck through to the heart:

its inborn life

ravaged by the living-out.

... and revolution rushed in blind ... sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll, tolerance with diarrhea

Nature has had enough of the rape of her body, trampling of her spirit: the reckoning has come

... so footloose, slack, sailing through days of bare consideration, blind to the darkening.

The Measure

It starts with you, I, and everyone;

the prevailing beliefs

comprise the spirit of the age.

Then surely the test is how well

society reflects our best:

strong moral principles allowing

maximum self-expression,

equal rights and obligations,

concern for culture and national identity,

care for the disadvantaged

and the natural world.

Gun-jump

... the country was surfacing;

they threw down the gauntlet

and walked out.

And revolution rushed in blind:

sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll,

tolerance with diarrhea;

a sub-culture

spurred on by social outrage:

Revenge! Freedom! Now!

And they passed it down

to their kids ...

Reviews

Of The Essence of Nature

"What immediately stands out is the sincerity ... deeply affecting poetry that springs from instinctive observation and feeling ... readers are invited to experience a textured portrait of the world as it is lived in ... at a time of pressure it is a reminder to pause, observe and feel ... its authenticity will resonate with readers who value reflective and accessible poetry."

Valerie Brown, Bookwave Promotions

"Captures beautifully the subtle interplay between humans, animals and varied landscapes with emotive observation, reflective tone and rhythmic flow, creating an immersive experience. It will resonate strongly with readers seeking contemplative poetry."

Katie Meyers, Book Marketing Consultant

"Vivid imagery, juxtaposition of contrasting ideas and exploration of the relationship between inner life and external reality. The use of rich sensory language creates a strong sense of atmosphere, while the contrasts offer a nuanced exploration of life, beauty and decay."

"Beautiful, powerful imagery! Great work!"

Various writers, All Poetry

Of Love's Mirages

"Coleridge defined poetry as 'the best words in the best order' ... and here the poet gives great thought (to this) ... expertly leads the reader to the object in the centre ... and the secret is revealed. His use of alliteration lends musicality ... the imagery contributes to the pictorial beauty .... you can touch and feel the objects ... Wonderful poetry! "

Amrita Mohan, Co-ordinator, Joy of Poetry group

Writer, All Poetry group

"With (Roger's) extensive background as journalist, counsellor and student of psychology and the arts, his writing carries depth and insight ... captures the intersection of personal experience, philosophy and the natural world with a voice both intimate and universal ... a lifetime of observation and reflection creates collections with meaning, beauty and emotional truth. The breadth ... makes it deeply resonant across audiences. as not only literature but explorations of the human condition that reach readers looking for comfort, reflection and connection ... with the humanity of his words."

Racheal Davis, Literary Strategist and Book Expert

N.B: Anyone with a literary background offering reviews will earn a 10% discount on my next collection.

About me

Qualifications

B.A. (London) degree in English and French literature and history;
Licentiate of National Council of Psychotherapists (L.N.C.P.)

My two careers

Journalist, concluding with 17 years as sub editor on Sunday Express and Daily Mail;
Psychotherapist in private practice and for the then Employment Service.

Published poetry