Wow! What a duo—two of my favourite voices on Substack! I want a Freddo now. Lucky I have a jar of them in my pantry. I buy them for the grandkids, but my husband usually eats them before they get their hands on them. Does anyone ever outgrow Freddo's? They're $7 for a 12-pack, and they're so small these days. WTF is the world coming to 🤦♀️
Well funnily enough, they were originally Australian! But were taken over by the Brits (classic) in 1973. By then Cadburys were producing them and they became hugely popular in the UK, at least down south. The more you know!
Were Freddo's just milk chocolate or did they have caramel inside? Maybe different versions of the same thing...? I was never a big chocolate fan but sometimes a chocolate/caramel with coffee is a good kickstart.
These pendants have a surly Philip Larkin-ish feel. "Man hands on misery to man./It deepens like a coastal shelf./Get out as early as you can,/And don't have any kids yourself."
You two are powerhouses to read individually--but together it's beyond art. It's poignant and real, honest.....Significant. It's just enough for us to feel the pull, the lament, and let us drift into our own discontent, remembrance, weaving in and out with our own stories in our minds of times that were but snapped back to the reality of the end of one story to the next where we all find a place, that area of blend, and are pissed off at the paper straw that melts while we struggle to sip, finding ourselves wishing for a time when that straw had only a kink, a bend, and I know how we like to pretend that everything is fine with the race, rampant in our mind...but as the man said in the end, pay it forward--so I am, and I hope it's enough and I hope that love finds it's way, to its home that resides in you because you're a couple of the few that always leave me settled, a little less lonely, still aware that money is necessary but feeling a little less wary....cuz there are still those mountains reaching high and that misty morning breath inhaled was probably once your sigh so despite the distance we are all connected and in the end this is my expression--
I don't have the attention span for a long film, but I'm tempted to go and buy chocolates instead of not eating them (yes I do have some impulse control) or having them delivered.
I'd have them delivered. Who has time to go out and buy one these days? You gotta get back to work to make back all that money you just spent on chocolates!!!
Might not have ever met Harry like this as a partner in poetry without first meeting you as a partner in poetry. It's been a daze so far, but working with you two here at BCP is one of the most fulfilling things I have done. Poetry in one form or another has always been my only real passion. I'll spare you more rambling. Big love brother.
"I love the way the mountains look on a misty morning. Snow capped and sun kissed. I love the way she looks at him. I love the way the sea hugs the beach. I love the taste of the salt air. And I love you." +1 Emmmm I'm only reading this because it is beautiful.
This feels like two sides of the same cracked mirror.
One’s quiet and aching, the other’s spiraling and loud—but they’re saying the same thing: it’s not just that everything costs more—it’s that something got stolen.
The Freddo poem wrecked me.
That last line wasn’t clever, it was true. That’s why it stuck.
And the second piece?
That’s grief in a high-vis vest, yelling from the street, trying not to cry.
Together, they land hard.
Nostalgia and rage, holding hands in the cold.
This isn’t just writing. It’s mourning with a receipt.
That means a lot coming from both of you—your work deserves to be read with care, and it made that care effortless. You laid it all out in authentic grief and everyday poetry. I just walked through the door you opened. Truly.
Let me know if you’d ever want a guest appearance on one of these. Would love to be part of it.
And HR Sinclair—everything I just said goes to you, too. Your presence in this made it whole.
The epoch of winter of the mind and global heat death outside. I knew you would have something dope to say after checking this one out Emily, plastic bag by pence is an amazing alternative title for this. It's all a bit better knowing you and Harry, that's for sure. One Love.
I love you both so much, I want to put up a poetry yurt in my backyard and hold open mics and sit-arounds and fires and free-falls and night sessions and morning talks and all the candy anyone needs to feel right in this fucking world
I just missed that time, my brother remembers the 10p era. He always groans a little louder than me, if I pipe up. "You don't even know the half of it, mate" 😂
Wow! What a duo—two of my favourite voices on Substack! I want a Freddo now. Lucky I have a jar of them in my pantry. I buy them for the grandkids, but my husband usually eats them before they get their hands on them. Does anyone ever outgrow Freddo's? They're $7 for a 12-pack, and they're so small these days. WTF is the world coming to 🤦♀️
Freddo's are British? I don't remember them as a kid but coming across them once living in Australia. Weird!
Well funnily enough, they were originally Australian! But were taken over by the Brits (classic) in 1973. By then Cadburys were producing them and they became hugely popular in the UK, at least down south. The more you know!
That's my time frame and I was in the south too! Maybe I just wasn't aware of them until arriving in Oz.
I wonder how much they were in Oz, and how much they rose to. Whatever the country, I hope you got to try one! They were bloody good 😄
Were Freddo's just milk chocolate or did they have caramel inside? Maybe different versions of the same thing...? I was never a big chocolate fan but sometimes a chocolate/caramel with coffee is a good kickstart.
I'm sure they have variations, definitely now, but from what I remember they were pretty much only milk chocolate. Very basic :D
These pendants have a surly Philip Larkin-ish feel. "Man hands on misery to man./It deepens like a coastal shelf./Get out as early as you can,/And don't have any kids yourself."
Love ya brother Harry <3
Love you more, brother Jozef <3
You two are powerhouses to read individually--but together it's beyond art. It's poignant and real, honest.....Significant. It's just enough for us to feel the pull, the lament, and let us drift into our own discontent, remembrance, weaving in and out with our own stories in our minds of times that were but snapped back to the reality of the end of one story to the next where we all find a place, that area of blend, and are pissed off at the paper straw that melts while we struggle to sip, finding ourselves wishing for a time when that straw had only a kink, a bend, and I know how we like to pretend that everything is fine with the race, rampant in our mind...but as the man said in the end, pay it forward--so I am, and I hope it's enough and I hope that love finds it's way, to its home that resides in you because you're a couple of the few that always leave me settled, a little less lonely, still aware that money is necessary but feeling a little less wary....cuz there are still those mountains reaching high and that misty morning breath inhaled was probably once your sigh so despite the distance we are all connected and in the end this is my expression--
Of Love.
You're amazing.
Nah...I"m surrounded by greatness. So I can't take that credit without sharing it with you, too. xx
Naaaahhh, you'da best! For real though, this is so kind. Thank you Sylvia. I appreciate you immensely.
It’s very much indeed mutual. 🌞
Sure sounds like capitalism is functioning as intended, doesn't it? Both of your anger and bewilderment are deeply felt. You make a good duo.
Thank you BJ. Your words always make me very happy. Your poetry is some of my favourite. So it really truly makes me happy to hear from you this way.
What an exquisite duet. This hits different.
I don't have the attention span for a long film, but I'm tempted to go and buy chocolates instead of not eating them (yes I do have some impulse control) or having them delivered.
I'd have them delivered. Who has time to go out and buy one these days? You gotta get back to work to make back all that money you just spent on chocolates!!!
Fanks, Debs! I appreciate you reading our words.
Masterfully done, lads.
As the outlier (and a fan of trickle down economics) I applaud this politically-charged combo of heart and soul 🤍🖤
Might not have ever met Harry like this as a partner in poetry without first meeting you as a partner in poetry. It's been a daze so far, but working with you two here at BCP is one of the most fulfilling things I have done. Poetry in one form or another has always been my only real passion. I'll spare you more rambling. Big love brother.
🙌🏻🙌🏻😁😁💕💕
My dawg 💛
I appreciate you with all of that heart and soul.
"I love the way the mountains look on a misty morning. Snow capped and sun kissed. I love the way she looks at him. I love the way the sea hugs the beach. I love the taste of the salt air. And I love you." +1 Emmmm I'm only reading this because it is beautiful.
This feels like two sides of the same cracked mirror.
One’s quiet and aching, the other’s spiraling and loud—but they’re saying the same thing: it’s not just that everything costs more—it’s that something got stolen.
The Freddo poem wrecked me.
That last line wasn’t clever, it was true. That’s why it stuck.
And the second piece?
That’s grief in a high-vis vest, yelling from the street, trying not to cry.
Together, they land hard.
Nostalgia and rage, holding hands in the cold.
This isn’t just writing. It’s mourning with a receipt.
This comment is so good. Your analysis is spot the fuck on. Thank you for reading so intentionally and sharing these thoughts with us.
That means a lot coming from both of you—your work deserves to be read with care, and it made that care effortless. You laid it all out in authentic grief and everyday poetry. I just walked through the door you opened. Truly.
Let me know if you’d ever want a guest appearance on one of these. Would love to be part of it.
And HR Sinclair—everything I just said goes to you, too. Your presence in this made it whole.
This is beautiful, thank you, deeply, Max. I appreciate you and your time.
Will definitely keep in touch 💛
Thank you Max! You truly experienced these poems and I appreciate you 💛
My pleasure.
Thank you for creating something I could experience so deeply.
Now is the winter of our discontent! Both poems are a great exploration into the slow rot that settles in and how it eats away, plastic bag by pence
The epoch of winter of the mind and global heat death outside. I knew you would have something dope to say after checking this one out Emily, plastic bag by pence is an amazing alternative title for this. It's all a bit better knowing you and Harry, that's for sure. One Love.
You guys did awesome on this. It was a perfect pairing
plastic bag by pence. Genius. Wish I had thought of that for this :D
Thank you, sweet E!
I love you both so much, I want to put up a poetry yurt in my backyard and hold open mics and sit-arounds and fires and free-falls and night sessions and morning talks and all the candy anyone needs to feel right in this fucking world
In da yurt!! I would like a free fall with a bag of candy and the sounds of spoken word. One Love Samantha!!
I want to live there. Not just for the candy, though that is a pretty sweet bonus :D
We love you too, Samantha! Thank you. See you at the yurt. 💛
I just missed that time, my brother remembers the 10p era. He always groans a little louder than me, if I pipe up. "You don't even know the half of it, mate" 😂