Counting Rings: A Collection of Illustrated Poems

by Douglas Thompson

This collection of poems arises from observations of the world around me and things that get into my head, then, rattle around until they form into poems.

I have a preference for rhyming poetry, for no particular reason. My hope is that they give the reader something to think about, and sometimes, something to smile about.

The mighty elm was a tree at the end of our orchard. It was huge with three trunks, and was home to tawny owls among many other things. My poem of the same name is an elegy for all the elms that died in the 1970s and 80s.

‘The Last Flower’ is meant to be a statement about extinctions, and the effects of the extinction of one species on the whole ecosystem.

‘The Holy Well’ refers to the legendary story of St Winefride and the well which gives our town its name.

‘Counting Rings’ is self-evidently about coming across a favourite old tree that had been cut down.

‘How to Make a Teddy’ was written for my youngest daughter when she was young.

‘A Journey Together’ was part of my father-of-the-bride speech for my daughter’s
wedding.

‘Competing with Katie’ is a bit of fun. I hope it makes people smile.

I have included nonsense like ‘Hanging out with Chalky’, because I like nonsense poems.
In this collection, I have aimed to include sadness, happiness, food for thought, and fun - A Counting of Rings.

65 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 30, 2014

About the author

Douglas Thompson's short stories have appeared in a wide range of magazines and anthologies, most recently Ambit, Postscripts, and New Writing Scotland. He won the Grolsch/Herald Question of Style Award in 1989 and second prize in the Neil Gunn Writing Competition in 2007. His first book, "Ultrameta", was published by Eibonvale Press in August 2009, nominated for the Edge Hill Prize, and shortlisted for the BFS Best Newcomer Award. His critically acclaimed second novel, "Sylvow", was published in autumn 2010, also from Eibonvale. A third novel "Apoidea" was released from The Exaggerated Press in 2011, a fourth "Mechagnosis" is due from Dog Horn in September 2012, and a fifth "Entanglement" is due from Elsewhen Press as an e-book from August 2012, and as a paperback from November 2012,