Poetry Blog of the Week - (22 November 2010) Humbucker Poems

Selected and written by Robert lloyd

Cameron Diaz was once quoted as saying: “You haven't partied until you've partied at dawn in complete silence with monks.” How that really relates to this post I cannot quite say but I thought it odd that it was the first thing I stumbled across regarding monks. I also figured it would get your attention. Now that I have it you are probably asking why I would even be looking into a topic like monks. Simple Old Ollie made me do it. Old Ollie is the man or maybe I should say monk behind the poetry blog Humbucker Poems. If you haven’t figured it just yet Humbucker Poems is our blog of the week.

Humbucker Poems is an odd but intriguing blog loaded with short pensive poetry and prose. You won’t ever be bogged down by lengthy verse when Old Ollie (aka The Tired Monk) puts his pen to paper. He has a way of capturing life’s little moments in a few but poignant words. A great example of this is his poem Dish Sleeves.

Dish Sleeves

Sunday night dinner
pots
pans
spilling in swishy sinks
almost done
when the old monk robes fall
soaked in
suds and chicken grease

I enjoy how Old Ollie themes his world around being a monk. It creates a neat little niche for him and his writing that makes a reader curious enough to read more. You find yourself in search of the next simple connection of everyday life to the abbey, something he does very well.
In my browsing this blog I couldn’t help but admire how Ollie ties so many things of his life and the world into the blog without being to overly revealing. It is truly his gift. Humbucker is related to a style of guitar I soon found out. Ollie’s blog has lots of references to music and his family. I truly enjoyed the picture of a monk jamming out he placed in my head with this poem, The Tired Monk and the Red Stratocaster.

The Tired Monk and the Red Stratocaster

plug in
boom, growl, hum
adjust the gain
tweak the treble
choose the channel
barre chords, rhythmic n'solid
old power chords
up the neck
robe swirls
in circles as the windmills spin
finger ache grows
back and arms sore
the Red Stratocaster put back
on the stand
a free hand takes the tea
from the top of the amp
unplug







If you have the chance to visit at least one blog today stop by Humbucker Poems. In paying Old Ollie The Tired Monk a visit you will be treated to poetry that shapes an entire world right in front of your eyes while not taking you too far off the beaten path. Step into his world and I am fairly sure you will return often just to read what the monks are doing next.