Neal continues to write, paint and create images as a hobby
and has had poems published in the USA and Europe. In the
year 2000 he wrote his memoir, "An exhibitionist bumps
into 50," which, amongst other things, chronicles his
international adventures as a designer.
Word
The following poem was written as a reaction to the shooting at Beslan in 2004.
On what we now call nine eleven
Long shots as if by Ridley Scott stayed in our head
As spirits ascended into an unprepared heaven
But today we got Eisenstein instead
Sharply edited images displayed without leaven
Of children massacred and bodies bled
Assembled mawkishly to fill beyond page seven
The cameraman may have an erroneous task
To enable history to reason why
And provide images in which we can bask
And despair through their journalistic eye
But the editors’ thirst has drunk the cask
of intrusion to an indecent dry
And caused us to ask
How dubious this press freedom cry?
Image
The painting below was made after staying with fellow designer
John Sunderland at his home on Cape Cod. The house where he
lived is the subject of a 1931 painting by Edward Hopper, "House on
Dune Edge" . The painting below recalls a day four of us made a
walk along the beach at North Truro on Cape Cod as a storm took hold.
The images below are a study of North American beach huts.
taken during the 2005 Feria in Seville, Spain. Friends pose for a photograph but the
'stolen' view proved just as fascinating in form and colour.
Music
Alas the guitar playing and singing days of the 1960s are over
but to those who shared that experience I dedicate this poem.
No longer a stack on the linoleum floor
Its jewel like and compact and digitally small
In racks from Ikea arranged on the wall
But its sounds I collect and they’re bigger for sure
Though sleeve notes are smaller and my eyesight’s so poor
Remastered recordings are now all the rage
Scratchy nostalgia is at last, now coming of age
We went through an eight track and tried reel to reel
And cassettes that snarled up, It seemed quite surreal
To listen on Walkmans so mobile and free
But Cds took over with a great guarantee
Of not snapping or snagging or eventual decay
They assured us that quality would never be wearing away
So we joined in the race to replenish or stocks
And opened up each jewel case as if Pandora’s Box
Vocals were cleaner and clarity’s fact
Uneven shellac had cleaned up its act.
Sally was taller not longer, worst luck
Maybelline rocked harder, never jumping or stuck
Layla was crisper, Pet Sounds were more wild
Brian Wilson sounds wondrous, on discs so beguiled
Lizzys still dizzy but she stays on the track
And skipping is easier than in a 45 stack
Abbey Road is more popular - its become a real jam
And George Michael is crisper than in his vinyls for Wham
My Revolver shoots louder though speakers are small
And I can pick out the instruments in Phil Spector’s wall
But now the format is being restyled
Small files on the desktop in iTunes compiled
Now digital downloads give all that I need
At the press of a button, rare songs at speed
I carry my iPod over land, sea and air
Favourite songs are now with me through joy and despair
I’ve arranged compilations to meet all my moods
To suit my rock and roll life style, until it concludes
So I’ll keep on listening, with volume turned high
Till I go to see Elvis in the black vinyl sky
And say to St Peter at the Rock and Roll gate
“I reserved space with rock – its rap that I hate."
"Please put me with Elvis or Buddy or John
Or any of the Beatles you happen upon
Then turn up the volume with songs that I know
On that heavenly juke box -
Got any Quo?”
Neal Potter 2004