Almanac Music: ‘Oh Vesuvius’ – Songs Involving Hills, Mountains and Volcanoes

In the latest installment of KD’s epic series about popular song themes, the focus is upon hills, mountains and volcanoes. As usual, readers’ contributions are warmly welcomed.

Almanac Poetry: I warn you

This week’s poem from KD is a warning to all of its readers. [And editors – Ed.]

Almanac Poetry: Teddy Bear

KD describes this poem as ‘an unpublished one from my archives, about a childhood buddy’.

Almanac Poetry: On Kandinsky’s Dreamy Improvisation (1913)

This week’s poem by KD is a previously unpublished one responding to a painting by Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky. [A lovely simple yet arresting probe – Ed.]

Almanac Music: ‘Everybody’s building ships and boats’ – Songs Involving Watercraft

In this week’s installment of his long-running series on popular song, KD looks at songs involving watercraft – ships, boats, yachts and the like. As usual, readers’ song choices and comments are warmly welcomed.

Almanac Poetry: To Leanne, My Long-Lost Friend, Nude in Last Night’s Dream

This week’s poem by Kevin Densley deals with dreams, utopia, transience and loss.

Almanac Music: ‘Once I had a love…’ – Songs Referencing Glass

In the latest installment of his long-running series on popular song themes, KD looks at songs referencing glass; as usual, readers’ song choices and comments are warmly welcomed.

Almanac Poetry: Boot Hill

In this previously unpublished poem, KD looks with affection at the reading habits of his Densley grandfather. [Nicely putting the meta into metaphor – Ed.]

Almanac Poetry: Oedipus and the Theban Sphinx

This week’s poem by Kevin Densley offers his perspective on the ancient Greek story of Oedipus’s encounter with the Sphinx who blocked the entrance to the city of Thebes.

Almanac Music: ‘My Baby’s Got Me Locked Up in Chains’ – Songs Containing Prison References

In this week’s installment of his long-running series concerning popular song themes, KD looks at songs that contain prison references.

Almanac Poetry: Chaconne in F for Recorders, Viola da Gamba and Harpsichord

Kevin Densley describes this week’s poem as ‘a souffle-light piece about the writing of poetry and English baroque composer Henry Purcell, with a touch of humour’. [Succintly conveyed – Ed.]

Almanac Music: ‘Pink and Purple Wisteria’ – Songs Involving Flowers

In this week’s installment of KD’s long-running series about popular song themes, the topic is songs involving flowers; as usual, readers’ input is warmly welcomed.

Almanac Poetry: To Dionysus

According to Wikipedia, in ancient Greek myth and religion, Dionysus is ‘God of wine, vegetation, fertility, festivity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre’. Quite a collection of responsibilities! KD’s poem deals humorously with this well-known god of excess.

Almanac Music: ‘Let There Be Rock’ – Songs That Reference Rock and Roll

In this installment of KD’s long-running series about popular song, the theme is songs that reference rock and roll. As usual, readers’ responses are warmly welcomed.

Almanac Poetry: Shapeshifter

This week’s poem by Kevin Densley concerns shapeshifting – an ability, often represented in the arts, to transform oneself into something else.

Almanac Poetry: Freud’s Famous Case Histories

This week, it’s an unpublished poem from KD’s archives, written long ago, based upon his university study of Sigmund (not James!) Freud.

Almanac Music: ‘Here Comes the…’ – Songs Involving the Sun

In this instalment of his long-running series about popular music themes, KD deals with songs involving the sun. As usual, readers’ responses are warmly welcomed.

Almanac Poetry: As Happy as Larry

In this poem from KD, a bloke named Larry is a happy man.

Almanac Poetry: This/That

Kevin Densley describes this week’s contribution as a ‘poem about opposites’.

Almanac Music: ‘My Huckleberry Friend’ – Songs about the Moon

In the latest instalment of his long-running series on popular music themes, KD look at songs involving the moon. As usual, readers’ responses are warmly welcomed.