Masterful, Sir. I even started to half believe it myself. I liked your poem actually. As Olivia says, you're a very talented liar. In fact, I believe you even made up this comment
Hahahaha. Very clever. (<me responding to my own comment!)
Thank you, Terry. It's all your doing. I really really enjoyed writing this one, especially because parts of it were actually true. I've also thoroughly enjoyed reading some Browning in the last week, so perhaps sometime in the future, this post will resolve itself into being less of a lie.
So do I actually follow up and try and post another post of poetry?
2. Do you wish to, or should we try another round, with you reviewing something non-existent of mine, or call 8t a day. I'd prefer one 9f the first two options myself. Or we could run a poll, see what readers think? Or maybe readers could respond in these comments
I would like to try to actually write a piece with multiple verses (if that's the correct term ... my lack of knowledge of poetry), but I'm not sure how long it'd actually take me.
And of course, happy to continue, these have been such fun!
I agree. We could try and thrash out some ideas by email. Regarding verses taking a long time. I I have the same issue with experiments in style, so what I'm doing is writing drafts and will publish when there's something to show. Plus, my new schedule of every two weeks will help by easing the pressure, but I am comm tied to getting the next one published a week on Sunday, so it feels like a good balance. Maybe you could do something similar, i.e. Write in the background and then publish when you have something reasy
Oh my goodness, Nathan, even after reading your previous challenge for Terry & then his challenge for you I STILL fell into thinking this was all true & was completely thrown at the reveal! Which is absolutely joyful because David is working and hasn't had the opportunity to come & spoil it in advance!
Well done, sir. Beautifully written, the whole thing, but considering you've never written poetry before...?? -SLOW CLAP THAT BUILDS TO RAUCOUS APPLAUSE-
Hehe I was hoping you might get to it before David!
The question is, do I actually follow through and attempt to write more for an actual post? Or leave this as is. Or simply post a blank page and refer back once more to Terry's challenge 😉
(Also, that moon crept there into the line of verse.)
You’re killing me! Every time I fall in love with a work, only to find out it does not exist! I was going to post it on Reddit, set the sleuths on their mission, and then, and then! Well unreliable narrator, fortunately the true parts are what drew me to the false. I can’t wait for more. Splendid!
You had me for sure. What a delicious little conceit. I also read a lot of Stephen King, when I was young. He’s had a huge influence on my writing. I’m interested to see where you go next down the rabbit hole.
I again fell for your ruse! But, I knew you were a poet! You are a poet. It's clear to me in all your writing. There's so much poetry there. You may want to consider writing that poetic collection of yours.
Thanks Nadia, too kind. I spent many moments trying to make something come across as passable poetry. I feel it'd take me weeks just to write a full poem!
Wicked, wicked, Nathan! The gig was up once I read ‘poetry’ Fool me once... ;) Nicely done. Very convincing, too! Come to think of it, I read most of King in German decades ago.
I can't believe I had already forgotten the challenge between you and Terry until you mentioned the title...! Beautifully done, looking forward to more poetry.
This fooled me. I thought I’d discovered a new, different side of you—the masterful poet you’re hiding from all of us, and I was about to DM you about a copy of that book😂 my friend, what a wonderful wordsmith you are.
Don't worry, even my wife was caught off guard here.
And is that so regarding Browning's wife? I am going to go look up some of her work!
Also, thank you for the big sweep of reads this morning. I'm very sorry I'm slightly behind on your last two. I have them open in my browser ready to be read properly.
Oh goodness, don't apologize for being behind! 😊 Getting to things in your own time is one of the joys of Substack over other social media. Which I take full advantage of!
Also: So sneaky! But sneaky in the cause of excellent and fun art, so it is allowed! 😄
Jesus, I was really starting to doubt my memory. I spent most of the post saying "What? He's never spoken of this", "I don't remember that?" to myself.
Aug 27, 2023·edited Aug 28, 2023Liked by Nathan Slake
This is hilarious. "Terry Freedman’s Forgotten Paths and Winding Memories—a discovery of London's bike trails" - I mean, I used to work for Lonely Planet in Melbourne (rode my bike the 5km each way) and this could definitely have been a real book.
Love it. I’m someone who finds poetry somewhat difficult. Substack is slowly showing me that the effort might be worth it. But life is so short! And there is so much to do. Food for thought at the very least. Thanks so much. A terrific response.
Thanks Beth, that's very kind of you. And yes, poetry very difficult for me, too, in part because I do not really understand enough about its form and structure. If anything, this post made me learn a few bits.
Masterful, Sir. I even started to half believe it myself. I liked your poem actually. As Olivia says, you're a very talented liar. In fact, I believe you even made up this comment
Hahahaha. Very clever. (<me responding to my own comment!)
Thank you, Terry. It's all your doing. I really really enjoyed writing this one, especially because parts of it were actually true. I've also thoroughly enjoyed reading some Browning in the last week, so perhaps sometime in the future, this post will resolve itself into being less of a lie.
So do I actually follow up and try and post another post of poetry?
1. I shall cross post this
2. Do you wish to, or should we try another round, with you reviewing something non-existent of mine, or call 8t a day. I'd prefer one 9f the first two options myself. Or we could run a poll, see what readers think? Or maybe readers could respond in these comments
Cross-posting would be great, thanks.
A poll is also a great idea.
I would like to try to actually write a piece with multiple verses (if that's the correct term ... my lack of knowledge of poetry), but I'm not sure how long it'd actually take me.
And of course, happy to continue, these have been such fun!
I agree. We could try and thrash out some ideas by email. Regarding verses taking a long time. I I have the same issue with experiments in style, so what I'm doing is writing drafts and will publish when there's something to show. Plus, my new schedule of every two weeks will help by easing the pressure, but I am comm tied to getting the next one published a week on Sunday, so it feels like a good balance. Maybe you could do something similar, i.e. Write in the background and then publish when you have something reasy
Sounds like a good plan.
Oh my goodness, Nathan, even after reading your previous challenge for Terry & then his challenge for you I STILL fell into thinking this was all true & was completely thrown at the reveal! Which is absolutely joyful because David is working and hasn't had the opportunity to come & spoil it in advance!
Well done, sir. Beautifully written, the whole thing, but considering you've never written poetry before...?? -SLOW CLAP THAT BUILDS TO RAUCOUS APPLAUSE-
Hehe I was hoping you might get to it before David!
The question is, do I actually follow through and attempt to write more for an actual post? Or leave this as is. Or simply post a blank page and refer back once more to Terry's challenge 😉
(Also, that moon crept there into the line of verse.)
Oh I vote more!! I vote more, with at least a cheeky reference to a quote from Nature, for those in the know...😉
I was grinning like a madwoman at the crescent line 🌘
You’re killing me! Every time I fall in love with a work, only to find out it does not exist! I was going to post it on Reddit, set the sleuths on their mission, and then, and then! Well unreliable narrator, fortunately the true parts are what drew me to the false. I can’t wait for more. Splendid!
Plot twist: it's all the truth...
No, no, sadly not. My apologies for nearly sending you down a near rabbit hole of sleuthing then 😉
You had me for sure. What a delicious little conceit. I also read a lot of Stephen King, when I was young. He’s had a huge influence on my writing. I’m interested to see where you go next down the rabbit hole.
Heh, thanks Ben. I had some trepidation about this one, and even a little more so after reading your recent Note!
Always glad to meet a fellow admirer of King.
Damn. And here I believed every word. You’re a very talented liar - which is a marvelous skill for fiction!
😆 Sorry! But thank you, about the lying, in the fictional context. I tell the truth when speaking, I promise ...
I again fell for your ruse! But, I knew you were a poet! You are a poet. It's clear to me in all your writing. There's so much poetry there. You may want to consider writing that poetic collection of yours.
Thanks Nadia, too kind. I spent many moments trying to make something come across as passable poetry. I feel it'd take me weeks just to write a full poem!
I know you have it in you. Just do it!!! ;-)
Wicked, wicked, Nathan! The gig was up once I read ‘poetry’ Fool me once... ;) Nicely done. Very convincing, too! Come to think of it, I read most of King in German decades ago.
Too whip smart, you are. A more devilish plan I must devise.
I followed both threads, so that may have helped 😅 Still, superbly written!
I can't believe I had already forgotten the challenge between you and Terry until you mentioned the title...! Beautifully done, looking forward to more poetry.
Haha, that's awesome Mya, glad to have snuck in with some words before you realised what was going on ;)
This fooled me. I thought I’d discovered a new, different side of you—the masterful poet you’re hiding from all of us, and I was about to DM you about a copy of that book😂 my friend, what a wonderful wordsmith you are.
Teehee, I'm pleased to hear 😉😆
Thanks for reading this one, Andrei. Glad you enjoyed.
That was a near miss... my brain shuts down at poetry. Can't. Won't. Was going to say that and pass this post until I read the other comments.
Glad you made it mate 😉
This is my story!
My story is One Big Lie
Bearing many truths
This is very good. I really enjoyed the ride.
Why thank you, Gadzooks! 😄
Colour me intrigued...
What?! Nooooooooooo! I was really looking forward to your poem! 😂 Man I am such an easy mark....
These experiments are awesome! Even if you now widely considered Unreliable. 😉
Also: Browning's wife was the better poet in my opinion by far!!!
Hehe, so sorry! ;)
Don't worry, even my wife was caught off guard here.
And is that so regarding Browning's wife? I am going to go look up some of her work!
Also, thank you for the big sweep of reads this morning. I'm very sorry I'm slightly behind on your last two. I have them open in my browser ready to be read properly.
Oh goodness, don't apologize for being behind! 😊 Getting to things in your own time is one of the joys of Substack over other social media. Which I take full advantage of!
Also: So sneaky! But sneaky in the cause of excellent and fun art, so it is allowed! 😄
That's so true.
Still, I do like to try and remain on top of my reading list, otherwise it can get out of hand too easily here 😄
I do admit to feeling a bit daunted as I am catching up
Jesus, I was really starting to doubt my memory. I spent most of the post saying "What? He's never spoken of this", "I don't remember that?" to myself.
I had started working on my comment. It's on a post-it on my phone.
What is happening? I need a reread.
Sorry! Might be confusnig without all the context. It might be best to start here, Jo: https://slake.substack.com/p/mere-morsels
This is hilarious. "Terry Freedman’s Forgotten Paths and Winding Memories—a discovery of London's bike trails" - I mean, I used to work for Lonely Planet in Melbourne (rode my bike the 5km each way) and this could definitely have been a real book.
Hah, that's brilliant!
Oh, and a fellow Melburnian. *Waves* Can't recall if I knew that about you already.
Hello! Nice day in Melbourne today (for now) (all Melbournians will understand).
Yeah it's beautiful right now. Roll on spring!
Love it. I’m someone who finds poetry somewhat difficult. Substack is slowly showing me that the effort might be worth it. But life is so short! And there is so much to do. Food for thought at the very least. Thanks so much. A terrific response.
Thanks Beth, that's very kind of you. And yes, poetry very difficult for me, too, in part because I do not really understand enough about its form and structure. If anything, this post made me learn a few bits.