Sounds or loud noises can often vary, and may seem different in the many forms. Like everyday appliances and tools, music, the world generally, and of course people! Some of whom are much louder than others, but have no fear I will certainly be getting to that later.
Now some people like sounds and noises around them, as others will avidly seek the proverbial peace and quiet that is sometimes hard to find. As mentioned we are all different. I for one have a bit of an aversion to complete silence at home, well mostly, and this goes back to when I suddenly found myself living alone, and the silence seemed a bit eerie.
There are obviously really annoying sounds that grate on us, and I guess we all have our particular main “pet hates” with this. What are yours that maybe even now while you are reading this can make your teeth go on edge, aggravate or remind you?
One of my hates is the noise of the vacuum cleaner, and this goes back to when I was living at home before moving out. My (beloved) mum always hoovered on a Saturday morning for some reason, and when I started going out drinking Friday night, the hoovering was a most unwelcome Saturday morning sound that I have never really lost.
But however “Come on Laurie” be honest in that your main amusement and interest is loud people! Now as I’ve said before and to qualify again, I am quite loud, but hey I’m talking REALLY loud people here, and we ALL know them, so just let those names come to mind and remember the old adage of “empty vessels making the most noise”, which is so very true.
On the subject of “loudness” then comes this poem from my very first book of four years ago, and a true event in a local pub I went in. I am very proud to say that this poem was published in The Daily Mail in 2014 and the first of several so to do!
Bar Room Star
Every pub or bar will have one
There are lots of them about,
And while everyone likes talking
He feels the need to shout.
Amongst his group of cronies
He must be the loudest bloke,
Then burst into raucous laughter
Every time he cracks a joke!
I turn my head to see him
But you couldn’t miss the noise,
For he’s the best at shouting
In the group of loud old boys.
We all laugh at something
In our own personal way,
Within the bounds of reason
As appropriate for the day.
But this loud man doesn’t realise
His grating voice won’t nestle,
And he clearly has forgotten
The saying of the empty vessel.
So the loud man’s noise continues
And his voice you couldn’t douse,
Though I have a deep suspicion
That at home he’s like a mouse!
–
Yes and like most of my poems it was written around a true event or experience, and perhaps I can still hear that bloke a bit even now. Whenever I read out that poem at presentations and gigs I do, nearly everyone comes up with a name of somebody they say “fits the bill” exactly! Lovely!
I suppose with my psychiatric nursing background of many years I tend to notice such loud or maybe “over the top at times folks” and look behind it all. One of my favourite and probably a very well known quote from Shakespeare is loosely “methinks the lady doth protest too much” and this next poem, again from my very first book, sums this up I think?.
Contradiction
Laughing, smiling happy soul
Pure contentment’s all you’ve got,
Until you take a closer look
And see in fact it’s not.
Behind the easy ready smile
A mask conceals what’s true,
And betrays a deeper inner ache
That belies the outer you.
So it’s no lie that makes you laugh
And lights your outer glow,
It’s a natural pull to get away
From scenes best not to know.
But still you sail on constantly
Making happy waves and wakes,
To do the deeds required from you
Whatever pain it takes.
And thus your spiral turns and twists
And pulls you up and down,
And mocks your steadfast attitude
To look without a frown.
So now your battle rages on
Unseen and yet severe ,
While you give aid and comfort
To anyone that’s near.
Laughing, smiling happy soul
Who wants freedom like a bee,
To be stroked and brought to life
By the special ones that see.
–
Well that poem may not be exactly about being loud, but certainly shows up a “jolly, jolly me” cover many people use. In fact I wrote it about 2009 for a lovely young lady who had a bright exterior that covered up an appalling home life.
A quick poem follow up and from my 5th and latest book Life Presented in Verse, comes “A Little Loud” and another true and unfortunate experience…..
A Little Loud
A while ago I wrote a poem
Which was entitled “Bar Room Star”,
All about a very loud man
I’d heard in a local bar.
But recently I have met his equal
In fact he really is much worse,
With his “over the top” loud voice
That could make a vicar curse.
And I know I have said before
That I can be loud as well,
But nobody could ever equal him
With his mouth almighty hell.
Strangely he is not very big
But you wouldn’t think that the case,
For the cacophony of noise he makes
Could be heard in outer space.
So no, not really very tall,
Though he has a cocky manner,
Flowing from his jaunty frame
You’d love to hit with a spanner.
Thus if a shouting contest started
I could probably hold my own,
Whist accepting I could be beaten
By blokes of twenty stone.
Though as I said he’s only small
But will always be the noisy winner,
For compared to all his shouting
Anyone else is a beginner!
–
I can’t help smiling here, no not at my hoped for humour for that is a total “no, no”, but just the memories of some of my similar experiences. It never fails to amuse folks who ask me how I have written, or write, so many poems when I reply “just everyday life, people and incidents”!
Certain sights, happenings, and things said or done in my world most days are constant, and I must add therapeutic, fodder for my now fertile mind as I observe, or “scan the world with a curious eye” as my publisher wrote about me.
This for anyone who has got, or has read, one of my books will probably strike a chord, or so I am told. If you don’t have a book please get one, and support Help for Heroes charity too. I’m quite confident from much kind feedback, you will like it and many poems will “resonate with you” (quote).
So after all that we are getting near the end of this piece, but not without another example of a loud person in a slightly different way. A litter bit of a difference possibly, but no less of a persons type of loudness. From my fourth book comes…
Mister Know it All
It was such a privilege to meet him
For in this world of large and small,
You can meet many different people
But I’ve just met Mister know it all.
A self confessed man of forty seven
Already portly and with bifocals too,
He looked more my advancing years
But a better man than me or you.
For everything that had been achieved
He’d been there and done it better.
Boasting of his brilliance whilst,
Thinking you believed him to the letter.
Though he did seek confirmation
From his fawning mate called Shaun.
Who nodded puppet like but shyly,
And at most times, quite forlorn.
As I’m sure he was embarrassed
The more elaborate stories became,
Like never losing when gambling
And winning on each and every game.
I must have looked back quite cynically
For have heard fairy tales before,
As he then appeared very anxious
When I edged towards the door.
As when learning I retired very early
Said he could stop work at anytime.
So after I asked him why he didn’t
His reply was laughably sublime.
For he had three special life insurances
That would never ever recede,
At which I seemed too disbelieving
On his policies no failing breed.
For this was all news to me
As most stocks and shares move,
Up and down at various times
That many bankruptcies will prove.
But by now I was realising
It was pointless debating with might,
For Mister know it all for certain
That everything he said was right!
So now I was making my excuses
Being desperate to take my leave,
And escape this bragging moron
That no one will ever believe.
–
Hard to follow that, but another true story and now captured in print too. So there you have it, loud as in over the top. Perhaps you have similar experiences and almost certainly have met people like this, thus go forth and listen, or ho, ho try not to! As always and of course it could be you, but no it couldn’t possibly be. OR could it?
All five of my books :–
Poetic Views of Life
More Poetic Views of Life
Reviews of Life in Verse &
Life Scene in Verse
Life Presented In Verse,
will all ensure my donation to the excellent charity I support, promote and donate to, that being Help for Heroes.
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