Goodbye To All That

 I was delighted to find a copy of Robert Graves "Goodbye to All That" in a charity shop in York at the weekend, especially with the centenary commemorations for the outbreak of WWI coming next year, I think it would have disappeared much more quickly had it been on display in a few months time.
This is a 1929 edition, the first year of publication, but my copy is already a fifth impression such was its popularity. There are three things about it that make it special for me, the first is the postcard, used as a bookmark and postmarked 1954. The postal address is Dover, a town in my home county if not my home town. Secondly a previous owner has cut out Robert Graves' obituary from The Times newspaper and folded it carefully so it fits in the book. Thirdly the endpaper has a line "Robert Graves 1929" I must try and find out if that is Robert Graves signature or not.

Kennings

Kennings are alive and well and living in Rochdale.
I  quickly put together a Canny Kennings competition to celebrate the launch of the new Rochdale Central Library at Number One Riverside.
here are some of the entries.
Hollie won with this incredibly imaginative Kenning
play together
nasty never
growing stronger
something sweeter
never better
friends forever

what am I?

friendship

I've never seen a Kenning that has used emotion for its theme. Usually we have objects, people or animals. What a brilliant twist.

Libby contibuted one about  my favourite amphibian
big jumper
loud croaker
green hopper
pond swimmer
fly eater
non drinker

what am I?

a frog!

Anum gave us

eye sighter
blue tweeter
game keeper
name signer
large facer
time holder

what am I?

a computer

Zak's Kenning goes like this

green monster
fire breather
tail swisher
loud roarer
scaly eater
terrible man muncher
sharp scratcher

what am I?

a dragon

Rochdale has very talented young people who enjoy playing with words