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Christine Shaw (Chris)Offline

    • Profile picture of kesnerfreds

      kesnerfreds and Profile picture of redbrick Keshnerredbrick Keshner are now friends

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      kesnerfreds
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      FlatDaddy wrote a new post

      My Favorite French Poem

      © 2025My Favorite French PoemC'est la vie,C'est la guerre,C'est les pommes de terre.

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      • Hi, Usha. Thanks for reading it, and I would love to help you; but part of the plot for this story is to use your computer or phone to search the web for a French to English translator and use it to tell you the words in English. The translator aps are free to use, mostly. Or you could go back to school and study the French language like I did, and now I know enough French to write a French poem, and this is the only time and place in my life that my education has paid off. Huzzah! Well, now you’ve got the tool to get the words — but that won’t tell you the meaning. That’s for you to figure out. Not even a fancy education like mine will give you that. You will need to think hard about what the words mean. They say different things to different people, Usha. Perhaps the original meaning is known only by the author.

      • I know those words! Only French I actually know. And I’ve used that phrase myself a time or two

        • Really? I wrote this more than 50 years ago when I was a young, horny USAF airman stationed in Germany, to impress a young French girl on our first date. She giggled, but it was our last date. How could you have possibly known that phrase? I never wrote it down anywhere until I posted it here! Where did you learn it?

          • My best friend growing up had a grandmother who was rather eccentric. She would make us ride in the backseat of her battleship olive green and wood paneled station wagon and randomly say things. We always paid attention because they were usually worth hearing. She said it one day on her way to drop us off at the state fair. It stuck in my head all these years. 😊

            • Amazing! Perhaps we are related in some bizarro way! Ah, C’est la vie qui nous apprend et non l’école

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      FlatDaddy wrote a new post

      I Saw a Lady Cry Today

      © 2025I Saw a Lady Cry TodayBy FlatDaddyI saw a lady cry todayand tried to offer aid,But there was nothing I could sayto comfort this poor maid.The woman shook from toe to head,and cold can make one cry,But she...

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      • Wow, this is someone you met, or were you inspired by someone to write this? She seemed so heart broken

        • Thanks for the input, Fia. My inspiration was the death knell sounded by Pete Hegseth and his crowd. And the Lady must be terribly heartbroken to swim all the way back to France.

          • You captured that emotion well

            • Thanks, Fia. I truly think the sharp rise in violence toward women and children can be traced to the current administration’s policies and racist bent. It’s deplorable.

      • Utterly disgusting, this government and its hatred…

        • Absolutely, and it’s getting so much worse now. I suppose Hegseth will see my Lady swimming back to France and have her bombed, too. I suppose we should erect a big hand where she once stood, with the finger directed right toward DC. Now, THAT would be appropriately Liberating!

      • Absolutely, and it’s getting so much worse now. I suppose Hegseth will see my Lady swimming back to France and have her bombed, too. I suppose we should erect a big hand where she once stood, with the finger directed right toward DC. Now, THAT would be appropriately Liberating!

      • Wow, it posted twice! Not meant to, but acceptable.

    • In Ache's Sea, Longing (Nabla Del)

      "NABLA DEL"an original shape or concrete poetry formcreated by Richard W. Jenkins© 12 Dec 2001In the shape of an upside down (inverted) triangle, this form must be centered for full effect,but may be aligned left or right when formatting...

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      • this is beautiful… but sad.. well, mainly beautiful… well done

        • Thank you sincerely, Sam 🌾

          It’s a pleasure to compose and share with those who appreciate my earnest efforts.
          Your praise and inspiringly gracious comments mean so very much to an olde bard’s hopes.

          Many blessings, Syr! ⁓ Richard🖌

      • I love the use of the Sun and Moon. As I see the Sun as male and Moon female and the Sky as two hands clasp together in a cushioned security. As they come together life begins in warmth. Then as they part you get a sense it is not ending just a new longing.
        I enjoyed this.

        • Thank you Lady Fia 🌺🐝

          Your expressed warmth, appreciation, understanding, and enjoyment of my humble efforts make sharing with you feel so very worthwhile and rewarding.

          You’re a most wonderful reviewer … thank you again, Fia ⁓ Richard🖌

      • shit…this is gorgeous. sky. sun. moon. fate. all narrowed down to that one word…longin. hits ya right in the gut.

        • With sincere thanks, Dru 🍷
          Your gracious comments are truly inspiring.

          Creating these Concrete pieces can be a challenge, but enjoyable and quite satisfying in the end … especially, when they turn out so nicely formed.

          You should try one! ⁓ Richard🖌

      • Beautifully penned, Rascal. You’re a gifted writer my friend, and your passion to teach is an excellent attribute. Nicely done. Appreciate you.

        Damian

        • Many thanks, Damian 👍

          I am most grateful for your words expressing such positively sincere sentiments and inspiring praise of my skills and desires to pass along the boundless artistic wonderment of our art.

          It’s truly a pleasure sharing my enjoyable efforts with you, Syr.
          Thank you again! ⁓ Richard🖌

      • It’s always a pleasure not only to read your master poetry but to enjoy your original forms also, to begin with the photo how it fits perfectly the ambiance, it’s alive and the breaking and sadness are felt from it, and again your life wisdom shines through your words, the turn at the end is sudden, I think this is how a heart breaks, sudden with no expectations, and that’s what your poem worded and shaped, for me this could turn into a beautiful sonnet considering the theme, the unfolding events of and the sudden change.

        • Hello, Dear Sonnet 🎶

          Sitting here taking in the graciously brilliant soul breaths of your each living word, I could not help but travel back into our many years and unforgettable memories, to those moments we first met and began sharing poetry on so many different writing sites … and, all that has transpired between us that made an everlasting friendship and bond ⁓ like no other.

          How I so deeply cherish recounting every nuance life took us through together, until (as it often does), when moment-by-moment we drifted, not really apart, yet, off into further callings and kismets that take hearts, souls, and minds down many paths t’ward eventual completion of existence off this mortal realm to we are eventually drawn. Ohhh, but how exciting our wondrous travails and blessings have been ⁓ together and apart.

          Tho’, as I read through and felt your enthrallingly glowing, intelligently gentle, caring, appreciative, and graciously inspiring words in review for this uniquely rendered poem, I realized how bonded we truly were, are, and (hopefully) shall always be, through eternity. Differently? Yes! You as YOU, I as I can only be … yet, bonded by something, almost spiritual, respectful, and intrinsically blessed … beyond the limitation of words.

          I’ve often marvelled at the insights you so vividly express about me and my poetry. It’s, almost, as if the moment I exhaled you inhaled, absorbing the sheer wispy essence of my poetic soul … one of the beautiful aspects of your being I’ve always marvelled at, adored, and loved.

          Hmmm? Seems I’ve been needing to share with someone I know will understand, eh?
          Ever-so thankfully, I bow to thee, Lady Ghounwah ⁓ Richard🖌

          • “who am I to know God’s plan?”. If we surrender to this things would be much better and smoother, but human nature seeks control and with controling comes resistance, and all of this lead to nothing but trauma and unnecessary pain before we even realize it. Of course someone like You with all the wisdom He has knows all of this already and accepts life and everything as it is, One of the things which I really admire about You, and I think You’ve praised abilities more than I deserve, yet I’m honoured to receive them from You.

            I guess I do understand, sometimes understanding is all what we can do.

            May happiness, peace and poetry fill your days and heart✨🙏🏻✨

            • Ahhh⁓💫

              There’s nothing like receiving the soft, beautiful whispers of your wondrously gifted voice to turn the all of me into a warmly blessed smile.

              I, too, wish the very same gracious sentiments of poetic happiness for You, Dear Ghounwah.
              Namaskar🙏 as always! ⁓ Richard🌾

    • Hi, Sam Nash 🍷

      Welcome to “Back to Poetry Basics” … and, thank you for joining-in.

      You can take part in any of the previous lessons or jump right in on the current “Poetic Voice” lesson.
      Our new lesson, beginning, Wednesday, December 3rd, will be on “Meter”.

      if you have any requests or ideas,let me know and we’ll do it! ⁓ Richard🖋️

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