The Believer

                                           Philip Straub

THE BELIEVER

Of course I believe in magic! Why, it's everywhere I look!

I see it in a stranger's smile, I read it in a book,

I hear it in lovely music, I breathe it in the air.

I live surrounded by magic because it's everywhere.

Being alive is magic, the linking of DNA;

Being dead is magic, when, in smoke, we drift away.

The fact that life exists at all is the greatest magic existing;

The fact that humans ever evolved and that they're still persisting!

But do I believe in fairies that dance in fairy rings,

And horseshoes and rabbit's feet and other silly things?

And do I believe in horoscopes or numerology,

And do I believe in a Presence watching over me?

No, no, no! I don't need them, without them I can thrive!

I'm living proof of magic. Look at me! I'm alive!

*

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CONTRASTS

Above, the hustle of the town,

People, traffic, up and down.

Below, the fishing bridge, so quiet,

Quite divorced from the city riot.

How fortunate we have the choices....

Raucous or elemental voices.

*

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PS

I saw this film yesterday and I thought it was delightful. Mind you, I think Ewan McGregor is so gorgeous that I probably watched with an uncritical eye! The story was utterly impossible, but the relationships were drawn well and I shed a few tears, which I only do when the film is happy. Give me gore and violent death and I don't shed a tear, but this film was a two-tissue one because it was so sweet. And no swearing and fornicating (well, maybe a hint of the latter) in the whole film.

The Winter Solstice

An Australian viewpoint

THE WINTER SOLSTICE

(A Haiku)

It is mid-winter

The sun is low and gentle

Now it starts to climb

*

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                        Ruth Addinall

ALL THINGS COME......

I was walking past the bus-stop on the way to work one day

When a lady touched my arm in an apologetic way.

'I'm new round here' she said to me ' I don't want to make a fuss,

But I need to know the number of the Sprintly Gardens bus.'

'That's easy, dear' I answered 'It's number 85.

Just hang around a little while. I'm sure it will arrive.'

Imagine my surprise when, walking home, I found her there,

Looking rather frazzled and a bit the worse for wear!

I'd been at the office all day long, the sun was almost setting!

To see her waiting patiently was terribly upsetting!

How could she stand there all day long? And how could she survive?

'Have you been waiting here all day for number 85!'

'Yes' she answered 'And I'm glad there's not too long to wait!

I've counted all the buses and I'm up to 78!'

*

The Pianist

Life is like a piano; what you put into it is what you get out.

QUOTOGRAPHY


asks us to use our own photograph alongside a suitable quote


THE PIANIST

My friend, Carole.

Her name is Carole; she loves to play

In her own particular way.

Sometimes jazz and sometimes swing;

Sometimes ballads, while we sing.

At home she plays in a classical style,

Caressing the ivories all the while.

But when she plays for us alone

She has a special touch and tone.

She urges us or holds us back,

Chastises us when we are slack.

She rewrites songs in certain keys

So we can sing the melodies.

She copes with our funny little ways

And she's always eager to give praise.

While we are strutting on the stage

She quietly turns another page.

I thought of Carole when I found this quote;

A lady of notes, also of note.

*

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LIFE'S ROUNDABOUT

'Jump on the roundabout!' says Life at the moment of our birth!

'Here is your little gee-gee! Spin around the earth!'

So on we leap with a light heart, quite certain the ride will be

Smooth, yet very exciting, and full of variety.

But quite soon we discover that our gee-gee's a wayward horse;

Round and round we go indeed, but not on a smooth-running course.

Sometime the horse is an old nag, and she slows to a sluggish pace,

When there are boring things to do and heavy tasks to face.

Sometimes our horse is skittish, liking to jump and buck,

That's when life gets too frenzied and we're likely to run amok.

There are times when the gee-gee's placid, and she gives us a gentle ride

So that we're able to view, at ease, life's passing countryside.

The roundabout horses in fair-grounds are static, unchanging toys;

They know nothing of our erratic lives, our sorrows and our joys.

But, like it or not, we are destined to ride until our turn is done,

Let's hope, at the end, we smile and say 'That ride was lots of fun!'

*

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PS

I joined Facebook uncertainly, wondering what was the point of it. But when, through FB, I discover my English relations enjoying a family get-together on the Isle of Wight, I realise that it really does bring people together. Herewith their photos. What a good-looking bunch.

My cousin, Dick, with his two sons, Richard and Matthew.

Richard with his partner. 

Richard with his sister, Clare.

Beware!

ABC WEDNESDAY
http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com.au/


BEWARE!


So you think you live in dangerous times!

The TV makes you aware of crimes;

Video games are full of gore

And the future scares you more and more.

Your children are cosseted night and day,

Never free to run and play

Out in that nasty unkind world,

Where some nasty missile may be hurled.

Predators lurk in every ally .....

Intent on getting far too pally.

Your child may pick-up nasty bugs'

Or, horror of horrors, be offered drugs!

*

I look back to an earlier age

When Hitler strutted upon the stage.

But it's not of him I want to write,

Though there was a Big Bad War to fight.

I wish to speak of childhood joys

When little girls and little boys

Ran wild in the countryside all day

Completely unsupervised at play.

I remember friends falling out of trees,

Breaking arms and grazing knees;

I recall a time when parents said 

'Make sure you get home in time for bed'!

If we hurt ourselves and felt quite sore

Mum said 'Well, don't do that any more'.

Smallpox and polio were rife;

Always a threat to a young child's life

But I don't recall anybody saying

'Watch out for germs when you're out playing!'

Bonfire Night drew quite a crowd.

Backyard fireworks were allowed;

Letting them off was really scary,

They were a trap for the unwary,

But we all survived, though possibly singed

And no-one I knew became unhinged!

*

The world is different now, of course,

We're digital.....no need for Morse!

But I'm sorry for the young ones of today

Who haven't the freedom to really PLAY!

*

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    Scott-Evans

THE NAPE

There's the beauty of the roses,

The charm of the silken gown,

The hidden glory of the face

As the lady is glancing down.

But the reason for this painting,

Which I cannot escape,

Is the utter charm and perfection 

Of a lovely woman's nape.

Now wouldn't you think a wordsmith

Would conjur up a word

More suited to this attribute!

'Nape' is almost absurd!

It should be described in lilting terms

That flow right off the tongue;

A word like 'serendipity'

That, when spoken, sounds as sung.

'The nape!' How coldly clinical!

The coldest word I've heard.

Won't some poetic person

Come up with a better word?

*

Not Easy

VICE VERSA

http://poetryblogroll.blogspot.com.au/

asks us to use the following words

allow/deny    harsh/gentle

NOT EASY

Bringing up a little child is not an easy task.

Some parents give-in all the time, whatever the child may ask.

They're gentle people who, it seems, hate to deny their child,

And they end up with a monster, who's undisciplined and wild.

Some other parents won't allow insubordination;

Their discipline is very harsh, perfection their fixation.

They end up with a child that's cowed, always saying 'Yes',

An adult who is damaged, and hardly a success.

And then there are other parents who have the perfect touch;

Whose discipline is not too rigid, who don't shout too much.

These parents have perfect children, as anyone can see!

Model yourself on a perfect Mother.....who happens to be ME!

*

(No comments allowed from Rebecca and Greg!)

*

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REJECTION

The Vienna Acadamy of Fine Arts!

What do they know of art?

I've been praised from my earliest days!

 Right from the very start!

Everyone said I was clever,

With an architectural flair!

And now this dreadful rejection

Has filled me with despair!

All right! I never studied;

I never worked very much.

But I felt I had a calling

For landscape art and such.

I saw my future as an artist!

I yearned for wealth and fame,

And now I've been rejected!

I feel anger! I feel shame!

They say my talent is modest;

That I can't paint the human form!

And now I feel my anger

Building to a storm!

The Vienna Academy of Fine Arts!

I will even the score!

I'll take my seething anger

And start the next World War!

*

                            Adolf Hitler

Personality Plus

         Franz Kline

THE MAG

http://magpietales.blogspot.com.au

supplied the illusration

PERSONALITY PLUS

I cannot help but personalise!

I must see noses, mouths and eyes!

Though Mr Kline may clearly state

That this is a picture of 'Figure Eight'

I just have to see a human face,

Representing the human race.

I'm told that this is a human trait;

It seems we're built to 'see' this way.

Lace curtains, puddles, clouds on high

Are seen with a personalising eye.

Human features spring to mind

In the oddest things, or so I find.

*

Now here we have a man called Guido

Wearing a very smart tuxedo.

I think he's a waiter. See! He stands

With the menu in his hands.

His shirt is white, his eyes are black;

I twinkle at them.....they twinkle back!

The buttons on his shirt are smart.

(I think I'll order A La Carte.)

You may not see him, but he's there,

Obsequious, with greasy hair.

You may say I'm wrong, but it's too late;

I simply cannot see Figure Eight!

*

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ALCHEMY

They were black when I bought them

Although I asked for gold.

The shop assistant apologised,

Saying all gold had been sold.

I'd set my heart on gold shoes;

I really felt depressed.

Black shoes are so mundane

And I was not impressed.

Nevertheless, I bought them,

Although they weren't quite right,

Because I needed them badly

For Billy's party that night.

The evening was predictable,

Nothing more and nothing less,

Although I'd had such high hopes

And worn my turquoise dress.

Andy made a play for me

But he bores  me to tears.

This night was going to be the worst

That I'd endured for years!

But I looked up and there you were.

I know, now, dreams come true.

My black shoes suddenly turned to gold

As I crossed the floor to you.

*

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PS

It was our Probus Club's sixteenth birthday yesterday so, of course, we had a cake. As President I had to, ceremoniously, cut it! Pity I lost part of my head!

As If!

The Wordle

SUNDAY WHIRL

We are asked to use all the words in the Wordle

AS IF!

My girlhood was spent in a garden

Where all was sprayed with gold,

At least, that's how I remember it

Now I am very old.

*

I swing from a tall tree

My cheeks are bright and rosy.

I carry a spray of wild flowers;

A sweet and fragrant posy.

The grasses cover the meadow

Where pollen's powders lie.

A stray bee buzzes by me,

Then darts off in the sky.

I fling wide my arms to existence

Overcome with erotic glee.

This world is a heaven

And it all belongs to me!

*

Talk about self-deception!

I was pale and melancholy,

Standing at the bus-stop

In my glasses, with a brolly!

'Distance lends enchantment'

Isn't that what they say?

Youth wasn't very romantic!

 Three cheers for today!

*

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NOT YET!

One day I'll try sushi, but not yet!

The very thought fills me with mal de mere.

I look at it in shops and start to sweat

At the thought of all the 'foreign-ess' in there.

Raw fish! I can't imagine how it tastes!

And someone mentioned seaweed once or twice!

All sorts of strange and oriental pastes

Made to appear as normal by the rice.

My grandsons salivate at just the thought

Of 'Sushi for supper' and they shout 'Yippee!'

But I will, here and now, loudly report

That sushi is, for certain, not for me!

*