dcmarti1 Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 (Where is Bulgaria's equivalent of Vaclav Havel?) Work clothes drying on a line One street over from the oldest Tree in Plovdiv, one street over In Europe's oldest city; Crusty bread wafting through the air, Mixed with coughs from ancient Citroens and Skodas, one street over In Europe's oldest city; A bistro's french press coffee pot Stands forgotten, its liquor as tepid As the deep Summer night, one street over In Europe's oldest city: One street over in Europe's oldest city, Archdeacons and Ex-Communists, Plotting to usurp the power of the poor, Will be outlived by the oldest tree in Plovdiv. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger11 Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 Quote Archdeacons and Ex-Communists, Plotting to usurp the power of the poor The poem translates a lack of progress in those coughs from ancient Citroens and Skodas - like the coughs by the way - but in that context of neglect, what is the power of the poor? And isn't it easy enough to axe a tree? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcmarti1 Posted June 10, 2019 Author Share Posted June 10, 2019 5 hours ago, badger11 said: The poem translates a lack of progress in those coughs from ancient Citroens and Skodas - like the coughs by the way - but in that context of neglect, what is the power of the poor? And isn't it easy enough to axe a tree? I am TRYING to have hope for the former Eastern bloc. The power of the poor is in numbers, but xenophobia, bribery, sexism, ageism, etc., still run rough shod. I would have THOUGHT the Orthodox Church would have been a force for LIBERATION, since the non-collaborators were surely persecuted. I was trying to infer that nature will outlive us all, and that maybe (surely, actually) nature does not need us at all. I am just glad to be writing ANYTHING... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger11 Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 Fair enough Marti. I should state the fact the poem provoked thought is a positive. all the best Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinker Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 Hi Marti, I know so little about Estonia, Latvia, Bulgaria, Serbia et al. It is only here on this forum that they have become real places to me. You, Tony and Phil seem to connect to that part of the world and I get to share glimpses through your poetry. I'm always fascinated when you write poetry opening the door a little wider. This was no exception. This recurring refrain spoke to me. Who knew? I had to Google. Never before heard of Plovdiv. On 6/9/2019 at 7:25 PM, dcmarti1 said: one street over In Europe's oldest city: Work clothes, crusty bread and French press coffee set a scene of life simply moving slowly forward but with old roots deep in the soil of a very old city. Yet the old tree is still there growing. The images tell the story. I loved the feel of the poem and the refrain and repetition made it easy to picture. I'm really glad you are writing again and sharing it here. ~~Tink Quote ~~ © ~~ Poems by Judi Van Gorder ~~ For permission to use this work you can write to Tinker1111@icloud.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcmarti1 Posted June 13, 2019 Author Share Posted June 13, 2019 10 hours ago, Tinker said: Hi Marti, I know so little about Estonia, Latvia, Bulgaria, Serbia et al. It is only here on this forum that they have become real places to me. You, Tony and Phil seem to connect to that part of the world and I get to share glimpses through your poetry. I'm always fascinated when you write poetry opening the door a little wider. This was no exception. This recurring refrain spoke to me. Who knew? I had to Google. Never before heard of Plovdiv. Work clothes, crusty bread and French press coffee set a scene of life simply moving slowly forward but with old roots deep in the soil of a very old city. Yet the old tree is still there growing. The images tell the story. I loved the feel of the poem and the refrain and repetition made it easy to picture. I'm really glad you are writing again and sharing it here. ~~Tink But my knowledge is of the broadest measure, nothing really deeply substantive. I am a Socialist, but that tyrant Putin needs to be stopped. I knew he was trouble in 2000 when he let that Russian navy sub sink after getting international offers for help. These right-wing reactionaries are making inroads into the former Soviet satellite states. Let's hope their NATO membership softens their reactionary fantasies. Hope, indeed. Thanks, as always, for reading and encouraging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcmarti1 Posted June 13, 2019 Author Share Posted June 13, 2019 On 6/11/2019 at 12:16 AM, badger11 said: Fair enough Marti. I should state the fact the poem provoked thought is a positive. all the best Phil I enjoy provoking you. Muah! Take care. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger11 Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 I agree Marti. Parallels can be drawn from the era of Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini with today's political leaders. Putin, Trump, Xi Jinping, Assad, Erdoğan...dictators, gangsters and demagogues. The latter appeal to that 'power of the people' through nationalism and xenophobia. After all, Hitler was initially an elected politician! cheers phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcmarti1 Posted June 14, 2019 Author Share Posted June 14, 2019 18 hours ago, badger11 said: I agree Marti. Parallels can be drawn from the era of Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini with today's political leaders. Putin, Trump, Xi Jinping, Assad, Erdoğan...dictators, gangsters and demagogues. The latter appeal to that 'power of the people' through nationalism and xenophobia. After all, Hitler was initially an elected politician! cheers phil Orban, Babis, and possibly Johnson. What has happened? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David W. Parsley Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 Well selected details and nice use of refrain make the mundane a compelling backdrop to the political unrest. Combined with the age of the city and of a single living tree, it shows that the earth and all that is in it will continue. And what a title to go with that tree! Nice! - Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyv Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 I do like the mood in this poem, Marti. Lyrical pieces are my favorites. This one is short (as I like them), and it employs some pleasing poetic devices (e.g. the repetition/refrain). I, too, like the mention of the crusty bread and coffee, but stanza three's "deep Summer night" is what appeals to me the most. I can see, feel, sense the blackness and imagine the white buildings against its backdrop.1 The last stanza has a hopefulness to it. Doesn't it say somewhere in the Bible that all of mankind's institutions will be toppled? Tony 1. Quote Here is a link to an index of my works on this site: tonyv's Member Archive topic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcmarti1 Posted June 24, 2019 Author Share Posted June 24, 2019 On 6/16/2019 at 2:28 AM, David W. Parsley said: Well selected details and nice use of refrain make the mundane a compelling backdrop to the political unrest. Combined with the age of the city and of a single living tree, it shows that the earth and all that is in it will continue. And what a title to go with that tree! Nice! - Dave Thanks, Dave. Tree, gallows.....I don't know how that popped into my head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcmarti1 Posted June 24, 2019 Author Share Posted June 24, 2019 On 6/16/2019 at 3:45 PM, tonyv said: I do like the mood in this poem, Marti. Lyrical pieces are my favorites. This one is short (as I like them), and it employs some pleasing poetic devices (e.g. the repetition/refrain). I, too, like the mention of the crusty bread and coffee, but stanza three's "deep Summer night" is what appeals to me the most. I can see, feel, sense the blackness and imagine the white buildings against its backdrop.1 The last stanza has a hopefulness to it. Doesn't it say somewhere in the Bible that all of mankind's institutions will be toppled? Tony 1. Yeah, short. I have decided I need to be William Carlos Williams Redux and not Phillip Sidney Part 2. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyv Posted June 24, 2019 Share Posted June 24, 2019 20 minutes ago, dcmarti1 said: Yeah, short. I have decided I need to be William Carlos Williams Redux and not Phillip Sidney Part 2. If I write fourteen lines, that for me is a long poem! Quote Here is a link to an index of my works on this site: tonyv's Member Archive topic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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