AWOL Exercise #6
This week’s exercise was all about opposites. Here’s the opening paragraph of Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities:
It was the best of times, it was the worst of
times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the
age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief,
it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the
season of Light, it was the season of
Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was
the winter of despair, we had everything
before us, we had nothing before us, we
were all going direct to Heaven, we were all
going direct the other way
The exercise was to write something on the topic of opposites, but not necessarily sticking to Dickens’ examples.
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AWOL Week #6 Responses:
Hello/Goodbye. by Barry
Hello/Goodbye.
`
I see you in my nightmares
When once you were a dream
A sudden sinking backward thinking
Milk that’s skimmed of cream.
`
A substance known to others
As a caustic risk they fear
They wished you’d exit unannounced
Bring peace from war, as cheer.
`
Sunlight shimmers in her vase
Where once blooms gifted shone
Perfume traced with memories
To reassure you’re gone.
`
Yet pride and calm erase you
From my ever nurtured sleep
And brighten every waking day
For fortune lingers deep.
Barry
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The Saturday Treat by Jodi Glass
The Saturday Treat
`
Turn left on Cleppie road, walk and plain walk.
Closies to the left, closies to the right,
Bus stops and hedges never colliding.
Pounding the pavements, heavily, to clear lockdown blues
But just past the Kings Cross and the B&Q
Uniform gives way to the unique.
`
A hidden nature reserve, formerly, filled within
With a train track.
Humans intervened and made it a haven,
The trees grew tall, towering over walkers
Soaking in the sunshine, safely.
Birds are dancing on branches, singing their Saturday song.
Footsteps soften, slow and step in tune to
Breezes blowing softly above
To enjoy the colourful eye candy, thing we cannot hold.
`
Cleppie road is a boring journey, needed to
Reach the urban Miley nature reserve, a hideout needed
On the weekly Saturday walk.
`
Opposites are near, opposites live side by side.
`
Jodi Glass
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The Whole Shebang…. by Kathy Low
We enjoyed Kathy Low’s fascinating introduction to her poem so much that we decided to include that as well – it says so much about the why and where of her writing:
`
“I’ve written pages this week not knowing where it would lead…” when you don’t know where you are going any road will do…”. I just started writing, train of thought really, and with the help of google info it meandered somewhat through the corridors of my mind and experience and soon led to science via biology, paper tech, and the contentious petrochemical industries and eventually I came to my first science love, the stars and planets. I’d like to mention Les Goodridge, my dad, for all the science stuff…and Dr Roddie McKenzie for his wonderful introductions to the fascinating genome…. And to the single thread that connects the whole shebang…and all its apparent opposites and paradoxes….”
`
The Whole Shebang….
a single strand of RNA and some complex polypeptides…..
tightly bound up with some wee molecule spikes….
and a remarkable ability for invading human cells….
Beautiful images under a scanning electron microscope
and making itself known to all of humanity…….
`
cosmos: containing all and everything
nothing is created
nothing is lost
All is conserved.
energy is transferred….
transmuted……
….in ways we cannot begin to imagine.
containing time…and timelessness
and the endlessness of the night sky and the mind’s reach and if you stand on a hillside in deep midwinter night….
……….it may just offer you a glimpse of infinity…..
`
Kathy Low
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Song Of Songs by Elisheva Katz
Song Of Songs
`
Woman:
You are my summer and I am your winter never to come again!
I gave you my love – you gave me your hate.
`
Man:
How could any man fall in love with winter.
`
Woman:
Winter I may be…. but shine I a brighter star than ever you will.
`
Man:
When you came into my life you brought chaos and madness.
`
Woman:
When I came into your life I saved you from stagnating into yourself.
`
Man:
I told you to go!
`
Woman:
You told me to go so I went with a dagger in my back and when I found a new way of living, manipulated me back again did you with your bewitching charm.
`
Man:
That is all done with now! Time has since moved on, a new story do I live.
`
Woman:
So why in your dreams do you call out my name? Call for me to come back again.
`
Written by elisheva katz
April 25th 2020
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Horehounds by V. Rivers
Horehounds
`
Lindy’s grandmother, all whiskers, wisdom, and turpentine found me in the corner. She sat me on her lap, and whispered that the best way to open a piñata, is to wait, and let it tell you how. Only then could it reveal the real treasures hidden inside.
`
I watched the other children being instructed by their elders, to beat the hanging pony until bolts of colour and sweetness rained down. They stuffed the gifts into their hands, mouths, and pockets – their eyes as bright and sticky as horehounds. The piñata, now a shell of tissue paper deadened of its lustre, lay forgotten near the skirting board.
`
That night, I dreamt of another celebration. I stood with my back to the edge of a loch, and watched a congregation of folk milling around in the forest clearing opposite. There was a blanket laid out with fruits, pitchers of milk, and a suckling pig. Each adult, and each child wore a mask of their own design, and carried a cane in their fist. My bare feet were planted to the ground, as I looked for the missing piñata, then a waft of turpentine lured me to turn, and face the mirror of the loch.
`
In its waters, I saw a forest clearing with a blanket laid out with fruits, pitchers of milk, and a suckling pig. Surrounding it, was a congregation of paper-skinned piñatas – their masks fallen to the ground. With the loch’s edge lapping over my toes, I turned around to face them. I waited, and listened.
V. Rivers
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The Flirting Game by Lotty
The Flirting Game
`
After a long and difficult journey of self-discovery over these three years; after many battles with frosty -toned voices of self-doubt, winding one up with taunts about the depressed and darkest fears of my heart ,yes it’s true, at times I’ve found it hard and rough but finally I am at a point where I can at last say with growing confidence that that she is an easy person to love because it is something everyone including myself deserves to experience throughout their lives.
This past weekend as I was going about my normal day and myself and friends were chatting away I suddenly brought up the topic of flirting and the fact I slightly misses the thrill, and the feeling of excitement I get as I indulge in this particular activity. But I’m out of practice, so when an opportunity comes around, hopefully I’ll still be able to play flirting game
`
by Lotty
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hero by Peter Marshall
hero
`
rainbows splay delight –
opposite direction sun
like panto villain
`
2020 04 28 Peter Marshall
