Frankie's poems / prose / personal proverbs

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TRAVELING THROUGH SOUTHERN ALABAMA, U.S.A.


A small, two-lane road cuts through mostly flat land bursting with green—bushes, pine trees, evergreens, and mighty oaks dripping heavy with eerily-beautiful Spanish moss. Where are the cotton fields? Most seem to be replaced by soy bean fields—the super bean that nourishes the human body and mixes with molecules, plasticizing the interiors of Ford vehicles.

We pass several cypress swamps. I wonder if alligators lurk under the glossy surface. . . . However, a serious personal problem causes distraction—I need to (**well, excuse me**) urinate! Badly. And we haven’t seen a hint of civilization for at least 45 minutes! Clouds hang dark and low. Using the “au naturale" facilities is complicated by the recent rain. Knee-high wet weeds (full of chiggers) stand between me and the bushes and trees I desperately need to go “visit.”

For a country girl, certain things are expected in such situations: Looking out for rattlesnakes, copperheads, and other poisonous snakes. Afterwards, checking my body for blood-sucking ticks. I even know how to get rid of all the chigger bugs before they burrow by the hundreds into my skin (leaving me with embarrassing red whelps and itching). And, of course, avoiding poison ivy. But I really do not want to squish through that Alabama mud and soggy weeds! THAT is unacceptable!

Finally, a full hour after I told DH (Darling Husband) I needed a toilet quickly, the speed limit signs tell us to slow down. We must be nearing somewhere that humans inhabit! Within five minutes, we spot a white-washed concrete block building, “The General Store.” Two humans are walking inside, and I’m gonna be the third. At last!

“Mam, do you have a restroom?” I plead.

“Yeah. In the back,” she answers.

Relief!

It is customary when one uses the “facilities” at a little store like this to make a small purchase. What to buy? After all, this is the only little grocery store in the entire area (there really is no “town”). Let’s see, maybe I can purchase a little snack: Pork rinds? Cracklins? No. White cheddar popcorn, it is! A man checking out ahead of me asks the woman behind the counter if it’s her birthday.

“Sure is,” she says.

“Happy birthday,” he says in a kind, deep, sonorous voice.

As I step up, I see the woman has a $10 bill and six $1.00 bills pinned to her frock. I ask why. She responds,

“This is primarily an African-American community. I’ve been working this store for 13 years. Every year, when it’s somebody’s birthday, people come by and give a $1.00 bill to ya. The idea is for the person to get as many dollar bills for the number of years they are old. That ‘a way, they can go out to dinner that night!”

If she receives as many dollars as she is years old, she should have quite a meal! Where in the world will she go “out to eat,” though? There’s no real town-- just a few shabby businesses here and there on a stretch of road. Maybe somebody will have a fish fry, a pig roast, or maybe 30 miles away is a real town with a real restaurant!

I don’t care about birthdays per se. Yet, this custom touched me. In this tiny, rural community jobs must be hard to come by. The economy is stark, and people seem to be struggling. Still, they will make their way to The General Store (such as it is), sharing their $1.00 bill--or a little more if their means allow—for this little old lady to pin on her smock.

What kind, thoughtful, giving, unselfish people! They aren’t worrying whether they have meat on their table this day. But because of them, a little old lady will get a special meal out tonight (somewhere)!

Through the mouths of babes and very fine people of little means, we have much to learn—about what “community” means--and sharing what little we have, no matter what the day.


Frankie Jasmine
June 11, 2012

. . .

Just read "Revolution", I like it,now how do I view older posts?They seem to be one running Thread.Good stuff,Frankie J.,now give me more,more,more!Doug

Hey, Doug Denslowe,

Just received your post. I've had a partial haitus from online; just getting back.

There are not a lot of older posts, just things I haven't posted yet. It took awhile being here (ATL) to get up the guts to post even some minor poetry. Finally I overcame the fear.

Thank you for the encouragement. It means a lot, Doug, really. I will look to see if you have songs or poems posted.

Wow!This describes me to a "T"!Best Poem EVER!!!

Wow!This describes me to a "T"!Best Poem EVER!!!Like A Lion.......Rules

Oh! Are you Baris Akarsu in real life??? Funny, I thought you were from CA not Turkey!

Anyway, I thank you for reading and commenting--truly!!

I don't know in which order this will appear on the Thread,so I am explaining to Frankie J.why "Like A Lion"is my favorite poem......
of all time
Have you ever heard the expressions;"Love at First Sight"or"Meant for Each Other"?That's how I felt when I read"Like A Lion".Had it been a woman,I would have asked her "to marry me".Why you ask.Certain poems/songs/movies/plays/paintings/works of art etc.,sometimes connect on a more "cosmic"level than my vocabulary can express.Sometimes you read a poem or see a film and say"that was about me.Did the writer know my story?"Of course not.(Assuming the people are indeed,strangers)
Think about walking up to Paul McCartney and telling him you liked "Yesterday"Suppose he replied,"Tell me why,so I could write another".
You see,each poem to each person is a personal/one of experience.Okay,that being said,let's examine "Like A Lion"and why I feel the way I do.
Your mane........
I've always worn my hair long,and my cruel parents would shave my head to punish me.I,in turn,have always had a "Lion's Mane".People have repeatedly asked if I was a Leo.
Your power........Being a drummer I feel very powerful both in body and spirit.
Courage...........I've thought that I possessed it.Too long to go into that!
Talent and Art........I'll let you be the judge.you're seeing the "bare-bones"minimum when you simply "read"my song lyrics.
Then,Sweetness,Charm,Gentleness and Sweet Smile....Ive felt I also possess.It reminded me of the film"True Romance"in the restaurant when Christian Slater was asking Patricia Arquette those questions;whose your favorite this,that,and whatever.It just fit!
Fit like a glove.Does this help explain,a little?Doug

Doug,

I'm overwhelmed at your revelations . . . because they are so very personal; and you had the courage to post them. Thank you so much. Now I understand that it was on a very--please understand my meaning--"intimate" level that you reacted to the poem. I never thought about such a reaction, because my poems are so very personal to me as I write (that's why it took a while to begin to post them) that I expect more of a "technical" reaction to them, not a gut level. It's very hard to explain; as you also noted.

About this thread: I didn't feel my little thoughts, poems, etc. deserved separate threads. I didn't like posting them like that--too much "out there." So I started a little "home" where I could dare to post what I've written, in one place--whether dramatic, silly, emotional, and even not-so-well crafted. So this is a running Frankie thread. Sometimes people comment or share, and that makes me happy. My writings are important to me, but I thought not-so-much to anyone else--especially the ones about the Turkish singer BARIS AKARSU (R.I.P.) who has had a big impact upon my life. . . . His life and talents are so important to me that I think of him in my heart as "my big brother/protector". Explanation: I am old enough to have been his mother, so one would think "oh, he's like a little brother to you," or "a son." But no. He's sleeping in death. Because of his qualities, I feel like a girl again, and he feels like a big brother to me. Strange paradigm.

Anyway, this post is to thank you for having so very thoroughly (and personally, which I did not expect) answered my question, which was more about poetic structure/composition . . . never dreaming of a receiving a personal/emotional reaction. So I guess I was thinking more technically. However, the poem was not about technique, right? It was expression. And you answered with complete expression; I am humbled by it; and I almost wish I had not asked (what I thought was) a technical question. It put you in a position of self-revelation, something I never expected, Doug. However, you did, and I am very grateful. Really. And, as said, humbled by it.

Thanks. And thanks again.

Frankie

MY SHETLAND
by Frankie Jasmine

Fey, she was, a Shetland.
When she arrived upon my door
I took one look and knew
I had a friend forevermore.

She took me by the brook to play,
At night she lay by my side.
Oh, I would have died for her
in the moment of any day.

She took my breath o' her look,
Caramel, brown and white.
I still see her in my dreams today
And though I wish I might have her
Again another day,
The time is past and I am grown.
A Shetland she was, and fey.


@November 26, 2008
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

* Shetland = Shetland Sheepdog or 'Sheltie,' my childhood pet and companion.

You're back at the top of the list..........where you belong.Good job!Doug
(I mean the poem My Shetland)

Wow, Doug, thanks!

Hi F.J., I want to say thanks to you and mixalopoulus, because I think that literally work is that, a work of your mind to let the other know what you think. I like a lot poetry with rhymes, and this kind of work when a sparkle of wisdom touch our heart, so, is pleasent for me when I see a new word and got to go to the dictionary, or like when you two share your huge knowlwdge with us and make us exercise our brains. Continue writting and discussing, is so good to learn new things. And about the message of leaviathon, I know it doesn´t matter so much the kind of monster or big animal, the point is that a big menace we can only force to go, but a small threat we can just slap it and it goes forever.
I don´t know why, but your phrase made me remember an italian song that I recomend you to hear, is called "La lontananza" (The distance is like the wind), because extinguishes the small fires, but increases the big ones.
Thanks for your work, I´ll continue reading. Regards from México.

Dear mexico62, thank you for your ideas and insights. Healthy discussion is stimulating, and now you have added your voice! I am glad to know the exchange between Mixa and myself was appreciated.

Also, you remind that art (if I dare call anything I write 'art') means different things to different people. For example, re: leviathon--you got the point about what leviathon is (not so much necessarily what one calls it in this case; yet that word had a biblical/historical meaning that gave it a permanence, to me). ... Then you express the difference between a big menace being forced to go and a small threat slapped then gone forever. Thank you so much for that expression; it is a different viewpoint on what I meant. Your opinion gives even more force and meaning to such few words!

Just to share my original meaning: Which was describing people, some who are very harsh, paying no mind to anything, and others who can be extinguished so very easily because of their vulnerability and sensitivity.

I really enjoyed your sharing! My big appreciation to you for this!

And mexico62, here is your song, "La Lontananza" ('the distance is like the wind') in three languages so others can understand your comparison to the "leviathon" proverb.

[Bq_3T6xZUUk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq_3T6xZUUk[/video]


Now we experience how rich things are when we share! Thank you mexico62!

_ _ _ _ _

P.S. Did I see Diego Rivera's artwork in this video? LOVE his work!

Originally Posted by Frankie Jasmine

And mexico62, here is your song, "La Lontananza" ('the distance is like the wind') in three languages so others can understand your comparison to the "leviathon" proverb.

[Bq_3T6xZUUk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq_3T6xZUUk[/video]


Now we experience how rich things are when we share! Thank you mexico62!

_ _ _ _ _

P.S. Did I see Diego Rivera's artwork in this video? LOVE his work!

Hi F.J., ¡you are an amazing person! thanks for posting the video so others can see and understand, I´m so grateful from the bottom of my heart, thank you for this and for sharing with us part of your soul in your poems.

P.s. I don´t think that could be Diego Rivera´s, I´ve seen a lot of he´s work but I´m not an expert, I´ll keep in contact and thanks again.

No, I think you are right. It is lacking some of the supreme beautiful simplicity of Diego Rivera. Nothing else in the video is artwork; had it been Diego Rivera, the one who posted would have used many more of his beautiful paintings!

(Also I am a big fan of most of Colombia's Fernando Botero Angulo's sculptures!)

In honour (spelled the British way to add dignity to my ditty) is dedicated to Mixalopoulos, who put the following on my Wall:

Nursery rhyme from Mixalopoulos to Frankie:

Fuzzy Wuzzy woz a bear,
Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair,
Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn't fuzzy woz he.


A ditty in honour of and in response to Mixalopoulos from Frankie:

A bear with nary a hair?
The bear was bare!
A bear can’t bear it, can he?


F.J.
07-09-12

Originally Posted by Frankie Jasmine

On another thread, I posed these words as each very different. Thanks to Maviii, who asked me how each word is different for me. This was the result:


Alone is when I'm by myself.
Aloneness is what I feel when I have been by myself too much.
Lone is when I stand out for something different from all the rest.
Lonely is what I am when my husband has been away from home too much.
The Lone Ranger is what I become when my husband is staying around the house too much! . . . [Hi-ho, Silver!! And I'm outta there!]

Hello F. J., I would like if you please tell us in wich thread you mentioned all these words, that you kindly now you give us these so wide and wise explanations, and the last so notorious and sharp (I mean the mind composition for comparation or similarities). thanks for sharing your knowledge about the similar words meaning, that helps a lot.

Dear mexico62,

You, yourself, have a very individual way of expressing yourself, as you did directly above^. This "way" is brief, an exacting choice of words, yet that flows so naturally, true, and honest! I appreciate those qualities very much...

And I thank you for those well-chosen, easy, and obviously true from your heart words in my behalf! So much appreciated . . .

I will be glad to refer you to this thread, which is called, "Lonesome Corner."

LONESOME CORNER: http://www.allthelyrics.com/forum/ga...-corner-2.html

Mexico62, since you asked this, I realize I did not give a "quip" for "Lonesome"!!! I will develop that and put it on Post #6, this thread. Just need to give it a little thought!

I will give a couple other links also, which you might enjoy regarding language/English, but I will have to search for them again. Will post here!

Isn't that where the Heartbreak Hotel is located?I knew it sounded familiar!

@Doug: Yeh. It's just around the corner, on the shady side of the street.

@Mexico62: Here is the other thread I wanted to find for you. It was started before I joined ATL, but I love this thread. Have you already seen it?

ENGLISH IDIOMS & PHRASES:

http://www.allthelyrics.com/forum/le...d-phrases.html


If I think of others, I will post them on this thread.