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Showing posts from August, 2013

Lonely Fedora

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Lonely fedora, on the side of the road. How did you get there? Why are you on the side of the road? Did someone lose you? Did you blow away in a breeze? Does your owner know you are lost? I remember seeing you in classic Hollywood. You have appeared in many classic movies. I remember seeing you on Humphrey Bogart in “Casablanca”, Gene Kelly in “Singing in the Rain”, on Judy Garland in “Summer Stock”. Iconic images in cinema. The fedora hat. The epitome of class and style. I have had many hats in my time. (I look very good in hats.) I have always wanted a fedora. But I have never owned one. It feels so wrong, to see you discarded, in a heap, on the side of the road. If I were your owner, you would be the cherished piece in my hat collection. I hope your owner comes back for you….        ……lonely fedora…….                       ……………….on the side of the road. © Esperanza Habla All Right...

Alike

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Next month I am participating in the One Hundred Thousand Poets for Change event. I took part in this event last year, which had a great success around the world. There are many things I could write about for that topic. I think I have found a topic to write about. But for now, there is a topic that I would like to discuss now. It is relevant, and needs discussing. The following writing has videos and photos to accompany the topic. Please read and watch with an open mind and an open heart. There is one topic on the mind of many Americans right now; that topic is race. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court of the U.S. repealed a voting rights act that was written into law in the 1960s. Many people fought and died for the right for all to vote, regardless of color. The ruling from the Supreme Court was a huge step backwards in equal rights in the U.S. The court ruled this way because the court feels that we live in a “post-racist” society, meaning, in their minds, that racism does no...

Another Day Is Done

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I return from a day at work filled with chaos; our busiest day in months. I feel nothing but stress and exhaustion. I climb the stairs to my home, turn the key, let myself in, lock the door behind me and lean my back against it, sighing in relief. I am finally home. Another day is done. I am met by my two kittens; they are glad to see that mama is home. I pet each of the kittens. They relish the affection. One of the kittens jumps to reach my hand. She reminds me of a horse that stands up on its hind legs and bucks. She is my bucking bronco. I fill their food bowl with a scoop of food. The kittens eat and purr contentedly. I prepare my evening meal, and then sit on the couch. I turn on the television to the national news. I soon have a kitten on the couch with me. She is content to keep my company, yet wants to help me finish my meal. I continue watching the news. The kitten has now moved closer. She has settled down, lying against my legs. Soon after, my other kitten com...

I Know

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*A letter to a friend I know what it feels like, to be let down by someone. I know this must be very painful you, because the person who let you down is a family member. I know how it feels to pray for a person, that they would be who they used to be, who they need to be. I know how it feels, when reality sets in, when the truth settles, and you realize that your prayers were not answered in the way you wanted them to be. I know how it feels to realize that that person cannot be what you want them-or need them-to be. I know the pain of letting go of those hopes and expectations. I know how it feels to step back from the situation, and step out of their toxicity. I also know that prayer does work. I know that life, sometimes painfully, goes on. I know that I cannot fix anyone. I know that everyone on Earth matters, and that we are all here to have experiences and to learn from them. I hope that person will learn everything they are here to learn. I know that w...

Friendship, Love, Sex, Truth, Lies, Hope, Hate, and the Internet

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The internet and the worldwide web have opened up new worlds for everyone that has internet access. It has opened up new possibilities for countless millions. But is everything possible? When considering friendship, love, sex, the truth, lies, hope, hate, is everything possible on the internet?   Many have asked about me about my online friendships. “Are you really friends with these people?” I can tell you that I have made friends through social media. Over time, some of my online contacts have truly become close friends. Some I talk with occasionally; some I talk to more frequently than my friends who live five minutes away. Some of my friends offer hugs and kisses from afar; some even say “I Love You.” Is a genuine friendship on the internet possible? Absolutely. http://freehomeschooladvice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/kids-holding-hands.jpg Love-now there is a topic. Is love possible on the internet? Ask the countless thousands who have found a mate online. E...

Visible

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Through my becoming a poet, creating a blog, branching out in social media, I have become friends with many people throughout the world. I love that I have the opportunity to meet so many people, from different places on the planet. These are people I have not met in person, but would never have had the chance to meet at all were it not for the internet. Many are artists; they represent many forms of art, including the art of mime. Mime is not an art form that is generally seen in the United States. My first introduction to mime was as a child, watching Robert Shields and Lorene Yarnell perform on the Muppet Show. I was maybe seven, eight years old. I have admired the art form ever since. About a year ago, I was on one of my favorite sites, Pinterest. I saw a photo of a mime artist, on a page called the Silence Community; I clicked “like” on the photo, and continued to look at other photos on the site. A day or two later, I received a message from a gentleman in France. He wro...

It Was Not My Time

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I have been thinking of an incident from my past. I do not know why I have been thinking about it lately. It is not the anniversary of the event, it has no bearing on my life now, or how I life my life. Yet, the memory is there, and it continues. Maybe I am supposed to write about it.   What you are about to read actually happened to me. 10o% of it is true. I can remember at ten years of age going away on summer vacation and visiting relatives that lived out of my state. It was nice to visit these relatives; we only got to see them maybe once a year. I do not remember the city they lived in, I barely remember their apartment. There is one thing I do remember about that visit and my surroundings-the pool.   Like many apartment complexes, it had a pool. I remember going there one day on my visit with one of my relatives. I went into the pool, played, and had a good time. I had been taking swimming lessons, so I knew how to orient myself by touching my feet to the...

the Act of Comparison

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Writers thrive on inspiration. Sometimes we find inspiration, and sometimes, as in this case, inspiration finds us. Yesterday I had an idea in my head for a poem. After some thought, I decided it was way too personal a subject to write about. However, over the course of my day many quotes, images, thoughts on the subject crossed my path. It was as if I was meant to see these things to change my mind. After more reflection, I discovered the topic in question is a universal issue. I could not ignore the signs. I knew I had to write about it.   I have noticed something, with my new eye on the world, which can have both positive and negative effects. I am referring to the act of comparison. These days, many comparisons are made in entertainment news. Critics will compare a new, up and coming singer to a seasoned singer. Journalists will compare a new film maker’s style to that of an accomplished film maker. People compare a new fashion line to one of a famous designer. Reviewers...

the Meaning of Life

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For eons people have questioned the meaning of life. “What is the meaning of life? What are we here for? What is my purpose?”   Perhaps the meaning of life is to create art-to engage in the world around us, to absorb all we can about the world around us, and translate it into art.   Maybe the meaning of life is to love-to love and be loved in every meaning of the word, to love your spouse, significant other, family, friends and never take them for granted.   Perhaps the meaning of life is different for every person. Maybe each of us has our own, unique meaning of life, unique to our realities and circumstances.   I feel I have found the meaning of life, as well as my purpose. . Over the last three years I have realized something that was within me all along, something I never knew existed-the talent for writing. When I began writing, my friends told me that my writing was good, and encouraged me to continue. I did not believe that I had any talent a...