Snapshots

[AuntShecky]

I like the brevity of these little snapshots. I don't want to disagree with any of their stances, but just a quick question, if one is falling in love every couple o' minutes, that's not real "Love," is it? Perhaps an attention deficit disorder or the song from "Finian's Rainbow": "If I'm not with the one I love I love the one I'm with."

[Sweets America]

In the warmth of the sun
I watch a dainty smoker go by
as he brings the end of his cigarette
to his lips as if it were the fingertips
of his virginal young lover.

I love it, Shou. You have this wonderful eye which seizes the moment.

[PrinceMyshkin]

I like the brevity of these little snapshots. I don't want to disagree with any of their stances, but just a quick question, if one is falling in love every couple o' minutes, that's not real "Love," is it? Perhaps an attention deficit disorder or the song from "Finian's Rainbow": "If I'm not with the one I love I love the one I'm with."

Oh, God bless you for knowing and mentioning Finian's Rainbow! But if that song is about male fickleness, I hope my little vignette refers to something else... I understand your point about the quantification of "real" love, and no doubt I'd have avoided the question if I'd used "infatuation," but, really, in the realm of the emotions, what is "real"?

[Virgil]

Oh I didn't know there was more snapshots being posted in this thread. i thought it was just the first poem, called "Sanpshots". Some of them are quite good, but I don't want to re-bring them up now. I'll have to keep checking in.

[PrinceMyshkin]

I love it, Shou. You have this wonderful eye which seizes the moment.

Oh, thank you, croutie! And I just had a wonderful skype conversation with someone!

[Sweets America]

Oh, God bless you for knowing and mentioning Finian's Rainbow! But if that song is about male fickleness, I hope my little vignette refers to something else... I understand your point about the quantification of "real" love, and no doubt I'd have avoided the question if I'd used "infatuation," but, really, in the realm of the emotions, what is "real"?

I agree about this 'what is real?', this is so complicated. Of course we would be tempted to say that someone who falls in love every five minutes is not in love at all, but I am tempted to say, why not, maybe for this person this is what love is.

Oh, and this snapshot has so much in it, you struck me with this one, really. It's about rememberance, sadness, loneliness, somehow. And, it made me think of you and me, too.

Hey, Virgil! That was interesting what you said, why did you take it off? I wanted to reply that contrary to you I didn't find it unnatural, I found that the repetition emphasized something, like when you forgot to say something and you add it afterwards. And what sounds natural to someone might sound strange to someone else, I guess.

[PrinceMyshkin]

Oh, and this snapshot has so much in it, you struck me with this one, really. It's about rememberance, sadness, loneliness, somehow. And, it made me think of you and me, too.

Well, it is supposed to be a snapshot, although the analogy with the lover's fingertips is imposed on it; but you see more in it than I might have done. You hold the snapshot in your hands and in its mute, unmoving image you are free to see more than the camera did.

Hey, Virgil! That was interesting what you said, why did you take it off? I wanted to reply that contrary to you I didn't find it unnatural, I found that the repetition emphasized something, like when you forgot to say something and you add it afterwards. And what sounds natural to someone might sound strange to someone else, I guess.

Yes, I too wanted to reply to Virgil's post which I found interesting. I'd have defended my repetition of "I catch sight of" on the grounds that the effect of the sighting struck the speaker deeply, set him back on his heels.

[Virgil]

Yes, I too wanted to reply to Virgil's post which I found interesting. I'd have defended my repetition of "I catch sight of" on the grounds that the effect of the sighting struck the speaker deeply, set him back on his heels.

Yes, I did take it off. I noticed that in this case there was a subtle distinction in meaning after I re-read your elocution and my alternatives. However, the general comment still holds, but I think Prince can defend his elocution in this case. So in realizing that I didn't have the time to refine my thought, I just took it down. If you want I can try to recreate what I said.

[firefangled]

For these 30 minutes, life,
I am deeply in your debt:
this rickety faux-marble table
on Van Horne outside of Le Paltoquet,
my dark, rich espresso allongé,
the flavour of which practically bites,
my croissant oozing butter,
my cigarette, the three guys
speaking Arabic at the next table,
the breeze sweeping east to west,
and Soulain with, as I told her,
the smile of angel.

*

If you don’t fall in love
for at least a few minutes every day
then someone on your path
went unappreciated.

For me this one works maybe a little bit more than others because of the up front details. You set this up beautifully by describing someone totally in love with his surroundings and everyone present to one degree or another.

The ending is deftly apropos.

[dibyendra]

In the warmth of the sun
I watch a dainty smoker go by
as he brings the end of his cigarette
to his lips as if it were the fingertips
of his virginal young lover.

Oh what a vibrant poem you've written, Prince. Lovely!

[dibyendra]

For these 30 minutes, life,
I am deeply in your debt:
this rickety faux-marble table
on Van Horne outside of Le Paltoquet,
my dark, rich espresso allongé,
the flavour of which practically bites,
my croissant oozing butter,
my cigarette, the three guys
speaking Arabic at the next table,
the breeze sweeping east to west,
and Soulain with, as I told her,
the smile of angel.
*
If you don’t fall in love
for at least a few minutes every day
then someone on your path
went unappreciated.

Very beautiful poem as your poem is very vivid and always leaves me pondering. Very beautiful description of surroundings! I'm back on Litnet after a long gap and happy to see beautiful poems reflecting fleeting glimpses of life. The last line is really meaningful. Thank you for sharing these pearls!

[Virgil]

For these 30 minutes, life,
I am deeply in your debt:
this rickety faux-marble table
on Van Horne outside of Le Paltoquet,
my dark, rich espresso allongé,
the flavour of which practically bites,
my croissant oozing butter,
my cigarette, the three guys
speaking Arabic at the next table,
the breeze sweeping east to west,
and Soulain with, as I told her,
the smile of an angel.

*

If you don’t fall in love
for at least a few minutes every day
then someone on your path
went unappreciated.

You guys are right. This is outstanding!!

[kiz_paws]

This is a thread that one can surely get lost in. I love the brevity of these poems, each capturing something different -- and of course, aptly named "Snapshots".

Your poetry makes me smile -- it can open my eyes -- it always amazes me how well you can put to words your quiet observations in the world you tumble in, Jer.

May I say that the following were my favorites:

Birds in adjacent cages
pondering
each other's dreams

A woman was walking her smile
this afternoon on Fairmount Street,
a sort of hoppy-skippy dog
pad-pad-padding along beside her
but her smile was unleashed.

and

If you don’t fall in love
for at least a few minutes every day
then someone on your path
went unappreciated.

I need to stay tuned to this thread!

[PrinceMyshkin]

Many thanks firefangled, Virgil, Kiz Paws, Dibyendra...

I'm reminded of the following:

In her later years, Queen Victoria became somewhat flatulent. At a reception for the various Ambassadors to the Court of King James she was engaged in conversation with the French, Italian and German ambassadors when she farted.

Immediately the French Ambassador made an elegant bow and said, “My humble apologies, Your Majesty! I am most heartily sorry!

A moment later she farted again whereupon the Italian Ambassador made a sweeping bow and said, “Forgive one, please, Your Majesty, for this most awkward behaviour on my part.”

And once again, soon after that, she farted.

Clicking his heels smartly together the German Ambassador bowed from the waist and said, “This one and the next three are on the great German nation!”

...the next several, in other words, are in your honour!

[PrinceMyshkin]

Girls, they’re funny, but still
they have something, you know?
They might be skinny
as a stalk of stinkweed and walk with a list,
but still...

Or there might be three of them
on their way home from school
like cupcakes leaning together,
t-shirts hanging out
over regulation black shorts...

And then they grow up
to be women.