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06FMF Postcard 16

A while ago, I was introduced to the French Cinquain and fell in love.  The rhythm and structure seems to flow easily for me, so I wrote quite a few.  This one is from a series of five written after a workshop in 2002.

The photo was taken when my sister-in-law Hazel and I had lunch in a little restaurant on South Perth foreshore, with views over the mighty Swan River to Perth City, on a foggy Autumn Day.

 

#FrancesMacaulayForde  #PoetryPostcards  #Cinquains  #Poetry  #FrenchPoetry  #Trust  #Romance  #LovePoems  #SouthPerth  #PerthCity  #SwanRiver

 

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HeartsPinkRedSmall

I learnt an embarrassing lesson yesterday; don’t rush!

I hit the ‘publish’ button like I would the ‘enter’ button – big mistake!  Unconcerned, I thought I’d just correct and ‘Update’ which, of course, I did in seconds.

Embarrassingly the preview of the blog post (goes everywhere!) stayed as the original un-edited version although when ‘read more’ was clicked, the corrected version appeared!

Lesson well and truly learnt!  Writing and posting when you’re tired or in a rush – just don’t do it!  I do sincerely apologize.

Hopefully I can make amends with a poem written before love returned to my life.

 

DOORS CLOSING

How often has the door closed on opportunity for me?

And how many times have I shut it?

 

‘Well, open it again.’ You say.  Not so easy

when it is wedged with prejudice.

 

Locked with lies about your femininity

and jammed with judicial errors.

 

I am an opportunist and I do believe

as one door closes, another… you know.

 

But sometimes, for my sanity, I take

the easy way out.  My heart’s the same.

 

I’m not brave in letting that door stand ajar.

The solid barrier protecting my comfort zone.

 

A jack-hammer wouldn’t be heard now!

I’m deaf to desire and numb to need.

 

The woolen blanket around my feelings keeps me warm.

I lock the door, pocket the key, work and love in secret.

 

Frances Macaulay Forde © 2000

 

#FrancesMacaulayForde  #Poem  #LovePoem  #Poetry  #Romance  #ComfortZone  #Desire  #DoorsClosing  #Lessons

 

 

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140718Notebook1968 001w

Before we met,

my heart was young,

it showed its reactions

to everyone.

 

Worn on my sleeve,

it was easy to know,

easy to see feelings

come and go.

 

But since we’ve met,

my heart’s a closed door,

no-one knows the hurt

or happiness anymore.

 

Not even you – and you

hold the key but what

is the good when

you don’t love me?

Frances Macaulay Forde @ 1965

#francesmacaulayforde  #1968notebook  #lovepoems  #love  #poems  #poetry  #romance  #follow  #instagram  #twitter

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RRRoadsS

Artwork © Jessica McCallum

ROAD RIBBONS TO FOREVER

still cold the orb lay low

quick glimpse then hidden

motor climbing to drown

crow’s haunting early wake-up call

blades of light chop dust and dirt

wheels trundle

bodies bounce

over troughs and ridges

 

silent stands of hewn wood

strangled by checked metal string

strung as divided zones

of labour or fields of food

for slow-moving wool-balls

unaffected by those

who pass once in a changing

between ghost gums

wind-dancing

 

don’t press the soft start

for raucous interruption

no technological intrusion

to spoil the quietness

of morning impressions

 

but watch silently

anticipating adventure

 

time seems to slumber

in camera shots

too fast moving past

before fully absorbed

an erect neck now tired

of turning back with regret

high sun and heat

decreasing

petrol gauge as low horizon

never nearer not revealing

road ribbons to forever

 

our slumberous gazes

glazed with scenes

of shadows lit

by white-moon shafts

squinting at the yellow

twin-tunnelled path

flexing muscles cramped

shivering with want

the first new glimpse

of home

 

Frances Macaulay Forde @ 1999

1st published  ‘Hidden Capacity ~ a poet’s journey’, Ireland, 2003.

 

#FrancesMacaulayForde  #Poem  #Poetry  #WesternAustralia  #SunsetDriving  #HiddenCapacity

 

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Cows in Barryscourt 2

You Stare At Me

 

you stare at me

benevolent eye

knowing why

I am here

what I will do

to you

 

wear your skin

drink you dry

pasteurise   cream

strain and grain

make holes in

blue and vein

 

you stare at me

benevolent eye

knowing why

I am here

what I will do

to you

 

slice and dice

grind your bones

roast and fry

muscle for burgers

liver for onions

kidney for pies

 

and that eye

that eye

that eye

 

a delicacy!

 

Frances Macaulay Forde © 2011

#FrancesMacaulayForde   #POEM:YouStareAtMe  #Barryscourt  #Vegetarians  #Cows  #Steak  #Cork  #Kidney  #Burgers  #Delicacy

 

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08PCAB03718

This photo was taken on the 16th August 2008 when Andrew Burke  kindly stepped in to host “Poetic Partners” at the  my second to last Poets Corner@Pages Cafe  monthly events.

He put together a mind-blowing-ly amazing list of guests; all very well established practitioners who agreed to share their words as poetic partners in life, love and poetry:

Glen Phillips & Rita Tognini;

Andrew Taylor & Beate Josephi;

Frances Arnett Sbrocchi  & N.J (Jim) Cornish;

Marcella Polain & Mike Williams.

Each have their own clear, poetic voices were an absolute delight to hear and watch.  I just wish I had recorded it for you…

As usual, Andrew Burke did an amazing job as host but also appeared as a guest at the following and last Poets Corner event on the 18th October 2008, this time hosted by Andrew Landsdowne.

His newest book “One Hour Seeds Another” was officially launched in fine style last week to an appreciative Perth audience,  by his friend and fellow poet, Andy Jackson.

I had to pinch this quote: “too much cinnamon/and not enough/metaphor” from  Andrew Burke and his poem “She Waits for Me” included in his latest book “One Hour Seeds Another”.

9781877010606_cov_lowres__48131.1407536927.1280.1280

 

#FrancesMacaulayForde  #AndrewBurke  #PoetsCorner@PagesCafe    #AndyJackson  #GlenPhillips  #RitaTognini  #AndrewTaylor  #BeateJosephi  #FrancesArnettSbrocchi  #JimCornish  #MarcellaPolain  #MikeWilliams  #BOOK:OneHourSeedsAnother  #RochfordStReview  #Books  #Poetry #PoetryReadings  #PoetryEvents  #PoetsCorner  #PagesCafe

 

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06FMF Postcard 7

 

Rottnest Island is 14km offshore from where I live off Ocean Reef Road.

 

#FrancesMacaulayForde  #RottnestIsland  #Poetry  #Postcards  #Peacocks  #PoetryPostcards

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12PCHibiscusTheBoffinw

 

This poem was a finalist in the “Inner City Life” Literary Competition 2004, initiated and run by Irina Dunn as Director of the NSW  Writers Centre.

When my hibiscus was in full flower, I picked a few and decided to have a go painting them…  I thought it went well with the poem and published the postcard in 2012.

 

#FrancesMacaulayForde  #POEM:TheBoffin  #IrinaDunn  #NSWWritersCentre  #Books  #Boffins  #Bookshops  #InnerCityLife  #PoetryCompetition  #Finalist

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12-x-12-new-badge

Halfway through and I’m frantically trying to finish a manuscript to send to an agent through my 12 x 12 Picture Book Challenge with Julie Hedland.

I have so many manuscripts saved,  waiting patiently for my attention and felt disappointed I couldn’t muster up the time to do so.

This challenge has made me re-look at them, so I have picked two; “Suzette the Snake” (based on a poem) or “New” (based on a short story) and have been vacillating between them all week.  Although many others call to me and I keep getting new ideas, I want to just stick to getting something done with these two.

The opportunity to submit to an agent (each month) offered as a GOLDen Book Member is invaluable.  Although I know, as an Aussie participating in an American challenge I’m somewhat on the back foot, I wanted to push myself.  And rejection is empowering, isn’t it?

Support from other members in the Forum, on the Facebook Group page etc is both encouraging and inspiring when a member announces their successful signing or future publications.

So, I’m just focused on revamping my work, getting it ready for submission and actually experiencing being a member of the 12 x 12  group of Children’s Picture Book Writers.

 

#FrancesMacaulayForde  #JulieHedland  #12x12Challenge2014  #12×12  #Children’sBooks  #PictureBooks  #Illustrated  #SCWBI

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05FMF Postcard 3

 

#FrancesMacaulayForde  #FMF:PoetryPostcards  #PerthWA  #Airport  #Skyline  #Immigration  #JumboJet

 

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