tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17199010195179097762024-01-24T08:18:05.310-05:00Florian CafeA Poetry and Painting CommotionDouglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.comBlogger171125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-46946997884458846832023-10-04T18:50:00.007-04:002023-10-04T18:54:03.336-04:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7W5S068tWbgeZl_8oa3xEi34xobbtUeiFMY_4QNjugdGQOmqtpvAGuA7E_ytEmUrRgRYsz0ttFxwxOFzxJypczwRLCwCchZuhQcct7nZHokUk3Q3DT1-VGFGrPKiJFeouAfDUaGOyCtepjs8m_i9_hRa8ZslzYIELW9NflbGZh1suaMWB7cKG2TZWmw_/s757/20230724_141535.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="757" data-original-width="632" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7W5S068tWbgeZl_8oa3xEi34xobbtUeiFMY_4QNjugdGQOmqtpvAGuA7E_ytEmUrRgRYsz0ttFxwxOFzxJypczwRLCwCchZuhQcct7nZHokUk3Q3DT1-VGFGrPKiJFeouAfDUaGOyCtepjs8m_i9_hRa8ZslzYIELW9NflbGZh1suaMWB7cKG2TZWmw_/s320/20230724_141535.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: #38761d; color: #04ff00;"><span face="Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 20px;">a new painting: "and the sea the sea crimson sometimes like fire," oil on linen, 76 x 66 inches. The quote is from Molly Bloom's Soliloquy</span><span face="Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 20px;"> in Ulysses.</span></span><p></p>Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-30390571486984611262022-03-14T16:25:00.007-04:002022-03-14T16:26:50.582-04:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsUWwuh4Zp87iut_q8Dg0m8LD9mbm8hIzxPf3afsGles5cF0jFHwDwlZklqGgqFOk9Q3JSWD1M1YUQ6q-S3ce6j_zyevwP2qpTUxEFTF-N3d1T0jNe4r0p15_mfuzNKs999_lKK-ojY4iRac8Nkc6jMDdlcBI5sHv9EczRawuwMs4xrFWQ8ArEFymKTw=s3203" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2926" data-original-width="3203" height="357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsUWwuh4Zp87iut_q8Dg0m8LD9mbm8hIzxPf3afsGles5cF0jFHwDwlZklqGgqFOk9Q3JSWD1M1YUQ6q-S3ce6j_zyevwP2qpTUxEFTF-N3d1T0jNe4r0p15_mfuzNKs999_lKK-ojY4iRac8Nkc6jMDdlcBI5sHv9EczRawuwMs4xrFWQ8ArEFymKTw=w440-h357" width="440" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> A new painting, Braque vs. Octopus, oil on linen, 72" X 84" </span><p></p><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Copyright 2022 by Douglas Florian</span></div>Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-68020017010663192732019-05-19T12:51:00.001-04:002019-05-19T12:51:23.551-04:00New Painting...Ize Rize, oil on wood, 21" X 16"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv1xe2z7VwmSfmZxveaLjB3pfDm8Ff82h76aF2HJHsQ4B6IlLqhbqZJka63AEd2CMxCesIJXH2AlrHg66oKVMi7ksgj9giAzlYatHW0l8xW2wIU2mZqye04OkrgWi8fZ4uI-PxTx2i2FyT/s1600/ize+rize.jpg+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1509" data-original-width="1600" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv1xe2z7VwmSfmZxveaLjB3pfDm8Ff82h76aF2HJHsQ4B6IlLqhbqZJka63AEd2CMxCesIJXH2AlrHg66oKVMi7ksgj9giAzlYatHW0l8xW2wIU2mZqye04OkrgWi8fZ4uI-PxTx2i2FyT/s320/ize+rize.jpg+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-28984975981519509382018-03-15T13:47:00.001-04:002018-03-15T13:47:23.953-04:00"Spells & Apparitions" new paintings at BravinLee programsI have a new exhibition of my paintings at <a href="http://www.bravinlee.com/" target="_blank">BravinLee Programs</a> 526 west 26th street in NYC. The show is running through April 7th 2018 and was reviewed by JohnYau in <a href="https://hyperallergic.com/431341/douglas-florian-spells-and-apparitions-bravinlee-programs/" target="_blank">Hyperallergic </a>on Sunday. <br />
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<br />Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-69858869923435752015-01-23T08:12:00.000-05:002015-01-23T08:59:18.861-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Illustration and text copyright 2015 by Douglas Florian</span></div>
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<span style="color: yellow; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From Kirkus, a review of my latest book, </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How to Draw a Dragon</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, to be published April 14th by Beach Lane Books, a division of Simon & Schuster.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">KIRKUS REVIEWS</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">February 1, 2015</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Florian's rhyming verse carries a group of children
through drawing their own dragon, starting with the encouraging couplet, "Drawing
dragons isn't hard. / Drag a dragon to your yard. "The front endpapers
catalog dragon eyes, scales, teeth and so on, while the back endpapers display
an entire dragon with parts labeled (forked tongue, sharp back toe, etc.). The
children engaged in this artistic enterprise are brown-skinned and
black-haired, pink-skinned and red-haired, and the dragons are just as varied,
from versions that are pink with catlike faces to vaguely Chinese-style dragons
in green and orange. The illustrations, while evoking children's own drawings
and collages, are quite sophisticated in their use of texture, photo and
fabric, as well as matte and transparent color. The final pages are a foldout
of P.S. 117's "dragon art show," where all of the drawings are proudly
displayed. The genders of the dragons are indicated by pronouns, so readers
(and artists) are not stuck with a passel of only boy dragons. The rhyme flows
smoothly with its whimsical advice: "Dragon fire has reds and yellows, /
and it's good to toast marshmallows." This rhyming romp will no doubt spur
multiple requests for rereading—and redrawing. (Picture book. 4-8)</span></div>
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<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I especially like that last line.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-88972904362675258522014-10-03T10:03:00.003-04:002014-10-03T10:09:31.335-04:00Emily's Autumn<h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">This is a poem Emily Dickinson wrote in pencil onto the inside of an envelope addressed on the verso to a Samuel Bowles, his name clipped from the Springfield Republican and glued down. The stamp has been cut away and the poem cascades down the tilted envelope. Somehow the missing piece ties in with one theme of the poem, loss. I love the metaphor of a cricket as a gentle clock. Poetry Friday today at<a href="http://jamarattigan.com/" target="_blank"> jama's alphabet soup.</a></span></h3>
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<a class="nocolor" href="http://hellopoetry.com/poem/3874/twas-later-when-the-summer-went/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; text-decoration: none;">Twas later when the summer went</a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">1276</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">’Twas later when the summer went<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Than when the Cricket came—<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />And yet we knew that gentle Clock<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Meant nought but Going Home—<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />’Twas sooner when the Cricket went<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Than when the Winter came<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Yet that pathetic Pendulum<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Keeps esoteric Time.</span><br />
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Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-11284333867252726602014-09-28T16:55:00.001-04:002014-09-28T16:55:42.032-04:00Waxing Crescent <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRgljWqpfLi7VxSDD4rTxzAeaLf03Tx8d6MqKmTAMjkE6hzwk5wsySItD6xuYzfnxxEt1dYHv4mWxm49kkpeYD9GDU3s1gc88b-QzxyFba_G-lmiwEHukuu5VKOxa6y45d8r3s6dYlpDfZ/s1600/crescent_moon_LA_1000+Peter+Rodney+Breaux.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRgljWqpfLi7VxSDD4rTxzAeaLf03Tx8d6MqKmTAMjkE6hzwk5wsySItD6xuYzfnxxEt1dYHv4mWxm49kkpeYD9GDU3s1gc88b-QzxyFba_G-lmiwEHukuu5VKOxa6y45d8r3s6dYlpDfZ/s1600/crescent_moon_LA_1000+Peter+Rodney+Breaux.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Peter Rodney Breaux</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A poem about our moon, currently waxing crescent on a Sunday.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Waxing Crescent</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Earth's moon </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Is waxing crescent:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Thoroughly thin,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But totally pleasant.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Waxing, Waxing,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Growing Fatter-</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Feasting on</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Celestial matter.</span><br />
<br />Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-19129527902488696632014-09-23T09:47:00.002-04:002014-09-23T10:49:30.077-04:00Lovely Library Tuesday: Royal Portuguese Library, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil<span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For Lovely Library Tuesday we visit <span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">The Gabinete Português de Leitura</span> (The Royal Portuguese Library) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The two-floored metallic building was designed by Portuguese architect Rafael da Silva e Castro, </span><span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and has a façade that is embellished with sculptures by Simões de Almeida depicting Prince Henry the Navigator, Vasco da Gama, Pedro Álvares Cabral and Luís de Camões. In the amazing </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">interior, the three-tiered reading room reaches the full height of the building. The galleries for the bookshelves all rest upon iron colonnades decorated with neo-Gothic motifs. A huge skylight of stained glass illuminates the three-tiered room below.</span></span></span><span style="color: lime; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">The title of Real Gabinete Português de Leitura was given by King Manuel II in 1906. With close to 400,000</span><span style="line-height: 21px;"><span style="color: lime; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> titles, the library is the largest collection of Portuguese works outside of Portugal itself including rare original manuscripts, singular works of literature, and unique proofs.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-28525010135513707782014-09-19T00:11:00.000-04:002014-09-22T21:32:13.734-04:00Gravity and Levity<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM82Lhqb2Z3juNDhPVp5sgy6LgTYFfCCgyCTw3NCtrrgCNBD6_i76KaMN1jRTregVzxRLLdbPBxMXSRkkOQFvBD5-dohENGJepKqeI0Dt3EJiXBBvCMATqm1QVAx72gqC8JmptPZgxiPLd/s1600/magritte-giaconda-1953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM82Lhqb2Z3juNDhPVp5sgy6LgTYFfCCgyCTw3NCtrrgCNBD6_i76KaMN1jRTregVzxRLLdbPBxMXSRkkOQFvBD5-dohENGJepKqeI0Dt3EJiXBBvCMATqm1QVAx72gqC8JmptPZgxiPLd/s1600/magritte-giaconda-1953.jpg" height="317" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Giaconda by Rene Magritte, 1953</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For Poetry Friday, over at <a href="http://www.poemfarm.amylv.com/" target="_blank">Poem Farm</a>, I'm posting another of my physics poems in the newly published Guys Read: True Stories, edited by Jon Scieszka (cover art below). It's titled Gravity, speaking of which I have a question. In Magritte's painting, Giaconda, are the bowlerized men falling, rising, or perhaps merely floating? Maybe they're turning in space, as they face different directions.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Gravity</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The opposite of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">levity</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Supposedly is </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">gravity</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For levity means "lightness, mirth,"</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">While gravity means "down to earth."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And if it simply </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wasn't there,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We'd float like blimps</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Up in the air.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And though it's great,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I think, to fly,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The birds might hate</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">To share the sky.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And with your head </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Below your feet,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It might be difficult to eat.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">To see your food float out of sight</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Would surely hurt your appetite.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'll bet your sleep</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Inside a cloud</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Would not be deep</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When things got loud.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For thunderclaps</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Would hurt your head</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">While you were sleeping</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In your bed.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Let's stick with gravity instead.</span></div>
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<br />Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-45548016203331404362014-09-16T23:03:00.000-04:002014-09-18T23:03:56.591-04:00Guys Read: True Stories is Published Today!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ7ZFQPTK3_XlXqe93Worcl8bj_WilNu9_ocuactSIsSeQ1GfNBP6xH9jw_n2pU-GAVsOrSKg_bIN5OxPddXTIckN2Ow8TPLKcX1Q-cxr6H23nXUvUqoT-u1cCiB0CVW1opS7YouwIRcQO/s1600/GUYS+READ-+TRUE+STORIES+large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ7ZFQPTK3_XlXqe93Worcl8bj_WilNu9_ocuactSIsSeQ1GfNBP6xH9jw_n2pU-GAVsOrSKg_bIN5OxPddXTIckN2Ow8TPLKcX1Q-cxr6H23nXUvUqoT-u1cCiB0CVW1opS7YouwIRcQO/s1600/GUYS+READ-+TRUE+STORIES+large.jpg" height="400" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Jacket art copyright © 2014 by Brian Floca</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today, September 16th, is the pub date of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Guys-Read-Stories-Jon-Scieszka/dp/0061963828/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-1&qid=1410920533" target="_blank">Guys Read: True Stories</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">, the fifth installment of the series. It is edited by the inimitable and terrifically prolific Jon Scieszka, who asked me to write some poems on any branch of science I wished. Naturally I chose physics, as so much is currently happening in our understanding of the physical nature of things. Just ask Mr. Higgs Boson. I playfully called my cluster of fourteen poems Uni-verses, and there's two below. But first l'll thank my co-authors, Candace Fleming, Nathan Hale, Thanhha Lai, Sy Montgomery, Jim Murphy, T. Edward Nickens, Elizabeth Partridge, Steve Sheinkin, James Strum, and Brian Floca for his illustrations.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Relativity</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The concept of relativity</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Is rather simple, as you'll see.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It simply means that this and that</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Are relative to where you're at.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And you and he,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And he and she,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Are relative to them and me.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And who and why,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And when and where,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Are relatively anywhere.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you're <b>CONFUSED</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">With what I give</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then go and ask</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A <i>relative</i>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Matter</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Matter's puzzling to explain,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But I will try and rack my brain.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It is the substance of all things:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Protons, neutrons, electron rings.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It may have mass and volume too.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Get it?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">No?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What's the <i>matter</i> with you?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Uni-verses with the poems "Relativity" and "Matter" copyright © 2014 by</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Douglas Florian</span></span><br />
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Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-25486530105194620202014-09-16T01:15:00.000-04:002014-09-16T01:38:45.154-04:00The Picture Book Museum in JapanI don't think there's a more beautiful children's library than this one designed by <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b>Tadao Andō.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #424242; line-height: 25px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://libraryarchitecture.wikispaces.com/Picture+Book+Museum,+Iwaki+City,+Fukushima+Prefecture,+Japan+(building)" style="font-size: 14px;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e73213;">The Picture Book Museum</span>,</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"> also known as the Picture Book Library, and is located in Iwaki City, Japan, in an area noted for its natural beauty. At the request of a kindergarten principal known as Mr. Ray, renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando designed this privately-owned special library mainly to serve three local preschools. However, since the opening of its doors to the public in 2005, visitors have flocked to the library on its open-access days to see Ando’s design and to enjoy the collection of international children’s books. Ando was given only one instruction by Mr. Ray: that all the bookcovers face outward. There are no signs anywhere. The main reading room has wooden walls of book cubbies and the stairs also serve as seating for reading. The nearby seascape is visible in every part of the building. The collection of about 10,000 books, displays 1500 at any given time. In Tadao Ando's words: "It will help kids dream."</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #424242; line-height: 25px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-31493743774628404162014-09-14T13:04:00.003-04:002014-09-14T13:04:57.092-04:00<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.omnivoracious.com/" target="_blank">Omnivoracious</a> yesterday posted about the legendary Big Foot, the Loch Ness Monster Nessie, the Himalayan Yeti, and Sasquatch, inspiring me to post my poem, "Big Foot," from my recent book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Poem-Depot-Aisles-Douglas-Florian/dp/0803740425/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410714213&sr=1-1&keywords=poem+depot+aisles+of+smiles" target="_blank">Poem Depot</a>. Click image to see Bigfoot really BIG.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJ6CA_9Ogyb1NgMzHH-QH_VWzD5jjKuvahB04Ezuah1SCQX0Ar707EE0TrxjRSIHZuM4wbuWTW1ZCHC1LJ7kMSTzXZ-vUNIXIhUoYPQfCfL_8-H0Zn57hvvrnW-oq2GHwgPf_9oJ2kYo_/s1600/Bigfoot+in+paint+accessory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJ6CA_9Ogyb1NgMzHH-QH_VWzD5jjKuvahB04Ezuah1SCQX0Ar707EE0TrxjRSIHZuM4wbuWTW1ZCHC1LJ7kMSTzXZ-vUNIXIhUoYPQfCfL_8-H0Zn57hvvrnW-oq2GHwgPf_9oJ2kYo_/s1600/Bigfoot+in+paint+accessory.jpg" height="400" width="397" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Poem "Bigfoot" and illustration copyright 2014 by Douglas Florian</span>Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-57578177888715002742014-09-12T12:35:00.000-04:002014-09-12T12:35:18.355-04:00Autumn Outta<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For Poetry Friday I've jotted down a new poem for Autumn, since there was a nippy feeling of fall in the air this morning. I've always felt autumn is over far too soon.</span><br />
<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Check out <a href="http://www.nowaterriver.com/" target="_blank">No Water River</a> by Renee for Poetry Friday</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJCpScpbU63p9G9ibtSQ0OTnjS2Q_Lq_YT8BgPAPou3HSwpizQrpLSM2Lj4JNQ-P8X0FuD3d2E0-LVzNvBBfkuNVS1ck6vPJCMGKpTo36vs2u6eGihT1xnI8fsa_oacORDr8GRCb_8lNl/s1600/autumn+leaf+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJCpScpbU63p9G9ibtSQ0OTnjS2Q_Lq_YT8BgPAPou3HSwpizQrpLSM2Lj4JNQ-P8X0FuD3d2E0-LVzNvBBfkuNVS1ck6vPJCMGKpTo36vs2u6eGihT1xnI8fsa_oacORDr8GRCb_8lNl/s1600/autumn+leaf+2.jpg" height="210" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-large;">Autumn Outta</b><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Autumn outta last more long-</span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Since winter winds will be too strong.</span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Autumn outta stay a spell</span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So I could get to know her well.</span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Autumn outta linger more-</span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Since autumn leaves leave me in awe.</span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Autumn outta hang around</span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But autumn leaves without a sound.</span><br />
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<br />Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-52755667391579823392014-09-07T10:28:00.002-04:002014-09-11T13:01:47.994-04:00Happy Birthday, Bess!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today, September 7th, is the birthday of Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland, sometimes known as Good Queen Bess. As the daughter of Henry VIII she was born into royal succession. But when her mother, Ann Boleyn, was executed by Henry, as he was wont to do, Elizabeth was declared illegitimate, and her half brother Edward VI ruled as king. Nonetheless, in 1558 she succeeded her half-sister Mary to the throne, and ruled as Queen until her death in 1603. Known for her tolerance, her motto was "video et taceo" ("I see and say nothing"), and she frequently appeared in videos. Here now is a poem for her on her 481st birthday. By the way, my drawing of a Queen Bee in UnBEElievables was roughly based on this portrait of her.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiziKaLT4dbGHO0S5_kf122o6jWeRDGJoVUqwG-Av_1EVO7OAoUat8kJzTv2G23c8a-ZQz6oMNYD3-CpknUInHbAFFwVZ4dUTmSLvFyK5QdoDYHVOUzEF4Ji95yvLLTquaaJz9ZNtTdFeaj/s1600/Queen+Elizabeth+I.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiziKaLT4dbGHO0S5_kf122o6jWeRDGJoVUqwG-Av_1EVO7OAoUat8kJzTv2G23c8a-ZQz6oMNYD3-CpknUInHbAFFwVZ4dUTmSLvFyK5QdoDYHVOUzEF4Ji95yvLLTquaaJz9ZNtTdFeaj/s1600/Queen+Elizabeth+I.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ode to Good Queen Bess</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Though peasants called her Good Queen Bess, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">She wore a most resplendent dress,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And ruled her reign as Bess she could</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">By doing nothing, how jolly good!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #f4cccc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here's my Queen Bee from UnBEElievables (Beach Lane)</span><br />
<span style="color: #f4cccc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Click the image below to see the poem as well!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zzG1DHiAa60NMIcJjuJ65IcKSKIP9AlYVgTid5QsmtPoJmICVY_wLHiBa1VmEqJdCKlD5MjY1CqkKIEGQhIlxqIEsdgscaZLb8dP5pi76AChZxHkGvsFKUIql2c7hEN80CZ4j-nRZ9OE/s1600/Queen+Bee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zzG1DHiAa60NMIcJjuJ65IcKSKIP9AlYVgTid5QsmtPoJmICVY_wLHiBa1VmEqJdCKlD5MjY1CqkKIEGQhIlxqIEsdgscaZLb8dP5pi76AChZxHkGvsFKUIql2c7hEN80CZ4j-nRZ9OE/s1600/Queen+Bee.jpg" height="371" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> Poem "Queen Bee" and art copyright © </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2012 by Douglas Florian</span><br />
<br />Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-66972142724262815732014-09-05T00:04:00.003-04:002014-09-05T00:23:32.501-04:00The Waters of March/Águas de Março<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When it's September in New York, in Rio de Janeiro it's March, the city's rainiest month. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This collage poem is Jobim's English translation of his song </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #252525; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;">Águas de Março, sung Elis Regina. Here's the Youtube link:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3oNSFQVzNM" target="_blank">The Waters of Spring</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Poetry Friday is at </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://authoramok.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Author Amok</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. </span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhklvrPoSqoZ24w8i3HjqHtZ4x1LuKuKhdj3fdqvzeKwqaYzOOhd14Ys2jK1W0eRfcV0KQPViyCnGOuIYBcxcfM6SeAsSrH4tCdwaGRcdpd0MWhqKFJ_MCxPA1BK-Je6UKnjPIwr1WcfT8O/s1600/Chagall,+The+Poet+Reclining,1915,+Tate..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhklvrPoSqoZ24w8i3HjqHtZ4x1LuKuKhdj3fdqvzeKwqaYzOOhd14Ys2jK1W0eRfcV0KQPViyCnGOuIYBcxcfM6SeAsSrH4tCdwaGRcdpd0MWhqKFJ_MCxPA1BK-Je6UKnjPIwr1WcfT8O/s1600/Chagall,+The+Poet+Reclining,1915,+Tate..jpg" height="396" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marc Chagall, The Poet Reclining, 1915.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The Waters of March </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #252525; line-height: 22px;"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Águas de Março</span></b></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">by Antonio Carlos Jobim</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: proxnov-reg, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;"></span><br />
<div class="verse" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A stick, a stone, it's the end of the road</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's the rest of a stump, it's a little alone</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's a sliver of glass, it is life, it's the sun</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It is night, it is death, it's a trap, it's a gun</span></div>
<div class="verse" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The oak when it blooms, a fox in the brush</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The knot in the wood, the song of a thrush</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The will of the wind, a cliff, a fall</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A scratch, a lump, it is nothing at all</span></div>
<div class="verse" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's the wind blowing free, it's the end of the slope</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's a beam, it's a void, it's a hunch, it's a hope</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And the river bank talks of the waters of March</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's the end of the strain, it's the joy in your heart</span></div>
<div class="verse" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The foot, the ground, the flesh and the bone</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The beat of the road, a slingshot's stone</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A fish, a flash, a silvery glow</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A fight, a bet, the range of a bow</span></div>
<div class="verse" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The bed of the well, the end of the line</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The dismay in the face, it's a loss, it's a find</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A spear, a spike, a point, a nail</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A drip, a drop, the end of the tale</span></div>
<div class="verse" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A truckload of bricks in the soft morning light</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The sound of a shot in the dead of the night</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A mile, a must, a thrust, a bump,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's a girl, it's a rhyme, it's a cold, it's the mumps</span></div>
<div class="verse" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The plan of the house, the body in bed</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And the car that got stuck, it's the mud, it's the mud</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A float, a drift, a flight, a wing</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A hawk, a quail, the promise of spring</span></div>
<div class="verse" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And the river bank talks of the waters of March</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's the promise of life, it's the joy in your heart</span></div>
<div class="verse" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A snake, a stick, it is John, it is Joe</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's a thorn on your hand and a cut in your toe</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A point, a grain, a bee, a bite</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A blink, a buzzard, a sudden stroke of night</span></div>
<div class="verse" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A pass in the mountains, a horse and a mule</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the distance the shelves rode three shadows of blue</span></div>
<div class="verse" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And the river bank talks of the waters of March</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's the promise of life in your heart, in your heart</span></div>
<div class="verse" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A stick, a stone, the end of the road</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The rest of a stump, a lonesome road</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A sliver of glass, a life, the sun</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A knife, a death, the end of the run</span></div>
<div class="verse" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And the river bank talks of the waters of March</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's the end of all strain, it's the joy in your heart</span></div>
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: proxnov-reg, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;"> </span></div>
Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-88750368264789592602014-09-02T09:50:00.000-04:002014-09-02T09:50:16.318-04:00AUNTsy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhNHmSNOM9YLIh8lDzbGam2D7wXZShzuJDiOgGh1tNfYxEHUvoCmMLQCzlIVeseRNJCoNDh3nTEIQLrV5PW9PyxRHX_8kIWyyindP3islL4m-vUsI7w0sfkyP8gFXZw1NFlJqGxaEvRKac/s1600/Truman's%2BAunt%2BFarm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhNHmSNOM9YLIh8lDzbGam2D7wXZShzuJDiOgGh1tNfYxEHUvoCmMLQCzlIVeseRNJCoNDh3nTEIQLrV5PW9PyxRHX_8kIWyyindP3islL4m-vUsI7w0sfkyP8gFXZw1NFlJqGxaEvRKac/s1600/Truman's%2BAunt%2BFarm.jpg" height="320" width="256" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I came across Truman's Aunt Farm by fellow blogger and gourmet Jama Kim Rattigan with great AUNTicipation, being a glutton for PUNishment, and sure enough I found this a delightful tale of a boy blessed with an abundance of aunts in his AUNT, not ANT farm. The AUNTics are complimented by the dAUNTing illustrations of G. BriAUNT Karas, one of my favorite artists. All is resolved by the AUNTsy AUNTagonist without resorting to an AUNTeater, AUNTagonizing the AUNTS, or moving to AUNTartica.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Buy it <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780395816561" target="_blank">Indie</a> or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Trumans-Aunt-Farm-Jama-Rattigan/dp/0395816564/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409665726&sr=1-1&keywords=truman%27s+aunt+farm" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.</span></div>
<br />Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-68945401652454355312014-09-01T15:42:00.003-04:002014-09-01T21:20:45.822-04:00Fingerprint Girl<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fingerprint Girl</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">She's such a shy and sheepish girl,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But how her fingerprints all swirl.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Inside her shell she's like a pearl,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But how her fingerprints all twirl.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">She seems so quiet, calm and meek--</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If only fingerprints could speak!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqiUWWBxDxfdn25Eqn84BCMmW8d7hkMi8GJz69G1CIjfdF2f6KjLw_L_fVHVfDGpYVfEQGtVj4ykv3-X1iVaHg9upBsD2XsUJgKItVEGek74T0ubanI4xdTZSniU3AD2G5ovV6_Vt3mZQN/s1600/Fingerprint+Girl+JPEG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqiUWWBxDxfdn25Eqn84BCMmW8d7hkMi8GJz69G1CIjfdF2f6KjLw_L_fVHVfDGpYVfEQGtVj4ykv3-X1iVaHg9upBsD2XsUJgKItVEGek74T0ubanI4xdTZSniU3AD2G5ovV6_Vt3mZQN/s1600/Fingerprint+Girl+JPEG.jpg" height="640" width="372" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My youngest daughter is very shy, but only on the outside!</span>Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-69171210165732835422014-08-29T09:49:00.000-04:002014-09-01T18:05:56.588-04:00On Turning Ten by Billy Collins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6pPVY2_1of97Ksba5fsllkE1vamQFBmVlyEbuYkzy3ZOg_URC21UFhWLhCEGhzUsnX8wPfg-ylmyHCJtXk5bvJO5Q2jCpjnHW4fIZ23uAIqoDvfaDa7b6OXqayVCFg0IFNI0ekmovdSHv/s1600/Douglas+and+friend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6pPVY2_1of97Ksba5fsllkE1vamQFBmVlyEbuYkzy3ZOg_URC21UFhWLhCEGhzUsnX8wPfg-ylmyHCJtXk5bvJO5Q2jCpjnHW4fIZ23uAIqoDvfaDa7b6OXqayVCFg0IFNI0ekmovdSHv/s1600/Douglas+and+friend.jpg" height="340" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: lime; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When do we lose our innocence? At ten? Twenty? Never? </span><br />
<span style="color: lime; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ask Billy Collins, America's Poet Laureate forever.</span><br />
<span style="color: lime;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Poetry Friday is at <a href="http://maclibrary.wordpress.com/2014/08/28/poetry-friday-lets-celebrate/" target="_blank">Check It Out</a> and the photo is me and a friend, age about six.</span></strong></span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">On Turning Ten</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>by Billy Collins</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><br abp="56" /></strong>The whole idea of it makes me feel<br abp="58" />like I'm coming down with something,<br abp="59" />something worse than any stomach ache<br abp="60" />or the headaches I get from reading in bad light-<br abp="61" />a kind of measles of the spirit,<br abp="62" />a mumps of the psyche,<br abp="63" />a disfiguring chicken pox of the soul.<br abp="64" /><br abp="65" />You tell me it is too early to be looking back,<br abp="66" />but that it is because you have forgotten<br abp="67" />the perfect simplicity of being one<br abp="68" />and the beautiful complexity introduced by two.<br abp="69" />But I can lie on my bed and remember every digit.<br abp="70" />At four I was an Arabian wizard.<br abp="71" />I could make myself invisible<br abp="72" />by drinking a glass of milk a certain way.<br abp="73" />At seven I was a soldier, at nine a prince.<br abp="74" /><br abp="75" />But now I am mostly at the window<br abp="76" />watching the late afternoon light.<br abp="77" />Back then it never fell so solemnly<br abp="78" />against the side of my tree house,<br abp="79" />and my bicycle never leaned against the garage<br abp="80" />as it does today,<br abp="81" />all the dark blue speed drained out of it.<br abp="82" /><br abp="83" />This is the beginning of sadness, I say to myself,<br abp="84" />as I walk thought the universe in my sneakers.<br abp="85" />It is time to say good-bye to my imaginary friends,<br abp="86" />time to turn the first big number.<br abp="87" /><br abp="88" />It seems only yesterday I used to believe<br abp="89" />there was nothing under my skin but light.<br abp="90" />If you cut me I would shine.<br abp="91" />But now when I fall upon the sidewalks of life,<br abp="92" />I skin my knees. I bleed.<br abp="93" /><br abp="94" /><br abp="95" />From THE ART OF DROWNING (University of Pittsburgh Press, 1995)</span> Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-49321323877353357842014-08-08T13:33:00.000-04:002014-09-01T21:21:10.547-04:00Mark Twain indeed!<div abp="2350">
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<a abp="2573" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMgWHkQbYf1NCzv10IlGpQ7GYjPrbbBISIrLf9WSct3ejVjH_Sv_p9vAAN5tV3-HKsdZvjxm_Z4TvhUaYRqUvUuC7j5XsP63d9l0NG6b9jWBmXqaMUeXYcuR0Fn_UMGYbIUupLYU3SnD1p/s1600/Twain+in+white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img abp="2574" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMgWHkQbYf1NCzv10IlGpQ7GYjPrbbBISIrLf9WSct3ejVjH_Sv_p9vAAN5tV3-HKsdZvjxm_Z4TvhUaYRqUvUuC7j5XsP63d9l0NG6b9jWBmXqaMUeXYcuR0Fn_UMGYbIUupLYU3SnD1p/s1600/Twain+in+white.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span abp="2358" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I enjoyed the Ken Burns biography of Mark Twain on PBS immensely, but didn't care much for his bio of Samuel Clemens. In any event here for POETRY FRIDAY is a Mark Twain poem, complements The Poetry Foundation. And I've thrown in a few Twain quotations, many of which he actually said. Quite a brain that fella Twain!</span></div>
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<span abp="2364" style="color: yellow; font-size: x-large;">The Warm Summer Sun</span></strong></span></div>
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<span abp="2366" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">by Mark Twain</span></div>
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<span abp="2371" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Warm summer sun,</span></div>
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<span abp="2374" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Shine kindly here,</span></div>
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<span abp="2377" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Warm southern wind,</span></div>
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<span abp="2380" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Blow softly here.</span></div>
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<span abp="2383" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Green sod above,</span></div>
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<span abp="2386" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Lie light, lie light.</span></div>
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<span abp="2389" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Good night, dear heart,</span></div>
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<span abp="2392" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Good night, good night.</span></div>
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<span abp="2401" style="font-family: Arial;">"I was born modest. But it didn't last.</span></div>
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<span abp="2405" style="font-family: Arial;">To succeed in life you need two things: ignorance and
confidence.</span></div>
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<span abp="2409" style="font-family: Arial;">Giving up smoking is easy. I know because I’ve done it
thousands of times.</span></div>
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<span abp="2413" style="font-family: Arial;">Reader, suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a
member of Congress. But I repeat myself. </span></div>
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<span abp="2417" style="font-family: Arial;">Thunder is good, thunder is impressive; but it is
lightning that does the work. </span></div>
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<span abp="2421" style="font-family: Arial;">Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no
influence on society. </span></div>
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<span abp="2425" style="font-family: Arial;">God's inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn.</span></div>
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<span abp="2429" style="font-family: Arial;">Familiarity breeds contempt — and children." </span></div>
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<span abp="2433" style="font-family: Arial;">All quotations verified by Wikiquotes and my Uncle Alex.</span></div>
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Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-85818950601828625162014-06-13T15:29:00.001-04:002014-06-13T15:32:40.166-04:00The Blurb<div abp="167">
<span abp="391" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First, I'd like to thank Becky of </span><a abp="169" href="http://blbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span abp="392" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Becky's Books</span></a><span abp="393" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> for giving my book </span><a abp="317" href="http://www.amazon.com/Poem-Depot-Aisles-Douglas-Florian/dp/0803740425" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Poem Depot</span></a><span abp="394" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> a rave review on </span><a abp="261" href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18012910-poem-depot?ac=1#other_reviews" target="_blank"><span abp="395" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Goodreads</span></a><span abp="396" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. She LOVED LOVED LOVED the book and I love her for that. But now I turn my attention to THE BLURB. Over the years I have been asked to write many blurbs for people, but I must tell you, I don't enjoy it for quite often Blurbee writes God-awful stuff. In any event, although many seek blurbs, and many write blurbs, how many have written an ode to a blurb? None, I venture. Until now.</span></div>
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<span abp="400" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Blurb</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The blurb's a noun </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and not a verb,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">except for my </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">late Uncle Herb,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">who loved to blurb,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and blurb,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and blurb.</span></div>
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Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-26190865139179529662014-01-31T13:27:00.000-05:002014-01-31T13:28:14.393-05:00Dink's Song Poem<div abp="873" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a abp="874" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzDazW8yJRmN_yXE_FAzlwcLwvZSfhJbfQFhrw1YBI4dxEA6YDmg_VAbsD7UYMPHj5XiUhBXemq6odxHD680DbOPhnsgcOyvIRK4wuyEz9ouhQXlQo1nEQA-l5vBQriNVPIuWoyviwRze/s1600/-BOB-DYLAN-FIRST-NEW-YORK-CITY-PERFORMANCE-facebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img abp="875" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzDazW8yJRmN_yXE_FAzlwcLwvZSfhJbfQFhrw1YBI4dxEA6YDmg_VAbsD7UYMPHj5XiUhBXemq6odxHD680DbOPhnsgcOyvIRK4wuyEz9ouhQXlQo1nEQA-l5vBQriNVPIuWoyviwRze/s1600/-BOB-DYLAN-FIRST-NEW-YORK-CITY-PERFORMANCE-facebook.jpg" height="320" width="242" /></a></div>
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<span abp="655" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span abp="656" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span> </div>
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<span abp="660" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span abp="661" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love the lyrics of Dink's Song. From Wiki: "<b abp="18">Dink's Song</b>" (sometimes known as "<b abp="19">Fare Thee Well</b>") is an American </span><a abp="20" class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folk_song" title="Folk song"><span abp="665" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">folk song</span></a><span abp="666" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> played by many </span><a abp="21" class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folk_revival" title="Folk revival"><span abp="668" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">folk revival</span></a><span abp="669" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> musicians such as </span><a abp="22" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Seeger" title="Pete Seeger"><span abp="671" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pete Seeger</span></a><span abp="672" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, </span><a abp="23" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Neil" title="Fred Neil"><span abp="674" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fred Neil</span></a><span abp="675" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, </span><a abp="24" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Dylan" title="Bob Dylan"><span abp="677" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bob Dylan</span></a><span abp="678" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and </span><a abp="25" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Van_Ronk" title="Dave Van Ronk"><span abp="680" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dave Van Ronk</span></a><span abp="681" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, as well as more recent musicians like </span><a abp="26" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Buckley" title="Jeff Buckley"><span abp="683" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jeff Buckley</span></a><span abp="684" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. The song tells the story of a woman deserted by her lover when she needs him the most.</span> </span></div>
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<span abp="686" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was repopularized by the film Inside LLewyn Davis, but I like Dylan's best</span></div>
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<span abp="688" style="font-family: Arial;"><a abp="689" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXcYp7dLHms"><span abp="690" style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXcYp7dLHms</span></a></span></div>
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<strong abp="693"><span abp="694" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Farethewell (Dink's Song)</span></strong></div>
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<span abp="698" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If I had wings like Noah's dove<br abp="302" />I'd fly the river to the one I love<br abp="303" />Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well.</span></div>
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<span abp="703" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had a man, who was long and tall,<br abp="305" />Moved his body like a cannon ball.<br abp="306" />Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well.<br abp="307" /><br abp="308" />'Member one evening, it was drizzling rain<br abp="309" />And in my heart I felt an aching pain.<br abp="310" />Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well.<br abp="311" /><br abp="312" />Once I wore my apron low,<br abp="313" />Been a-keep' you away from my door.<br abp="314" />Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well.<br abp="315" /><br abp="316" />Now my apron is up to my chin,<br abp="317" />You pass my door but you never come in.<br abp="318" />Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well.<br abp="319" /><br abp="320" />Muddy river runs muddy 'n' wild,<br abp="321" />You can't care the bloody for my unborn child.<br abp="322" />Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well.<br abp="323" /><br abp="324" />Number nine train ain' done no harm,<br abp="325" />Number nine train take my poor baby home.<br abp="326" />Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well.<br abp="327" /><br abp="328" />Fastest man I ever saw<br abp="329" />Skid Missouri on the way to Arkansas.<br abp="330" />Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well.</span></div>
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<span abp="733" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's the link to the song: </span><a abp="734" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXcYp7dLHms"><span abp="735" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXcYp7dLHms</span></a></div>
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Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-43568329161254179372014-01-28T08:20:00.000-05:002014-01-28T08:20:05.079-05:00Seattle Sea Hawks<div abp="185">
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<a abp="344" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjWalfeIi3nJ-NC5ylkbxaEXcyver_sOwcqJINahTA5uQmRsjsLSQ-VqLV7EU5c8VWXpIX3NriCYHVyVZJcQFyRVscIitp0we4h-4bfuBU9yqh8UImD6ZBbWRW1x3qH-DWg7BAnmMMPHY/s1600/Seattle_Seahawks.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img abp="345" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjWalfeIi3nJ-NC5ylkbxaEXcyver_sOwcqJINahTA5uQmRsjsLSQ-VqLV7EU5c8VWXpIX3NriCYHVyVZJcQFyRVscIitp0we4h-4bfuBU9yqh8UImD6ZBbWRW1x3qH-DWg7BAnmMMPHY/s1600/Seattle_Seahawks.png" height="142" width="320" /></a></div>
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Early this Tuesday morning, while walking to my studio in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, I saw police had stopped all traffic on 9th Avenue? Why? A president? Prime minister? King? Justin Bieber? No. Six busloads of Seattle Seahawks rolled into town for Super Bowl 48. A poem ensued:</div>
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<strong abp="193"><span abp="194" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Seattle Sea Hawks</span></strong></div>
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<span abp="196" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
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<span abp="198" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Police stopped all traffic, but why?</span></div>
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<span abp="200" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Six busloads of Seahawks rolled by.</span></div>
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<span abp="202" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Their ultimate goal?</span></div>
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<span abp="204" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The Great Superbowl,</span></div>
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<span abp="206" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But I thought that seahawks could fly!</span></div>
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Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-81340859742254256562014-01-27T10:27:00.001-05:002014-01-27T10:27:49.412-05:00Sibert Medal for Parrots Over Puerto Rico!<div abp="1120" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a abp="1121" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1PzY4DGFOuLDjXU8cxl5XmLPresGMtP87pwtWfehqPWZ7JcarTXAPKaNMr_QgFfZH_kKoQNVHnRgeS4EAptTly9PRHytBo5lqb4yx0TjbLsGWzuBH7zHf7tIio9iawBNT8iyBt9ydDHoi/s1600/parrots1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img abp="1122" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1PzY4DGFOuLDjXU8cxl5XmLPresGMtP87pwtWfehqPWZ7JcarTXAPKaNMr_QgFfZH_kKoQNVHnRgeS4EAptTly9PRHytBo5lqb4yx0TjbLsGWzuBH7zHf7tIio9iawBNT8iyBt9ydDHoi/s1600/parrots1.jpg" height="280" width="320" /></a></div>
<strong abp="56"><a abp="58" href="http://www.amazon.com/Parrots-Over-Puerto-Rico-Susan/dp/1620140047/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390836302&sr=1-1&keywords=parrots+over+puerto+rico" target="_blank">Parrots Over Puerto Rico</a></strong>, written by Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore and illustrated by Susan L. Roth has WON the Sibert Medal!!! A splendid award for a splendid book!<div abp="984">
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Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-73530871010070030902014-01-26T14:44:00.001-05:002014-01-26T14:44:34.477-05:00Parrots Over Puerto Rico<div abp="162">
Susan L. Roth's <strong abp="163">Parrots over Puerto Rico</strong> is my choice to win the Caldecott medal this year.</div>
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Color, shape, texture, expression, and history all weave a wondrous tale of the lovely island of Puerto Rico! Susan was recently featured in the amazing blog <a abp="166" href="http://blaine.org/sevenimpossiblethings/?p=3266" target="_blank">Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast</a>.</div>
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I love all her books as she is the Queen of collage and a multicultural master.</div>
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<a abp="365" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwSexi0GtMH3S9WCdU9v6Lg9OHAiF6BhUNknfwhfUbuol-qL83dI_CwXtPG17vB_R1CBxScJgr0QOb66ymTRYExs5u0dRl3Ncb4HoM0YFtIerioJbeKXA2C2EnEvITaXPaZJy9jQsuFVuK/s1600/Parrots+Over+Puerto+Rico+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img abp="366" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwSexi0GtMH3S9WCdU9v6Lg9OHAiF6BhUNknfwhfUbuol-qL83dI_CwXtPG17vB_R1CBxScJgr0QOb66ymTRYExs5u0dRl3Ncb4HoM0YFtIerioJbeKXA2C2EnEvITaXPaZJy9jQsuFVuK/s1600/Parrots+Over+Puerto+Rico+2.jpg" height="320" width="141" /></a></div>
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Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1719901019517909776.post-48554522183652801042014-01-08T10:45:00.003-05:002014-01-08T10:45:58.009-05:00Poem-Mobiles #3 Best Seller on Amazon's Poetry List<div abp="280" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a abp="281" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH9Yb0xpB1uP7Pv46Kexj5dyJhIF1KpkUxsXe1_-LnUcj6XmlTZ8I6aVlQsqMgSrgHGBNa3DimBZQZu8ijekLcBxLqCg7JgCiH-ovhyphenhyphen5BsM6ScXQVKPL9cq8Pcy5f0G4A4ENbzq_zPW_9s/s1600/Poem-Mobiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img abp="282" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH9Yb0xpB1uP7Pv46Kexj5dyJhIF1KpkUxsXe1_-LnUcj6XmlTZ8I6aVlQsqMgSrgHGBNa3DimBZQZu8ijekLcBxLqCg7JgCiH-ovhyphenhyphen5BsM6ScXQVKPL9cq8Pcy5f0G4A4ENbzq_zPW_9s/s1600/Poem-Mobiles.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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POEM-MOBILES, my Car-laboration with J. Patrick Lewis, and illustrated by Jeremy Holmes, is now ranked #3 on Amazon Best Sellers in Children's Humorous Poetry list, sandwiched between four Shel Silverstein books. Vroom! Vroom!</div>
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The New York Times in a review said, "Lewis and Florian have written witty pithy poems that are funny too." <a abp="437" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/01/books/and-the-cars-go-and-poem-mobiles.html" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/01/books/and-the-cars-go-and-poem-mobiles.html</a></div>
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And Publishers Weekly in a starred review said, " It’s all but sure to have readers dreaming up their own wild contraptions for land, sea, sky, and space." <a abp="338" href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-375-86690-6" target="_blank">http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-375-86690-6</a></div>
Douglas Florianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16128165816863246403noreply@blogger.com3