Seascape with Gulls:
My Father’s Last Painting
An Ekphrasis
by
David R. Topper
Look,
they are not your usual strokes.
Not the stringent way you controlled your brush
all those years
from Art School to an evening hobby to
this Seascape
that water
these waves
those gulls.
A lifetime drawing & sketching
mostly painting, mainly oils
with details, details, details –
your forte.
You liked it when someone said
“Oh, it looks so real, like a photograph.”
But, of course, you worked from magazines
National Geographic, Life, calendars, too.
Look again,
they are your strokes.
Someone said
“Looks like a watercolor.”
Look closer,
the opaque white
with traces of a brush’s bristles
in oil paint with extra linseed oil
in very thin layers.
The same way you made your sandwiches
thinly spreading the peanut butter & jelly.
A vestige of growing up during The Depression,
part of being frugal.
No, not frugal,
cheap … or
tightfisted, as they said then.
Look, really,
they are not your strokes.
Too broad, too loose, too vague
too imprecise, too open, too unfinished
too expressive for your temper –
not your usual rigidity.
Aah,
the onset of dementia,
after those other strokes
released & relaxed your brain’s severe part,
loosening the grip on your hand,
bringing this Seascape into being.
And,
at the same time, as dementia
shut down another part of your brain,
all desire to paint vanished,
leaving Seascape with Gulls
– your first and last unfettered work –
as the very best artistic expression in your life.
PRAGUE, CENTER OF THE WORLD
I was happy in Prague.
Because I drank the best spirits
Meet a historical fact
Yes, Prague is a country of existence
Where people are very happy
I was a tourist one day.
But I felt like it every day.
I am their resident.
Because they are really good people.
Historical battles are shown
Where people with swords fought
For the history of his country
In all this, it is as if I find myself
Because the meaning of life is my existence.
Love was born in that wonderful time.
When no one cared, it wasn't
Prague is the centre of the world for me.
Because I feel free in it.
The reason for life is now more persistent
Because the Czech Republic is the land of peace and happiness
COLD WEATHERS
Winter has come
In a white coat
There's a man standing
That was me.
And I looked around
Austria is a country of cold
Rich in Mozart balls
Eight euros and much more
I was amazed by the garden
At Schoburn Castle
And everything is as if they are in a dream.
More than ever especially
Because I'm so happy
Why I meet people at night
Culture and Art
I appreciate everything about them
Because they are people
Similar menu
Cold but beautiful
Because the meaning of life is
To look forward to a new day
Coming to me
Austria is my dream
To experience it again
Because love is very clear
When I have what I want!
Maid Corbic from Tuzla, 22 years old. In his spare time he writes poetry that is repeatedly praised as well as rewarded. He also selflessly helps others around him, and he is moderator of the World Literature Forum WLFPH (World Literature Forum Peace and Humanity) for humanity and peace in the world in Bhutan.
Proverbs and Poetry from Faroq Faisal
1. Dying with disgust is very painful
2. Every day I look at myself in the mirror - I see how much is left for the end of humanity.
Tears of Inside
The body of my love inside the teardrops accumulated in the corners of the eyes.
Decayed body - leaves fall in the fall.
Pandemic and decrepitude are the bewilderment of creation, the moth's body is fragrant night.
That night is not the deep wound of the moon's belly, but the glory of the sun.
It's just the wee worm's deep kiss inside the point, the wound inside the wound - the eternal sky beyond.
Velvety body killer youthful Madhavi (a flower name) Madhavi's tears are not the point - the tears inside the point.
Poetry from Tanvir IslamBirds of Peace
How Beautiful the birds of the air!
See their awesome wonderful flair.
So quiet it would be
Without sound
Watching them as they
fly all around.
Sweet harmony do they make
A lonesome world this would be,
For no birds making flight
These wonderful creatures I see.
Beautiful birds of nature
wonderful sounds to my ear
touching me with wonder,
so gentle with serenity
and so dear.
Name. Md. Tanvir Islam
Grade/Class: 8
Roll No. 44
Crime Investigation
One morning I went out for a walk. That day was Wednesday. I was walking past a pond. Then I heard the voices of two men at the edge of the pond. They were arguing about something. I felt very suspicious, so I approached them.
Since there were no houses in the empty street in the morning, that I was suspicious. There I saw two men saying to each other, "You have done the deed. Let there be no blame on me." I didn't understand what job they were talking about, I was not very comfortable with their words.
They were saying the same thing over and over again, so I didn't understand what the point was. At one point one of them said, "Then why should the dead Zia be brought up from the grave?" I was not very comfortable with their words.
Then the other person said, "I would have raised Zia from the grave if he could speak!" I felt that there was some mystery in their words. They then got up from there and started walking towards Fursedpur. I started walking behind them. They both sat in a tea shop and had tea and left in an auto.
After they left, I asked the tea shopkeeper about them. The tea shopkeeper said, "These two are not good people. They will do anything with betel nuts!" Only the two of them kept going around in my mind. I got the home address of both of them from the tea shopkeeper and next day I went to their village and started tracking them.
They both went out of their house towards Mirzapur. I followed them. There is a closed and old bungalow in Mirzapur. There two of them went in and the third started talking to another man. The third person gave them both a lot of money. I found it suspicious so, I took a picture of them on my mobile for proof.
After they came out of the bungalow, I went inside the bungalow and saw many weapons there. It was their secret place. I took those pictures on my mobile phone. My mind seemed to have defeated fear. I had no fear. I made up my mind to reveal this mystery.
The next day I started looking for the dead person named Zia. I asked my friends from two or three neighboring villages, "Do you know someone named Zia, who died a few days ago?" Then one of my friends told me, "Yes, a rich man named Zia in our village died about six or seven days ago."
I then asked my friend, "Do you know where and how the man died?" Then my friend said, "Yes, I know. Someone killed him when he was coming home from the market." I asked him again, "Didn't his family inform the police?" He said, "Why not! The police are investigating the case."
My friend then said to me, "What are you going to do knowing this?" I told him without realizing anything, "A neighbor next to our house was crying a few days ago, that her brother Zia had passed away. So I inquired. Then my friend said, "Okay." After listening to him, I understood that the three of them had some kind of secret knowledge of this incident.
I went to the police and inquired about the case. A police officer told me about that case. I then said, "I can help you with this case." I explained everything. I showed my mobile photos as proof. The police then visited the spot and arrested them. Police and court gave them due punishment.
After this incident the police made a report about me in a huge crowd and there were many newspapers, television reporters and many spectators. I was lucky enough to speak in front of them. I said there, how I investigated this case. Then the police and higher officials gave me a certificate and awarded me.
I was very happy. I never thought I could do something like this. I was very proud. Our whole family was proud. I thanked my friend who helped me in this matter. It was so much fun and I never thought I would be doing such a big investigation without my knowledge.
It's 3050. I am Dr. Roman Tanson. I am a scientist and robotics specialist.
Now people don’t have to go out without their special helpers. Robots help people. So, they rule the world. They have artificial intelligence.
Many countries are conducting weapons tests on the earth using destructive robots. As a result, robots have evolved strangely. They are destroying their control system and they’re running wild and destroying humans. There are even dangerous soldier robots such as AFT-3, AfTO-550, and ASJ-65.
The most dangerous robots are the SCI-FIBOT-5550. Many countries have studied about them and found that they cannot tolerate oxygen.
Now only a super hero can save the world. He is my brother, Misal Stark Saad. Everybody calls him "Legend of the Tree" because he has a lot of power and knowledge about trees.
Everybody told him to save the world. He told me to make some blasting robots. I made AJ52, the blasting robots. Saad went out in his mission with the blasting robots AJ52. Stark Saad slowly destroyed all robots. But the terrible SCI-FIBOT-5550 robots remained.
He fought a dangerous war with them. This time he used his most dangerous power, the tree of unlimited oxygen. In this way my brother Misal Stark Saad saved his favorite earth.
Gimme Some Pope Bone
Welcome, James Mason. What moves you to come sit with us today?
I am looking for funding to allow me to deal with the current crisis involving the pope.
I, uh—we have no knowledge of any current crisis involving the pope. Please elaborate.
Sure. The pope’s not only the head of a very huge church but is also a fish of the perch family, with a greenish-brown back and yellow sides pope and pope underparts pope pope pop po p pe poe pope ope pe e pop po pop p’pe epop pope pope pope. And also, its no coincidence that the hard whitish tissue making up both pope’s skeleton bones is called bone pope bone pope bone pop bon po bo p b pe be poe boe pope bone ope bon pe bo e b pop one po ne pop one p’pe b’ne epop enob pope bone pope bone pope bone lasso.
Okay. But, I’m a bit lost. Back up and elaborate.
Sure. More’s that the fish-pope’s diet mainly consists of small aquatic bugs and larvae meat chops steaks cognac and wine such masses of which are consumed daily it’s as though theses popes are constantly crying out gimme some more pope bone gimm som more please pope bone imm om pop bon catholic chicken is imme ome po bo mme me roman guitar p b gim so pe be gime soe poe boe im’e soe ‘e gumbo pope bone ‘e me ope bon e m’ e b m’ gm’ pop one om’ po ne gim’ som’ pop one gimm’ some Charlie the chicken p’pe b’ne gimme some epop enob gim so pope bone imm om pope bone gimm ome more pope bone gimme some gimme some deep acceleration please pope bone gimme some pope gimme some bone gimme but some the popefish gimme some do you see now, lasso lasso?
It's coming along. I think I might see, but, the viewers might need more. As in some games’ big Cuba. Popular hereabouts. So; go on.
Absolutely. In some aquatic environments where they’ve been irresponsibly introduced the popes have become so damaging to their environment that scientists have been frantically searching for a way to bid them a final bon voyage, as Dr. Matthews-son, biologically academic big shot frontman has put it bon voyage pope bone n e gimm som b v pope bone on ge imm om o ya pop bon on yag imme ome bon oyag roman hard catholic skeleton gumbo po bo b’n vo’ge mme me ‘on ‘oyage p b nob egayov bno gim so oyaeg obn pe be ovyage ob gime soe ov-yag b’ poe boe oyage’ non im’e soe ‘e e-oyage vo pope bone yage b’ ‘e me on ope bon no eg’ e m’ ban vayoge e b nib yivoge m’ gm’ the goal is to kill off the species b0n v0yage pop one b om’ =n vo=ge po ne bin viy’ge gim’ som’ von coyage pop one bob voyagw gimm’ some simmering cooked roman gumbo anna chicken from electric buzz buz bln vl-yage p’pe b’ne cpo wpzbhf gimme some opc fhbzpw epop enob ‘p’ ‘ya’ gim so the goal is to kill off the species entirely bon voyage pope bone bon voyage imm om hey hey entirely bon pope bone hey hey voyage pope bone hey hey hey gimm ome while the gumbo is simmering remove church tissue from the danger site more pope bone hey entirely bone the gimme some cooked chicken quick and slick gimme some pope bone hey hey kill off entirely gimme some pope gimme some bone gimme but some the popefish gimme gimme remove church tissue lasso from the lasso lasso from the danger site, lasso.
In fact, the pope is the first invasive species to have been classified as a nuisance by the non-indigenous nuisance prevention and control program. As such it needs to be killed off entirely. So, do you see? Do you?
Oh, yes—but this non-indigenous nuisance prevention and control program you mention. I have not heard of this. What of it?
What of it is; it is me all over.
All right. So then—
And that’s why I need money. To begin work on a solution. An this work gimme money must bon voyage gime mony begin immediately pope bone gimm mone n e imme oney gimm som mm ne b v gime moey pope bone on ge imm because om o ya pop bon on yag imme ome bon oyag po bo b’n vo’ge mme me ‘on ‘oyage gmme mney p b e y nob egayov bno me ey gim so mme ney oyaeg obn imme because man is oney pe be gie mey ovyage ob ge my gime soe g y ov-yag b’ gi ey poe boe gim ney oyage’ non gimm oney im’e soe gimme money ‘e e-oyage gimm oney vo pope bone gimme money yage b’ gimme money ‘e me because man is in the forest gimme money on ope mm ne bon no gimme money Bambi hey Bambi eg’ e gimme money pope bone hey hey gimme some because man is in the forest Bambi gimme money because man is in, because!
I am sorry, but. Can you repeat that a bit clearer?
No; it’s as simple as pope bone pope bone pope bone pope bone pope bone pope bone—
Stop! Hold it—you—
—pope bone pope bone pope bone pope bone pope bone pope bone pope bone pope bone pope bone pope bone pope bone pope bone pope bone pope bone pope bone pope bone pope bone pope bone—
Mister Mason, Plaese!
—pope bone pope bone pope bone—
Hey Sal! Cut the juice right now!
—pop bone pope—
Okay Jack, you’re the boss!
—bone.
Jesus Christ, thank God.
Whew.
Lights out.
