Walkaboutsverse

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Paul Burke
Date: 12 Jun 08 - 05:59 AM

Thank god for small mercies.

Thank god for small verses. Or small nurses for that matter.

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 12 Jun 08 - 04:38 AM

Poem 96 of 230: PARADIGMS

"Thirty-all" is, in effect, "deuce";
    Nobody has seen an "atom":
An atom remains a model;
    "Thirty-all" an umpire's call.
"They we just simply had to bomb";
    And there are other given "truths"...

If we humans evolved from apes,
Why on earth are there living apes?

From walkaboutsverse.741.com

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 07:15 PM

Gene - you forgot to include a link to your Myspace. I can only assume this was an oversight.

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Little Hawk
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 06:27 PM

I love that story about Antoinette de Maupin, Don! Simply marvelous.

DS, I have never considered women to be the "weaker" sex. Never at any moment in my life. Matter of fact, I consider men to be the weaker sex overall, despite the macho posturing that so many of them have engaged in since time immemorial. I have no sympathy with that approach at all, and have never engaged in it. I despise traditionally patriarchal authority systems. I admire women tremendously. In my opinion they are, on average, more mature and more responsible than men, they are the glue that holds society together, and when they take up traditionally male roles they usually do them every bit as well as men...if not better.

They also are often better songwriters, in my opinion...on average.

I've seen individual exceptions to everything I said above...but speaking in general terms? Women are formidable and anyone who thinks they are not has much to learn. ;-)

Ever read about Tomoe Gozen? She was a legendary female Samurai in ancient Japan, and she was the greatest warrior of her age. I would rather read stories about her than about any male Samurai that ever lived.

Of my greatest heroes (musical or otherwise)...you would be surprised how many are women.

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Def Shepard
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 05:34 PM

The American athlete, Mildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson comes to mind. She achieved outstanding success in golf, basketball and track and field. Not bad for the so-called "weaker" sex

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Don Firth
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 05:28 PM

A little parable for us to read while we all calm down:

A few centuries back, an actress by the name of Antoinette de Maupin was attending a soiree in the manor house of a French aristocrat. At the time, actresses were regarded as little better than prostitutes, and despite the fact that her escort was at the top of the social structure, several aristocratic but ill-mannered young men fell to making loud, rude comments about her. They were way out of line.

When none of the assembled "gentlemen"—including the man who had brought her—would speak up in her behalf, she stepped forward and challenged these loudmouthed louts in powdered wigs—all six of them—to meet her in the garden, immediately, sword in hand. Thus challenged by this small and slender young woman, they could not demur without leaving a major blot on both their honor and their manhood.

She borrowed a smallsword (the elegant, lightweight sword with a slender 34 or 35 inch blade worn by "gentlemen of quality" during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries) and stepped through the French windows into the garden. The six "gentlemen" followed her into the garden. All trained in fencing, as young gentlemen of the era were as a matter of course, they were confident that the first one up would quickly "pink" her on the forearm and that would be the end of that. They found the whole thing quite amusing

Little did they know that one of Antoinette's paramours had been a fencing master, and he had taught her the art of the sword.

Taking them on one by one, she killed three of them. It took the other three this long for it to sink in that the young woman was most formidable with a sword in her hand. Stammering in awe and bewilderment, they proceeded to tender abject apologies to her for their egregious and ungentlemanly behavior. She accepted their apologies with good grace, returned the borrowed sword to its owner, and rejoined the party.

Needless to say, everyone was very polite to her after that.

###

Both of my sisters were athletes with national championships to their credit. I learned early on not to underestimate the prowess of the female sex in any endeavor in which they chose to engage.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Def Shepard
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 05:19 PM

Oh dear :-D some people do take things way too seriously, :-D

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Gene Burton
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 05:19 PM

I agree with Mick's post of 02:09PM.

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Big Mick
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 05:18 PM

Actually, dim wit, it was a statement of fact. You are the one who made the comment that invited response. If what I say didn't matter, you wouldn't respond at all.

OK, I am out of this one as far as responding to the ignorant one goes.

To LH, sorry for the side track, the mosquitoes distracted me. I support your position on this one and go with my original response.

Mick

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Def Shepard
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 05:11 PM

BM,Let it lie sounds like a threat, In order for a "target" to be on me, as you so quaintly put it, I'd have to care what you think. There are those here, whose opinions I do value, you're not one of them

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Big Mick
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 04:45 PM

Well, DS, I actually went back and read through most of the thread before I posted. I have been doing so for several days, because I noticed the tenor the thread had taken a negative turn. And my comments were more intended for good friends that are making comments that I found troubling. Not you, whom I don't know, and whom I didn't have any opinion on. But you shot your mouth off and got all smart assed. Fair enough, hot dog, but you put a target on yourself. Now let it lie, if you are smart.

I will say it again. Go ahead and put an example of your work out here for others to evaluate and critique. Until then, you are just another two bit critic with an opinion. Opinions are like assholes. Everyone has them and they often stink.

Mick

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Amos
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 04:36 PM

As the world soes often frown
On all but the most common nouns,
Use them wisely; do not choose
Phrases not extremely used.

Better tired words in hand,
Than some notion, free or grand,
Which some lady (old, and fearful)
Might deem much too bright or cheerful.

Ponder much, then, to avoid
Terms by which folks get annoyed;
And select for people's reading
Thoughts that don't require breeding.

Nothing new, awake, disarming,
Unfamilar thoughts alarming,
To be safe, you'll find it true -- it
Always serves to serve up suet.

Guidelines For the Meretricious
Winston Smith Brothers
"Rhymes for the Very Correct"
Orwelll Dot Endzwell Dot Comm
London, 1984

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Def Shepard
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 04:16 PM

and maybe BM and LH should read other entries on other threads, by WAV, you'll see what sort of person he is, other's have noticed as well, and I've been around alot longer than 12 seconds. :

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Big Mick
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 03:59 PM

Right dead on, LH. I guess I would feel different if this person had been around more than 12 seconds, and had shown the courage to post some of his/her work for us to examine and critique. It's way easy to just be critical when you don't have to worry about someone doing the same to you.

Write on, WAV

Mick

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Little Hawk
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 03:52 PM

Hey, DS, you never know till you try, right? I'm just suggesting handy ways you can blow off steam that would make a lot more sense than coming to another person's poetry thread and repeatedly subjecting him to personal abuse because you don't like his poetry. ;-) But perhaps you have made the error of taking my comments more seriously than they were intended...

No nasty little yapping dog to kick? Well, then, you could fight with your neighbours over something or you could yell at the man on the TV screen because he just gave a bad weather report. Either of those activities would serve equally well to spend a little of your bile in a relatively harmless manner and they wouldn't take up unnecessary bandwidth on WAV's poetry thread, right?

So think about it. ;-D

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Def Shepard
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 03:19 PM

Did I say I was joking, boy? I don't believe I did. I don't want to see another word about how "weak" women are on the court, or anywhere else., I called your bluff, you blinked first, now run along.

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 02:50 PM

...joking apart, DS, born with a clubfoot, frankly, I'm too slow, but I did manage to play A-grade juniors for Bill Gilmour's (ex-Australian Open referee) tennis school (Tod Woodbridge was also there), in Sydney, Australia - long before I repatriated in 1997.
Nowdays, I just hit a few balls, every other Saturday, to keep fit.

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Def Shepard
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 02:36 PM

Obviously you're incapable of anyting other than a child's game, just as ! thought, a braggart. WAV either put up or shut up, Personally I doubt you can play tennis.

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 02:29 PM

TABLE tennis at dawn, then, DS!

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Def Shepard
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 02:13 PM

sorry "Big Mick", did you say something? :-D

I don't kick small or anyother sort of dog, though apparently, "Little Hawk" you have some experience in this area

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Big Mick
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 02:09 PM

Thanks, Hawk, for saying what I have been feeling. Since its inception, this thread has bugged me, but my response has been to simply ignore it. This fellow certainly takes his craft serious, and though it didn't interests me, I don't begrudge him his platform. It is exactly what the old barn is supposed to house. I have been bothered lately much more by the nasty, judgemental comments than I have been by the verse. What's the point, folks??? One thing we know about the art we create is that it will appeal to some and not to others. Perhaps a dose of nasty judgement on your collective posts, lyrics, tunes, and demeanors would help you to understand how that feels?

Write and post on, Walkaboutsverse.

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Little Hawk
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 02:03 PM

Goodness sakes! All this vitriolic vituperation, spite, and unearned hostility! Come now, ladies! The man is doing nothing harmful here. He is merely traipsing about the planet and penning heartfelt verses about the things and places he encounters, much like a latter day McGonagall or Wordsworth. Methinks you should take your ire elsewhere. You could, for instance, kick that nasty little yapping dog that follows you about everywhere. Do it now. You'll feel much better, even if the dog won't.

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 01:42 PM

"where I enjoyed a day's walkabout, although I didn't pen any verses about it."

Thank god for small mercies.

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Def Shepard
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 01:40 PM

I also don't have a problem with women in combat, if that's what they want to do, something I doubt you've ever had the nerve to do, which, with all your patriotic posturing makes you a complete hypocrite

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Def Shepard
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 01:36 PM

WAV says, " I disagree with the modern slogan - "women can do anything".
I don't and I would take great pleasure, me a 61 year old female, laying your sorry rear end all over any given tennis court, which, most assuredly I would do, make no mistake about it.

You are the weakest link.

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 12:57 PM

Never been there, LH, but you've reminded me of steep-sloped Luxembourg, where I enjoyed a day's walkabout, although I didn't pen any verses about it.

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Little Hawk
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 12:39 PM

What about Liechtenstein, the world's next superpower in waiting? Have you been there yet? I want to hear some poetry about Liechtenstein.

Pay no attention to Catspaw! The man is slipping into his third childhood and cannot be considered to really exist in the realms of sentient life any longer. ;-)

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 11:43 AM

That should be about 52 weeks divided by about 40 countries, sorry - so, say, 8-9 days per country, on average, Volgadon.

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 10:58 AM

About 40 counries divided by about a year, Miss - but more time visiting places in Aus. and England, of course.

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 10:58 AM

And I responded as I did because you are always going on about them, as if it makes you extraordinary or gives you some special anthropological insight.

You should understand that, as with your qualifications, it may be the case that people around you are equally well or even better travelled - they just don't feel compelled to drop it into every sentence as a badge of honour.

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: GUEST,Volgadon
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 10:41 AM

Well, I asked because you are always going on about them. Thanks for the answer. How long, on average, did you spend in them?

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 10:31 AM

Look, Ruth - I was repeatedly asked.

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: catspaw49
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 10:09 AM

I think he has a lot of real tiny natural organs Amos........

Spaw

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Amos
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 10:07 AM

Technically, on a shoe-sole. A plastic replacement for the natural organ, mayhap.

A

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 09:59 AM

I've been to most of those. But i don't go on about it.

And I didn't travel on a shoestring, either.

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: catspaw49
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 09:13 AM

Probably at least 38 or so that you can't return to Walkswithoutballs.

I figure many sent you packing for boring everyone to death and the others simply becasue you're a pea-brained stupid shit.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Stu
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 08:57 AM

". . . but I've never been to me . . ."

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 08:54 AM

Republic of Ireland
The UK or 3/4 nations?
Australia
New Zealand/Aotearoa
Fiji
USA
Mexico
Hong Kong (now China)?
Macau (now China)?
Portugal
Spain
France
Monaco
Italy
Turkey
Hungary
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (now 6 nations)?
GDR (now Germany)?
West Germany (now Germany)?
Austria
Switzerland
Holland/Netherlands
Belgium
Greece
Denmark
Sweden
Finland
Norway
Kingdom of Nepal (now Republic of Nepal :-)
India
Thailand
Malaysia
Indonesia
Singapore
Kenya
(passed through a couple of others, and took in the scenery, without alighting the train)

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: GUEST,Volgadon
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 07:34 AM

I would really be interested in knowing which. Surely, it can't be that hard to write them down.

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 06:37 AM

Can we just settle on about 40, Volgadon - to be more precise would be very difficult, as boundaries have changed considerably; e.g., tensions were just beginning to rise as I travelled through what was Yugoslavia (and this is a statement of fact, not a judgement on the matter), and there were two Germanys at this time...

Poem 17 of 230: THROUGH WHAT WAS

During Europe's summer, '88,
    At a wall my bag was checked:
A brief smile at what gave it weight;
    Sun-cream lid back - mood unwrecked.
I walked past plain buildings and cars,
    And entered a small food-store.
Its goods were plain, also: no sweet bars;
    The essentials - not much more.
As I bought crispbread, with money changed,
    A row began, at counter,
Between two, it seemed, Germans estranged -
    Clothes, to me, the sole pointer.
I headed back through the wall that was,
    Then signed a reunion book.
Reflecting, I'm happy/sad because
    The Left-cause, too, has been shook.

From walkaboutsverse.741.com

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: GUEST,Volgadon
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 05:59 AM

I have an unrelated question, WAV. Could you include a full list of the 40 countries you said you visited?

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: GUEST,Volgadon
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 05:58 AM

My point is that at any professional level, both males and females will need pain killers. Playing tennis, for fun, as a hobby, is perfectly fine.

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 04:52 AM

To Snail - thanks for the John Betjeman and, for what it's worth, I do agree with him on quite a lot, but any other Miss out there for TABLE tennis?
To Catspaw - once again, please get back to your kittie litter.
To Amos and the blue (is that from our umpire?) - I hate imperialism, be it Victorian or any other, frankly.
Dear Don - I admitted most top females would probalbly do a BJK on me, but that's not the point; the point is, rather, Volgadon, that I don't like members of the fairer sex belting tennis balls with a pain-killing-injected tennis arm. And further...

Poem 211 of 230: AT FRONT LINES

I can't suckle a baby -
    God planned on some divisions;
Women are with war-weapons -
    We have fallen morally.

From walkaboutsverse.741.com

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: GUEST,Volgadon
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 03:42 AM

I thought male tennis players needed pain-killing injections too.

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Don Firth
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 08:41 PM

Sweet mother of Zeus!!

Re:   women and tennis, I believe Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King had a little disagreement about this a few decades back. They put it to the test on the tennis court and Billie Jean chewed him up, spit him out, and tap-danced on his remains, hardly working up a sweat in the process. Bobby was duly chastened and managed to keep his silly, male-chauvinist piggy mouth more-or-less closed after that. There are many, of course, who seem incapable of learning from history.

Nevertheless, we must, of course, keep the delicate little dears barefoot, pregnant, and in the kitchen.

Don Firth

I think i see a throwback WAVing to us from the Victorian era. . . .

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Amos
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 08:12 PM

AH, how lovely, clubby, palsy-walsy, Empire-epical!!


A

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: catspaw49
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 08:10 PM

WalkUponCrap.......LMAOLMAOLMAO......Geeziz Man.....or whatever it is you are, you are FUBAR as all hell ain'tcha?   I love it! When was the last time your head popped out of your ass and you saw daylight?   What a fuckin' jadrool........

I have a feeling you may be right about women not being able to do everything. For instance, I can't think of any who would have any form of sex with you on the worst day she ever had.........Not even Chongo's girlfriend!   Even when you resort to Ma Thumb and her four daughters, three are left out of the action and Ma is bored to death.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: TheSnail
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 07:45 PM

A Subaltern's Love Song

Miss J. Hunter Dunn, Miss J. Hunter Dunn,
Furnish'd and burnish'd by Aldershot sun,
What strenuous singles we played after tea,
We in the tournament - you against me!

Love-thirty, love-forty, oh! weakness of joy,
The speed of a swallow, the grace of a boy,
With carefullest carelessness, gaily you won,
I am weak from your loveliness, Joan Hunter Dunn.

Miss Joan Hunter Dunn, Miss Joan Hunter Dunn,
How mad I am, sad I am, glad that you won,
The warm-handled racket is back in its press,
But my shock-headed victor, she loves me no less.

Her father's euonymus shines as we walk,
And swing past the summer-house, buried in talk,
And cool the verandah that welcomes us in
To the six-o'clock news and a lime-juice and gin.

The scent of the conifers, sound of the bath,
The view from my bedroom of moss-dappled path,
As I struggle with double-end evening tie,
For we dance at the Golf Club, my victor and I.

On the floor of her bedroom lie blazer and shorts,
And the cream-coloured walls are be-trophied with sports,
And westering, questioning settles the sun,
On your low-leaded window, Miss Joan Hunter Dunn.

The Hillman is waiting, the light's in the hall,
The pictures of Egypt are bright on the wall,
My sweet, I am standing beside the oak stair
And there on the landing's the light on your hair.

By roads "not adopted", by woodlanded ways,
She drove to the club in the late summer haze,
Into nine-o'clock Camberley, heavy with bells
And mushroomy, pine-woody, evergreen smells.

Miss Joan Hunter Dunn, Miss Joan Hunter Dunn,
I can hear from the car park the dance has begun,
Oh! Surrey twilight! importunate band!
Oh! strongly adorable tennis-girl's hand!

Around us are Rovers and Austins afar,
Above us the intimate roof of the car,
And here on my right is the girl of my choice,
With the tilt of her nose and the chime of her voice.

And the scent of her wrap, and the words never said,
And the ominous, ominous dancing ahead.
We sat in the car park till twenty to one
And now I'm engaged to Miss Joan Hunter Dunn.

        -- John Betjeman

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 07:29 PM

The top female players probably are a bit better than me, DS, but that's not the point - have a look at all the strapping, bulging muscles and veins of some of the top players you've listed; also, I've heard a well known English ex-player say she often played with pain killing injections in her racket-arm...as I say, table tennis is a better sport for females, as netball is a better team sport than rugby for females. Most of the coaches on the women's tour are men whose main job, nowadays, it seems to me, is to grind away femininity - not my cup of tea, and I disagree with the modern slogan - "women can do anything".
Having said that, I would like to quickly add that I have no problem at all with the next Archbishop of Canterbury, e.g., being a female, whereas many others still do.

Subject: RE: Walkaboutsverse
From: Def Shepard
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 06:28 PM

and, of course, they have and do all play better than you, so, WAV, YOU are the weakest link. :-D