Hello again,

Loreena's music is very inspiring. I cannot say she has inspired me to write poetry, but her music is very vivid and when playing I see visions - images - which later translate into both prose as well as poetry.

I do not write on paper, but rather invent on the spot. So here's one now...

The Gyspy (inspired by Marco Polo)

I came upon a traveller's camp
lit by flames aflickering in the night;
I came upon a gypsy band
their music enchanting with the light;

Within the midst of torches,
there danced a maiden fair;
She was a gypsy surely,
with her long black curly flowing hair;

Her dance was that of the flames,
all aflicker and aloft;
Within her dance she stared at me,
at that moment I was lost;

Her dancing had me spellbound.
I could not move nor speak;
Her eyes they kept me wanting,
My heart felt soft and weak;

My guarding posts deserted,
my barriers undone;
I had been left yearning
at the rising of the sun;

For they had vanished all
not a trace of them remained;
And now my heart was broken
My mind had gone insane.

Let not the gypsy fool you
if ever they cross your path;
They will rob you of your senses;
They will steal what will you have.


I hope you liked it!

Love,
Phantas

Phantas,
I love your Dream poem for two reasons. 1., it feels like a dream, and 2.) I actually had such an experience with a deeply close friend in 1974,
in Malibu.

highlandtoes

Phantas,

How exciting to know you have been writing and your story sounds very interesting! Take your time to reading the e-mail; I am only in Gold Bar for the night. I have to go back to Maple Valley in a couple of hours. I got up early this morning after my boys were off the computer and before my daughter gets on.
Next weekend I'll read that poem again and let my imagination go as far as it can go...

Love,
Gina

Phantas!

What a nice thing you are about to do!
The subject of the novel sounds really attractive, what books do you enjoy reading most? Have you ever read something about Ray Bradbury? He made my imagination fly
I like Leo Tolstoy and Dostoievsky... of course many other spanish authors such as Jorge Luis Borges, Pablo Neruda, Antonio Machado, Becker.. Also Kazatsakis (this last one is Greek)..

Just a few words about the novel.. Make it True! Make it happen!

Best wishes.

Alexandra The Greek Goddess
Alexandra

Gina - I've received your email but haven't gotten around to actually reading it yet. My apologies!

Love,
Phantas

Thank you to Alexandra & Gina

I also am working on writing a novel, hopefully to be able to publish it. (I'll try and finish it first - LOL that is already quite hard!)

My novels are in Dutch, as that is my first language, although I occasionally write some prose (most of the time unfinished) in English and all my poetry, except a few, is in English as well, as that language lends itself so masterfully to this art.

The novel I am trying to write (turning into a project) is set in the near future of Earth, wherein there are various main characters, divided over several books, who will get a specific artifact which is part of a key. The key will lead to some sort of device or room somewhere in the world, but I haven't completely figured that out yet. It is important that the characters do something with the key-elements, as the secret that lies hidden behind the door the key belongs to, is one of grave importance to the existence of the world.

That's the project in a nutshell, but at the moment I have tons of ideas which don't relate to anything I've written sofar - that's my biggest problem - to focus on one story at a time (but then I get bored LOL).

And no, Gina, that particular poem ends there ... it is up to the reader to lend his or her own interpretation to the words, the melody, the flow and even the outcome. I am a big Enya fan so maybe that's the reason

Love,
Phantas

Dear Phantas and Very Old Elf,

I am finally back at home in Gold Bar where I spend the weekends. I live in Maple Valley during the week so my daughter goes to a better school and her and I are house sitting my dad's house where we stayed last weekend, and hence, no we have no computer there for me to log on to this site.

What a surprise to read these messages and I am touched by both of your friendships. I am so very happy you two have hugged and made up.

Phantas, you wondered if I am a writer and the answer is only privately. I have a 32 chapter book called, "Zylophila" it means "lovers of the forest", then I turned it into a trilogy and the 2nd book is called, "The Cross Quarters" and I haven't decided on the title of the 3rd book. "The Highwayman" gave me the idea of the book and I can't stop thinking of the characters and how they interact with each other. If I am not writing my stories I am reading them over and editing.
You answered my question to my satisfaction and I just wanted some to know how you write because I don't know any one else who writes. In your latest poem I saw the story and I didn't want it to stop. I wondered if you saw the same thing I saw.

Very Old Elf,
Thank you for standing up for me. How do you know me so well? I love to write, alas I don't convey my ideas and visions as well as I would like.

Love, Peace, and Hugs to all of you,
Gina

Phantas

That was great. I write a lot but never sent it to anybody but keep it for myself.
Im a big fan of celtic poetry and all sort of poetry. I really enjoyed it.

Regards,

Alexandra The Greek Goddess

quote:

Originally posted by Very Old Elf:
Well, I always said it : they should create nano-translators to hide in percings or others jewelry .
....But here it was more a question of "general meaning" and tone we can give reading the message of someone else with our own "habits" due to our native langage . (Wouaou! Do you understant me? Because, reading again what I wrote, I'm not sure to understand myself LOL )

....

@Artùr > thank you brother !

Oh, that would be interesting, to say the very least: Having to put up with your jewelry talking to you! Imagine, walking down the street and seeing the looks on other peoples' faces as the tiny voice located in the vicinity of your ear (or belly button) starts talking...

And yes, I did understand what you meant to say: It is difficult enough to "hear" the intended "tone" in written words -- without adding in the extra difficulty of not completely understanding the language used. I see it a lot, on the various forums I inhabit - uh, frequent. (yeah, that's the word: "frequent". yeah ) And who could speak rudely to Gina? Her mother, or another of her relatives, perhaps. But then, they have "earned" that right, by way of being directly related to her! Lastly, there is no need to thank me at all, either of you. I would do the same for anyone I think of as a friend, no matter how well I do not know them. Unless there were a risk of myself getting a black eye.

--Artúr

Awwww...all's forgiven and forgotten! (((((Very Old Elf)))) (=hugs)

Love,
Phantas

quote:

Originally posted by Very Old Elf:
Well, I always said it : they should create nano-translators to hide in percings or others jewelry .
I must say that for some sentences -everywhere in the forum-, use a dictionnary is not enough and, even with the translation of each word, it has no meaning for me because grammatically it's just impossible to understand. But here it was more a question of "general meaning" and tone we can give reading the message of someone else with our own "habits" due to our native langage . (Wouaou! Do you understant me? Because, reading again what I wrote, I'm not sure to understand myself LOL )

So I do apologize too, Phantas for my mistake of comprehension and mistake of reading ...
I also understand now why you did your own topic and, of course, I now realize how I am stupid:
who could hate or talk badly to Gina ? ...



@Artùr > thank you brother !

Well, I always said it : they should create nano-translators to hide in percings or others jewelry .
I must say that for some sentences -everywhere in the forum-, use a dictionnary is not enough and, even with the translation of each word, it has no meaning for me because grammatically it's just impossible to understand. But here it was more a question of "general meaning" and tone we can give reading the message of someone else with our own "habits" due to our native langage . (Wouaou! Do you understant me? Because, reading again what I wrote, I'm not sure to understand myself LOL )

So I do apologize too, Phantas for my mistake of comprehension and mistake of reading ...
I also understand now why you did your own topic and, of course, I now realize how I am stupid:
who could hate or talk badly to Gina ? ...



@Artùr > thank you brother !

Thanks Artúr,

And here I thought by asking a direct and simple question everyone would understand LOL!

I hope our dear Elf will see it the same way too!! I never mean to insult - it's not in my nature, unless someone has hurt me first :P then, and only then, my guard goes up LOL!

Love & Peace,
Phantas

quote:

Originally posted by Phantas:
Hang on now...I never insulted Gina anywhere!
Love,
Phantas

Ok, children, stop your arguing. I think we can all agree that the "language barrier" is getting in the way, here, and that there have definitely been some misunderstandings.

Phantas, I've been reading your poetry (when I have the time) and can honestly say that I wish I could write like that. I knew what you meant when you asked Gina whether she writes; all you asked is if she writes, it was not a statement declaring that she does not know what she is talking about -- of course, my first language is American English and I have also had to become somewhat used to understanding non-standard English as well (some of the technical instructions I've had to wade through, "translated" back to English from another language - oy!); and no, I do not see myself as somehow "superior" to anyone because of this "talent", it is simply something I had to learn to do.

Elf, you are not at fault, either, as far as I know. It does seem to be just a case of misunderstanding due to differences in language. You saw what you thought was an "attack" on someone you consider as a friend, and you reacted accordingly. It was a mistaken reaction, but it appears to have been based on your understanding of what was written.

Now, the two of you -- go to your corners and come out hugging.

(This message brought to you by the Alliance To Prevent Friends from Coming To Blows)

--Artúr

Hang on now...I never insulted Gina anywhere!

I was simply merely interested whether Gina herself wrote poems or prose (stories), just like I do.

I never meant to insult anyone and if I did, I do apologize as it was never my intention.


I made my own thread because this forum's layout gets on my nerves and at least, in this thread of my own poetry, I could follow the replies in a decent way. You are free not to post if you do not like the idea.

I like Gina very much as well and I would never insult her - not after her splendid reactions to my poetry. It was mere genuine interest, which was the reason I did not understand your initial post, Very Old Elf.

Love,
Phantas

quote:

Originally posted by Phantas:

quote:

Originally posted by Very Old Elf:

Well, I think Gina "has a writer inside" or more, is a writer: someone who wondering so much on her own langage and say that she still keep on learning it after 40 years ...


If only you could have understood that her question could help you to go more far in your art...


Best Regards.



-

Was that last remark meant to help me or insult me?

I don't think you have to speak for her, do you? I don't mean to offend just that I find it odd that you reply to a question I ask her, not you...

I don't need to go any further in my art - I'm quite fine where I am now.

Love,
Phantas

So, to answer to your questions:
- The way I red it (always from my point of view, which is the one of someone who is not an "english native speaker"), she was not insulting you but really wondering about your way of creation, and you were the one who was talking in a not very gentle way, not her (but, I now understand: if you felt insulted you were only defending yourself)...
- I answered because I am the kind of people who take the part of my friend and Gina is someone I care and all I saw until now was a guy who makes his own topic about his poetry (and not a topic about poetry where anyone could post), answering "badly" to someone who congratulated him and wanted to talk with him because she was interested by his "work".


So, I'm sorry, I don't like to have bad things under the nose and shut up as I didn't see it...



I just hope Gina is well because we didn't see her on the forum since you answered her (but I prefer think that she is hikking and have wonderful moments in her mountain...)