She suffers

 

My partner has been sick for five months. Getting an answer has been very hard. Watching her suffer, beyond words.

Her stolen life

 

She ain’t coming back

Cooked and withered

Gone to that place

Where only body exists

Such is the demands

Of physical pain.

 

Health

The great handbrake

The full stop

To her plans

The anchor

To her everyday existence

Buried deep beyond

That surface layer

Where the rest of us exist.

 

And take for granted.

 

The agony she often endures

Isn’t the worst of it.

 

Where is she going?

What is the solution?

Only answers to nowhere

And the un-merry-go-round

Of uncertainty.

 

Its treachery bites to the core.

 

Without a plan

There’s no hope

Seemingly too costly

To offer.

 

So, all we can do

Is deliver well meaning platitudes

While she sails that ship alone

Knowing there’s no destination

And curse the unhearing void

For the unjust theft

Of a healthy young life

A crime of magnitude

With no consequences

For the guilty.

 

 

20.9.23

 

The story continues...

A.J. Langford Books

Pathetic

 

This was written during a drinking night. I'd never normally write something like this sober. I already regret posting it. I regretted it while writing it.

Express Journey

 

I express into the Void

And perhaps always have

Rarely

Does anyone relate to the work

Especially this, the Poetry

Unless vague enough

That they misconstrue.

 

Perhaps that’s why

It’s been months

Since I’ve written anything.

 

It’s not as though

A whole book

Had an impact

Or even a dent

(Us & Them)

The disappointment

Drowns me often.

 

So, I’ll wax lyrical

Into a blank mirror

And nurse the emptiness

Like the real thing

It is

A baby I birthed

Spawned by others

And the more I talk about it

The more pathetic I feel.

 

I’m not a Marketer

And maybe I’m not much

Of anything

Or I surely would have

Reached people by now.

 

No longer will I

Shout

Or voice into the Void

But merely whisper

And retreat quietly

In the same way

I emerged.

 

 

3.9.23   10.20pm

 

 

The failure of Us & Them caused me to bust after 14 months sober. I feel like I've failed. Not just that book but my whole life. How do you let go of dreams you've had since 8 years old? 

I am grateful for the readers I have. Four people who always support me. They are wonderful (you know who you are). And three family members. Without them I wouldn't have made it this far. But there is no one else. 

I thought that book with it's more positive approach (and dedication to Sally) might garner some interest, (none of her family and friends did bar one) and the cumulative affect of years of putting my work out.

Pathetic I know. 

I am grateful to have my physical health (mental not so good plus my anti-depressant withdrawal issues). I am grateful for my girlfriend (she has an illness but that's another story.). I am grateful for my daughter (going through the teen period now but that's another story). Those things are getting to me though.

I have work and a roof over my head so I'm not complaining about my life in general. 

I deal with it most of the time and push on and say nothing. But occasionally it gets to me. I have other novels ready to go, mostly Young Adult but it's so much work and it costs me a lot too. How do I let it go?

Forgive me.

A.J. Langford Books

Love Lost - Grass appears greener

 

Trying out something different here. A rhyming poem no less. Which I never do. Does it work?

Search Part – Love Lost

 

Take your chances

Out there alone

A world of indifference

Chill you to the bone.

 

Grass appears greener

Where the sun always shines

Wait ‘til the night falls

Where the outlook is not sublime.

 

I’m a trick of the light

A mirage deceiving sight

You could bring me home to roost

If you only you could

Discover the truth

No language, no words

A sign language mismatch

Merely a clash of swords

Leaving you spinning

Out there alone

Loud echoes to your cries

Chill you to the bone.

 

You came to find me

I’d given up and gone

‘You don’t know what you’ve got’

You had called as a con.

 

Now it’s you who suffers most

A penniless wanderer

Forever counting the cost.

 

I seek a mere smile

Out there alone

But the years have passed

And worn me to the bone

Worn me out

Unsown.

 

 

fireflies by_t1na_d9wj9n3 at deviant art

 

(Post Valentines Days-2016)

I wanted to experiment with a traditional rhyming poem

And the concept of a lyric based song

Mixed with my own style of poem.

An experiment, if you will.

Did it work?

Last week I uploaded the audio/video story, Fabulous Flaw Finding Phil, which you can watch HERE

 A.J. Langford Books

Suggestions for future posts always appreciated.

Take care

Until next time

Peace

Anthony

Hope you don't encounter him. Mad flawed Phil

 

Phil.

He says things others only think.

Should he have just stayed quiet? You won't believe what happens.

Did he do this?

Oh no, not in the lift!

A new recording of the story from the collection, Pseudo Stars.

He's about to let rip

Some info on the making of the story at the end of the video.

Watch on YouTube HERE

For all books and videos go to A.J. Langford Books

Have a good week

Peace

Anthony

The Eighth Wonder of the World - Part Four

 

 Eighth Wonder of the World

There are a few considered for the title.

Three are listed here. They are constructions rather than natural wonders.

Pre-1900 creations

Part Four

Great Wall of China

By Jakub Hałun - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, httpscommons.wikimedia.orgwindex.phpcurid=6909926

The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications that were built across the historical northern borders of ancient Chinese states and Imperial China as protection against various nomadic groups from the Eurasian Steppe. Several walls were built from as early as the 7th century BC, with selective stretches later joined by Qin Shi Huang (220–206 BC), the first emperor of China. Little of the Qin wall remains. 

1907

Later on, many successive dynasties built and maintained multiple stretches of border walls. The best-known sections of the wall were built by the Ming dynasty (1368–1644).

A controversial question is whether the wall is visible from low Earth orbit (an altitude of as little as 160 km (100 mi)). NASA claims that it is barely visible, and only under nearly perfect conditions; it is no more conspicuous than many other human-made objects.

By Severin.stalder, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39661035

Kinzua Bridge

The Kinzua Bridge or the Kinzua Viaduct was a railroad trestle that spanned Kinzua Creek in McKean County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The bridge was 301 feet (92 m) tall and 2,052 feet (625 m) long. Most of its structure collapsed during a tornado in July 2003.

The original Kinzua Bridge, before its reconstruction in 1900

Billed as the "Eighth Wonder of the World", the wrought iron original 1882 structure held the record for the tallest railroad bridge in the world for two years. In 1900, the bridge was dismantled and simultaneously rebuilt out of steel to allow it to accommodate heavier trains. 

Restoration of the bridge began in 2002, but before it was finished a tornado struck the bridge in 2003, causing a large portion of the bridge to collapse. 

The Leaning Tower of Pisa 

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is freestanding bell tower, of Pisa Cathedral. It is known for its nearly four-degree lean, the result of an unstable foundation. The tower is one of three structures in the Pisa's Cathedral Square (Piazza del Duomo), which includes the cathedral and Pisa Baptistry.

By Arne Müseler / www.arne-mueseler.com, CC BY-SA 3.0 de,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=116752074

The height of the tower is 55.86 metres (183 feet 3 inches) on the low side and 56.67 m (185 ft 11 in) on the high side. The tower has 296 or 294 steps.

The tower began to lean during construction in the 12th century, due to soft ground which could not properly support the structure's weight. Construction of the tower occurred in three stages over 199 years.  It worsened through the completion of construction in the 14th century. By 1990, the tilt had reached 5.5 degrees.

I visited it in 1989. Walking up it's spiral staircase was a bizarre experience. You went up on one side and it felt like you were going down on the other. 

By Arne Müseler / www.arne-mueseler.com, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=116752044

Galileo Galilei, who lived in Pisa at the time, is said to have dropped two cannonballs of different masses from the tower to demonstrate that their speed of descent was independent of their mass, in keeping with the law of free fall. 

The structure was stabilized by remedial work between 1993 and 2001, which reduced the tilt to 3.97 degrees.

More in this Series

Next week, that crazy Flaw Finding Phil. A video/audio story.

Have a great week
Peace.

They're not who they pretend to be. You know them but are you aware of it?

 

Not who they pretend to be

Some people will say anything if it boosts their self image, no matter what they actually believe. Particularly online.

They are motivated by reputation. Summed up in these short words.

Watch HERE

Some people you've met in real life will have a very different persona online. They're well aware that it's a public forum, and they seek to profit by it. Not by funds (though possible), but by status. Never underestimate the power of status. Even the ancient philosophers spoke about them. A particular breed. And while status to a certain degree is important to everyone, some will be dishonest in order to bolster it. They are not to be trusted. 

Emotional truth is one of my primary interests as a writer. That's why much of my work is based on real people and events (usually something I've experienced). Even in fiction, I aim for authenticity. You'll observe this for yourself in my work.

More Video Poetry

A.J. Langford Books

Have a good week

Peace

Anthony

The Eighth Wonder of the World - Amazing - Part 3

 

 Eighth Wonder of the World

There are a few considered for the title.

Three are listed here. They are constructions rather than natural wonders.

Pre-1900 creations

Part Three

El Escorial

Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain. View from the northwest

Dome of the Basilica of the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain

El Escorial, or the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is a historical residence of the King of Spain located in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorialabout 45 kilometres (28 mi) northwest of the Spanish capital Madrid. Built between 1563 and 1584 by order of King Philip II (who reigned 1556–1598), El Escorial is the largest Renaissance building in the world. It is one of the Spanish royal sites and functions as a monastery, basilica, royal palace, pantheon, library, museum, university, school, and hospital.
El Escorial consists of two architectural complexes of great historical and cultural signifance.

La Granjilla de La Fresneda, a royal hunting lodge and monastic retreat about five kilometres (3.1 mi) away. These sites have a dual nature. El Escorial was both a Spanish royal palace and a monastery.
The building's cornerstone was laid on 23 April 1563. The building was completed in 1584.

Courtyard of the Evangelists, Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain

Erie Canal

The Erie Canal is a historic canal in upstate New York that runs east–west between the Hudson River and Lake Erie. Completed in 1825, the canal was the first navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. It has been called "The Nation's First Superhighway."

Aqueduct over the Mohawk River one of 32 navigable on the Erie Canal

The Erie's peak year was 1855, when 33,000 commercial shipments took place. It continued to be competitive with railroads until about 1902, when tolls were abolished. Commercial traffic declined heavily in the latter half of the 20th century due to competition from trucking and the 1959 opening of the larger St. Lawrence Seaway.

The Erie's peak year was 1855, when 33,000 commercial shipments took place. It continued to be competitive with railroads until about 1902, when tolls were abolished. Commercial traffic declined heavily in the latter half of the 20th century. Since the 1990s, the canal system has been used primarily by recreational traffic.

Camillus Aqueduct over Nine Mile Creek built in 1841 and abandoned c. 1918

Forth Bridge

The Forth Bridge is a cantilever railway bridge across the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland, 9 miles (14 kilometres) west of central Edinburgh. Completed in 1890, it is considered a symbol of Scotland (having been voted Scotland's greatest man-made wonder in 2016), and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

By MrMasterKeyboard - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=121262762

Construction of the bridge began in 1882 and it was opened on 4 March 1890.

At its peak, approximately 4,600 workers were employed in the bridge's construction. Wilhelm Westhofen recorded in 1890 that 57 people died. As of 2009, 73 deaths have been connected with the construction of the bridge and its immediate aftermath.

By Josh von Staudach - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3197426

More in the series HERE

Please visit my website for more articles, videos, short films, books and more.