The Lovers’ Chronicle 30 May – on my mind – photography by Félix Arnaudin – art by Fernando Amorsolo

Dear Z, Today’s Lovers’ Chronicle from Mac Tag to his muse.  Hope you are well.  Rhett

The Lovers’ Chronicle

Dear Muse,

not inspired by the song
Willie sang so well
“With Willie, always”
though it could have been
even though the very act is impossible
“That never stopped a good song”
or a bad one
“Right”
from the day we sat on that downtown
Decatur bench to this, i could sing it
with the lyrics often and everyday
on my mind

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in addition to you and us, there is plenty, enough to keep these words flowin’ across the page; today is Memorial Day, want to be mindful and respectful of why this is a holiday, as with perhaps all days of celebration there are those who suffered tragedies on that day, one person’s festivities is another’s nightmare, neither in a celebratory mood nor mournful, as we spend this one quietly together, lets raise a glass and pour an extra for absent friends

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i write
you in my thoughts

such time and distance
preceded us, but now

as we will be together

i am stirred, never before

havin’ admitted the need,
the tenderness found

drivin’ down Ponce
through late evenin’s
cool breeze in our hair,
want, heavy as we stop

do not let go

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Pale Love, Pale Rider

well of course
off and on
throughout the day

i answer each time,
never questionin’
it is my purpose,
my only need

i choose each
of these words
carefully

and i mean them

i never would have
written them had i not

so thankful
i had the chance
to whisper them here

how could i ask for more

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i write you
in my thoughts
to ask how did we let
so much time and distance
come between us

inevitable
that i return
and find you
to question,
are you as content
as i wanted you to be

and still i am stirred,
never havin’ admitted
to the need,
the tenderness found

drivin’ along a caliche road
through late evenin’s
cool breeze in our hair,
want, heavy as we stop
for the night

to get back to that

in the lane
we touched
we were there

do not let go

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always begins and ends
with thoughts of you there
and how no place
was ever the same
without us

at times, overpowerin’
even now, the thoughts
cannot imagine bein’
without and yet forlorn
is no exaggeration

come
let us go there
now

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Archaic, yes
Always begin
With an orison

In sleep
Adrift
In visions

Then I wake
Seein’ us
Together

This thirst
To remember

***

Do y’all
Have any idea
How hard it is
To teach a kindle
How to understand
A High Plains drawl

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My feet are firmly planted here on the High Plains but my mind, dear Muse, is in Paris.  The French Open has begun, one of my favorite sportin’ events.  A beautiful sight, the red clay courts of Roland Garros.  And today marks the anniversary of the deaths of two legendary French figures.

Thinkin’ of Paris
always begins and ends
with thoughts of you there
and how you brought
even more light
to La Ville-Lumière
At times the combination
of your beauty and the city’s
was overpowerin’
Even now, they are thoughts
i cannot imagine bein’ without
and yet i am forlorn
that we are not there now
We will always
have Paris, mon chou
i go there often
with you in my dreams
Je t’aime Muse

© copyright 2016 Mac tag all rights reserved

for M

What will i miss
the most: Your eyes,
your smile, your laugh,
your beauty, your
inspiration
All. All of it

I guess i will
miss the most the
way i feel when
I am with you

***

Ain’t here lookin’
for a long time
Just here lookin’
for a good time

***

So i have no feelin’s
But if i did, i would
be devastated. Good
thing i rid myself of
those damn pesky feelin’s

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On this day in 1431, peasant girl, national heroine of France, Catholic saint, The Maid of Orléans, Saint Joan of Arc was executed by burning in Rouen, France at the age of 19.

On this day in 1778, French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, freedom of expression, free trade and separation of church and state, Voltaire died in Paris at the age of 83.

Of course these thoughts have a soundtrack and that would be Frank Sinatra‘s version of ‘’April in Paris’’.

Félix Arnaudin

Today is the birthday of Félix Arnaudin (Simon Arnaudin; Labouheyre, France 30 May 1844 – 6 December 1921 Labouheyre); poet and photographer, and a specialist in Haute-Lande folklore.  In Gascony, M. Arnaudin created his collection of tales by attending gatherings, as well as at marriages and at various agricultural festivals.  He left 3,000 photos at the Musée d’Aquitaine in Bordeaux.  Félix Arnaudin was the first to observe Haute-Lande as a native people.  He can be said to be at the same time linguist, folklorist, historian, ethnologist, photographer and writer.  He became noted studying the folklore of the Landes of Gascony, at that time in full economical and social transition. His work is centered on recording Gascon language fairy tales and songs; on land, habitations, shepherd and peasants photography. He thus consecrated his life to save this heritage from fading into oblivion.  His natal house became a photo exhibit managed by the Labouheyre commune.

Gallery

 Reproduction numérique de la photographie réalisé le 4 avril 1902 sur plaque de verre (13*18cm) présentant la langue et la forêt

 Reproduction numérique de la photographie réalisée le 30 décembre 1910 présentant le champ et les pins

 Reproduction numérique de la photographie réalisée le 3 octobre 1898 présentant la pinède landaise

 Ancienne maison Arnaudin

Maison de Tartas – Le Mineur (Sabres) circa 1907

 Maison landaise 1907

 Chapelle Saint-Pierre 1906

 Église de Bias 1897

 Fontaine Saint Michel 1903

  Pyramide près de Ipourt 1913

Bergers échassiers

Portrait de famille

 Reproduction numérique de l’œuvre Route d’Escourssole à Labouheyre réalisée à Labouheyre le 28 septembre 1880 selon la technique du gélatino bromure d’argent sur plaque de verre (13 x 18 cm)

And today is the birthday of Fernando Amorsolo (Fernando Amorsolo y Cueto; Paco, Manila; May 30, 1892 – April 24, 1972 Quezon City, Philippines); portraitist and painter primarily of rural Philippine landscapes and women. Nicknamed the “Grand Old Man of Philippine Art,” he was the first-ever to be recognized as a National Artist of the Philippines. He was recognized as such for his “pioneering use of impressionistic technique” as well as his skill in the use of lighting and backlighting in his paintings, “significant not only in the development of Philippine art but also in the formation of Filipino notions of self and identity.”

In his paintings of Filipina women, Amorsolo rejected Western ideals of beauty in favor of Filipino ideals and was fond of basing the faces of his subjects on members of his family.

Amorsolo married twice; Salud Tolentino Jorge (m. 1916; died 1931)​ and Maria del Carmen (m. 1935)​.

Gallery

thanks for stoppin’ by y’all

À la prochaine,

Mac Tag

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