1074

[I used kente cloth images from the internet to put together this mosaic]

Kente comes from the word kenten, which means "basket" in the Asante dialect of the Akan language, referencing its basket-like pattern. In Ghana, the Akan ethnic group also refers to kente as nwentoma, meaning "woven cloth".

Kente is more than just a cloth. It is an iconic visual representation of the history, philosophy, ethics, oral literature, religious belief, social values, and political thought of West Africa. Kente is exported as one of the key symbols of African heritage and pride in African ancestry throughout the diaspora [kente info from the internet]

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emancipation 

ripe with history and fashion -

a holiday time

Cooperation: peaceful relations, cultural exchanges, good trading practices; we all want this in Trinidad & Tobago and for the wider world. 

Here in Trinidad & Tobago we are in Emancipation celebration mode. There are festival activities happening all around us. 

Parades; drumming, dancing, theatre, religious devotions, and feasting;

and on August 1st the public holiday - Emancipation Day. 

she wears festive  clothes

off to camp with her lunch box

my sweet granddaughter

A high point of the celebration is afro-centric fashion displayed and worn at home,  in offices,  schools and events.

Into all of this we have with us as distinguished guests the From Ghana the royals: Prince Nana Poku Agyeman; Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asante King, Ghana and their entourage.

© gillena cox 2023

 

REVISIT TO READ

Monday WRites 404
20230731
20200731

 BLOG HOPPING TODAY WITH

Mosaic Monday#42

 Haibun Monday 7-31-23: Moving

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THIS IS MONDAY WRITES 405

LAST MONDAY OF

 JULY

You've heard about the Monday Blues 

well this is Monday WRites  (musing on the definition here of rite, as any customary observance for eg the rite of afternoon tea). 

 

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For every Monday in August the Word is CLOTH Link up with one of your  posts where the word  CLOTH is present or the theme CLOTH is presented

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Today last Monday of July you can link with 'dance' or with 'cloth'

1073

[Fireworks over Port of Spain, Trinidad from google dot com]

 APPRECIATION FILLING

Hunger is such a wasteful occupation

A useless penny on the sidewalk

A penny for your thoughts echoes worthless care

Appreciation throws itself into fits of

Falling kudos like night sky fireworks

Flattery wider than oohs and aahs

Take care not to surrender your thirst

To muddied water stagnant like a toad

Squelching underfoot the sound

 Of wooden sapats when children walk gingerly

Over the mud a plank spans thoughts

Ripe for making of wise decisions 

Eat slowly from the bowl of knowledge

Hunger is such a wasteful occupation 

© gillena cox 2023

BLOG HOPPING TODAY WITH

MTB: The Duplex

REVISIT TO READ 

20210727

20150727

1072

[María Berrío, Closed Geometry, 2022, paper collage and watercolor on linen; courtesy dVerse poetry

pub]

 
 

UNREQUITED 

She lay there like a  paper doll

Cast to a windy day

All resolve is spoken in the colour pink

And consciousness knows no kindness

How many rocks need be stationed

To the rigors of love unrequited

How many hearts smashed on the altar of 

Fruitless strawberry bushes

Should she stay there bruised

Like grapes underfoot

Like garbage strewn

Like an eight day week

UNREQUITED © gillena cox 2023

BLOG HOPPING TODAY WITH

Poetics: Ekphrastic Poetry

REVISIT TO READ 

20220725

20160725

1071

[image from google]

 There at the very edge of longing

A glass of water pursued her lips

Ruby like bunched grapes

From a compote hanging

What is it to quench perseverance

Purposed of passion's desire

It is but a glass of water

In the middle of reverence 

© gillena cox 2023

REVISIT TO READ

Monday WRites 403

20190724

20170724

 BLOG HOPPING TODAY WITH

 Quadrille #180: Pouring Out Our Poems

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THIS IS MONDAY WRITES 404

 Happy Month of July

Lets dance in the month of July

You've heard about the Monday Blues 

well this is Monday WRites  (musing on the definition here of rite, as any customary observance for eg the rite of afternoon tea). 

 

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“Dancing is the poetry of the foot.”  — John Dryden

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For every Monday this July the Word is 'DANCE' Link up with one of your  posts where the word 'dance' is present or the theme dance is presented

1070

[image courtesy dVerse Poetry Pub]

BLOG HOPPING TODAY WITH

OLN #342 July 2023

LISTEN TO A READING OF UNITY

REVISIT TO READ 

UNITY posted in July 

2015

1069

[image from google]

STEAL AWAY

Those times when sandy beaches

called out our names;

So loud and clear, we answered,

with aeroplane rides;

When the bloom of love flowered

in every season;

To steal away was natural,

it was so easy.

© gillena cox 2023

BLOG HOPPING  TODAY WITH

Poetics:Vacation reminiscences

REVISIT

20210718
20200718
20160718

1068

The aesthetic that is dance: lights, music, energy, colour, stretching to the heights of a discipline to

be shared  and appreciated, all of this goes into the buildup we appraise as the performance.

What of the players on stage? How many delicious fried meals did they have to refuse, How many hours of sleep did they abstain from to get the movements right to sync with their partners.

We the audience leave the hall in applause mode, but if you really ponder the performance in terms of its background efforts and  disciplines the words of Rilke echo thoughts: "For beauty is nothing but the beginning of terror.” 

Attended the matinee performance of  'metamorphosis takes flight' at NAPA (National Academy for the Performing Arts)yesterday afternoon, so response to today's challenge is inspired thus.

 

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“Let us read, and let us dance; these two amusements will never do any harm to the world.”

― Voltaire

 

REVISIT TO READ

Monday WRites 402
20190717
20190717

 BLOG HOPPING TODAY WITH

Mosaic Monday#40

 Prosery: Rainer Maria Rilke

challenge to include the line  from The First Elegy by  Rainer Maria Rilke -"For beauty is nothing but the beginning of terror.” in a short prose

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THIS IS MONDAY WRITES 403

 Happy Month of July

Lets dance in the month of July

You've heard about the Monday Blues 

well this is Monday WRites  (musing on the definition here of rite, as any customary observance for eg the rite of afternoon tea). 

 

❧✿❧

For every Monday this July the Word is 'DANCE' Link up with one of your  posts where the word 'dance' is present or the theme dance is presented

1067

[the 'rock' in today's photo is a painted stone i did about 5 years ago with my granddaughter, she is 10 now. She took her painted stone home. i kept mine 😊]

1

just because its fun, he stacks rocks as a hobby

some people call him, rockman from lonely corner

 how cruel i think; is this twenty twenty three

or have we reversed;  to a time of backwardness

© gillena cox 2023

2

THROUGH TIME AND SPACE

hungry rocks eat the gemstones; and time vapors thin

old days are lived on one side;   what's past now present

through rocks guarding the gateway; who then will return

can love transport through portals; rocks thin as magic

© gillena cox 2023

# [for this second one, the inspiration is from a Netflix series i viewed a while back titled The Outlander]

BLOG HOPPING  TODAY WITH

MBT: Rocking the imayo

 [challenge : to write an imayo themed rock; 4 lines of 12 syllables with 7/5 portions]

REVISIT

20210713
20200713
20160713

1066

[image courtesy dVerse poetry pub]

 TWELVE: THIS AND THAT

When does a new year begin? at

Twelve or one minute past? Hat

Cat skiddle that.  

A tomato red and delicious, is

It fruit or vegetable? Her

Eyes wide open to a yummy salad. 

Once upon a time in a fairy tale

Twelve princesses. 

© gillena cox 2023

LIMERENCE

Thoughts personal until shared

Like a doughnot turned curve.

There is no whole in two halves,

Only sections of desire fed of sweet

Longing.

Her eyes, his lips;

The curve of her brow, his lips;

Morning dew, his lips;

Finally, whispers of the heart;

Silenced in a kiss.

© gillena cox 2023

BLOG HOPPING  TODAY WITH

Happy dVerse: Twelfth Anniversary

[challenge: to write a quadrille including the word twelve in any of its forms]

Poetics: One Word

 [challenge : to choose from a list of words to use as the  title and write a poem;  i chose Limerence]

REVISIT

20180711

1065

 [from my archives; children's carnival along the Western Main Road St James]

“You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,

Love like you'll never be hurt,

Sing like there's nobody listening,

And live like it's heaven on earth.”

― William W. Purkey

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“Let us read, and let us dance; these two amusements will never do any harm to the world.”

― Voltaire

 

REVISIT TO READ

 so i can dance
dance
tasty bit rhythm and dance

 dance for May 

 BLOG HOPPING TODAY WITH

Mash Up

Mosaic Monday#38

Come Fly With Me

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THIS IS MONDAY WRITES 402

 Happy Month of July

Lets dance in the month of July

You've heard about the Monday Blues 

well this is Monday WRites  (musing on the definition here of rite, as any customary observance for eg the rite of afternoon tea). 

 

❧✿❧

For every Monday this July the Word is 'DANCE' Link up with one of your  posts where the word 'dance' is present or the theme dance is presented