tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32461412009-11-24T14:04:50.407+11:00Views, comments, opinions, musings from Vergil Iliescu<br>Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.comBlogger170125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-44986297368195236562009-03-01T14:09:00.001+11:002009-03-01T14:11:20.922+11:00

He has been in a nursing home for about 9 months, and dreadfully unhappy and depressed about it. Of course this is one of the reasons I have not written as much as I would have liked, I have been very preoccupied with the whole situation. I am using the writing as therapy, I think.Stefan at the Nursing HomeI don't want to write this poemI don't want to see himHe sits there wilting forward,

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-39924083700092881722009-01-08T11:41:00.002+11:002009-01-08T11:48:15.925+11:00

The Avaaz organisation provides links to information about this situation, both now and how it got to this point.1. Associated Press: "Israel Shells Near UN School, killing at least 30" (5 January 2009)http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ioi_0jtO9RjMwPNRoXNCndRPRq3gD95HTJE002. "Gaza: outlines of an endgame", Ghassan Khatib (6 January 2009)http://www.opendemocracy.net/article/

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-49113831146350427452008-10-02T23:07:00.002+10:002008-10-02T23:12:57.508+10:00

It's been nearly 12 months since I've posted. Other things on my mind. I have had occasion to to comment on belief in God in a discussion group again. It's a funny subject. So here are some of my thoughts. Years ago I asked my wife if she believed in God. She replied "when it suits me". I really liked that answer. Sometimes the God concept is useful. She doesn't much care for philosophical

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-19831850771206833522007-10-20T18:55:00.000+10:002007-10-20T19:27:15.249+10:00

Old age sometimes leads to forgetting of words not recognising things, or using the wrong words. This is a poem which came from thinking about this. Each verse is in traditional cinquain form, where there are 5 lines and the number of syllables in each line is 2, 4, 6, 8, 2 respectively. Using a structure like that seems to help me keep the writing more concentrated - sort of like a Haiku does.

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-5205191816661961682007-05-19T21:44:00.000+10:002007-05-19T22:07:28.424+10:00

So restful, sitting, silent on her chair,You deeply breathe the vista here spread out;Dismiss our time, the breeze transports me there,No opera house, no quay, no bridge, no doubt.Existing in a time and space not mine,You hear a voice, just there, beyond the tree!She whispers; “Look! You see this chair so fine?He carved this rock to show his love for me.At once I saw the feeling in his heart,

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-77677756925844788482007-04-19T23:09:00.000+10:002007-04-19T23:12:27.458+10:00

This is a Bob Dylan song I love. I recently bought a book of most of his songs, and I'm learning to play this one...My love she speaks like silence,Without ideals or violence,She doesn't have to say she's faithful,Yet she's true, like ice, like fire.People carry roses,Make promises by the hours,My love she laughs like the flowers,Valentines can't buy her.In the dime stores and bus stations,People

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-41164519792508947132007-04-15T11:29:00.000+10:002007-04-15T11:38:41.571+10:00

There was a very interesting "Ockham's Razor" broadcast on ABC Radio National this morning - you can view the transcript (or listen to the podcast) here: 'Kiddofspeed'"Dr Rosaleen Love from Monash University looks at the Chernobyl disaster and tells the story of Elena Filatova who visited the area".A very interesting talk about the internet, whether we can believe what we read, what the

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-9041021226518949962007-03-05T17:57:00.000+11:002007-03-05T18:03:09.554+11:00

I think I once saw Brian Burke in my rear vision mirror - should I confess? Have I been tainted for life?The dangers of meeting Brian Bourke

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-76027817742263064882006-11-26T11:56:00.001+11:002006-11-26T12:48:33.176+11:00

Denmark has found a creative way to help get drivers to notice the speed limit. I would like to see the same sort of thing done here in Australia. My motives, are, of course, are entirely driven by my concern and desire for safer roads.You can see the video here

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-78882710990148784472006-11-15T21:29:00.000+11:002006-11-15T21:34:05.850+11:00

I just bought the CD "Dreams Fly Away: by Linda Thomspson", which has a collection of the songs she has done herself or with Richard Thompson. While I have many of these already on earlier albums, a lot a new releases and there are some new songs. I especially like this one, a poem by Brian Patten put to a lovely tune ...Sometimes it happens And sometimes it happens that you are friends and

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-1156649518428901202006-08-27T13:30:00.000+10:002006-11-15T21:26:54.405+11:00

A very interesting discussion on the nature of belief on radio program "All in the Mind" last weekend"Why do you believe what you do? Is the human mind an organ designed for belief? Why are we so convinced of the existence of things we can't prove or see? Are some beliefs healthy and others pathological? Margaret Wertheim, author of Pythagoras' Trousers, and The Pearly Gates of Cyberspace;

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-1155435579472434622006-08-13T12:15:00.000+10:002006-11-15T21:26:54.322+11:00

... a poem by Donna DuCarmeAfraid of self,afraid of knowing,running, hiding,going nowhere, fading fast.Then. Stop.Turn and see,Turn about and face it.It? Me.Myself, my secrets, my soulGrowing, dreaming, dancing,going, going someplace,anywhere, searching for meanings& motives & reasons why,learning to fly, to soar again likebefore, before fear made me run.I found this beautiful little poem in a

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-1155210770184355702006-08-10T21:50:00.000+10:002006-11-15T21:26:54.236+11:00

I have resolved to be more like the dog!(Remember, it's about the bones)

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-1154786138560427022006-08-05T23:52:00.000+10:002006-11-15T21:26:54.153+11:00

The lady she had a silver tongue.For to sing she said,And maybe that's all.Wait for the dawn and we will have that song.When it ends it will seemThat we hear silence fall.The lady she had a golden heart,For to love, she saidAnd she did not lie.Wait for the dawn and we'll watch for the sun.As we turn it will seemTo arise in the sky.We heard that song while watching the skies,Oh the sound it rangSo

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-1154783527604272392006-08-05T23:02:00.000+10:002006-11-15T21:26:54.070+11:00

- a poem by Lucille Cliftonthey ask me to rememberbut they want me to remembertheir memoriesand I keep on remembering minefrom a book "Kiss Off - Poems to set you free"Mary Esselman & Elizabeth Ash Velezpublished by Warner Books

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-1154765056664719662006-08-05T17:56:00.000+10:002006-11-15T21:26:53.971+11:00

An article from the Guardian on the state of the world ... is everything really getting worse?I like this comment in the article:"The final item on the news that evening couldn't have been more symbolic if it had shown the ravens leaving the Tower of London. Fidel Castro, the one constant in all our lives, was on the blink. That's when I reached for the phone and -"We're fucked."There is a time

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-1154656973677206882006-08-04T12:01:00.000+10:002006-11-15T21:26:53.878+11:00

Last night we went to La Lupa restaurant in Balmain for dinner - but really to hear Sophie Raymond perform. I first saw her play at the Basement a year or two ago and immediately fell in love with her voice and her songs. I hadn't much chance to see her again, since she is Melbourne based, but she's been doing some gigs in Sydney and this was my chance to hear her again.It turned out that there

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-1154515715400652452006-08-02T20:44:00.000+10:002006-11-15T21:26:53.800+11:00

This is a great article on the current situation and the plight of the Lebanese from Robert Fisk, from the Australian.Not sure how long the link will be up though.It is also here and here.

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-1154488537034740262006-08-02T13:10:00.000+10:002006-11-15T21:26:53.709+11:00

The winning entry this week is:Although this is an advert that screams excitement, the man who placed it (historian, 54, enjoys air-fix modeling) is strangely subdued."I think this deserves the bottle of Champagne prize.But there are quite a few other good ones:"I intend to keep the precise contents of this personal ad a secret"."Man sought, with Mozart tendencies, his own wig and his own arch

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-1154487563594471212006-08-02T12:50:00.000+10:002006-11-15T21:26:53.629+11:00

Global Voices is a site that aggregates blogs from "people who are talking about their country or region to a global audience. Global Voices is your guide to the most interesting conversations, information, and ideas appearing around the world ... Each day they link to 5-10 of the most interesting blog posts from their regions in the 'daily roundups' section. "There is some interesting reading

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-1154396808209882712006-08-01T11:44:00.000+10:002006-11-15T21:26:53.548+11:00

The world seems to be going crazy again. The flare-up in Lebanon seems just so stupid. The futile violent actions of Hamas and Hezbollah just ensure that the issues can never be resolved. The Israeli response is out of proportion and in the long term is ensuring long term hatred will never end.It has all happened before of course. The situation improves then deteriorates. Right now I don't think

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-1154164170315107572006-07-29T19:05:00.000+10:002006-11-15T21:26:53.464+11:00

Hard On MeI bought the Mock Tudor Album a few years back. This is another one of my favourite songs by Richard Thompson. Great words and intense guitar playing with it.Hard on me, hard on meWhy do you grind me smallHard on me, hard on meAt every fence I fallI bite my rageI stop my breathI shake my cageI swim with emptinessHard on me, hard on meLike they were hard on youHard on me, hard on meSo I

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-1154140574347506302006-07-29T12:17:00.000+10:002006-11-15T21:26:53.384+11:00

So much for the good old daysAn article from the Australian titled "Without soothing heroin tonics, we're addicted to panic"by Emma Tom, she notes:"AUSTRALIAN society has gone to the dogs. The young are intravenously connected to iPods at birth and think nothing of pulling out a pink bit and performing a turkey slap live on national telly. Parents are permissive, schools are postmodern, and

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-1153969659578275902006-07-27T13:04:00.000+10:002006-11-15T21:26:53.296+11:00

Poems by Luke DaviesI stumbled across a book of poems by Luke Davies - who wrote the book Candy (on which the film is based) - which is really quite beautiful. It's called "Totem". It has one very long poem "Totem Poem" with over 500 lines and then 40 other poems.Here are some verses from TotemIn the yellow time of pollen when the fields were ablazewe were very near bewildered by beauty.The sky

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3246141.post-1153916691479586612006-07-26T22:23:00.000+10:002006-11-15T21:26:53.217+11:00

Buddingby Marie Gibb (I can't remember where I found this poem, but I like it.)The mind is having an affairwith a body in full denialA conscious on full alert andholding a trialThey say if you’re flirting withthe idea you’ve already sinnedand the mind is sentenced wearing a grinall over itself because it has alreadygone thereHeart has been agitating the temple andinducing hunger, feeding its

Vergilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337531544506579938noreply@blogger.com0