A thumbs up for Emirates Airlines in Harare

 

A couple of months ago my friend in the news biz sent me a press release about  the Emirates Airlines Office in Harare. There was a contact name on the press release  which I pounced on with  the pent-up  energy  of someone with a gripe and I took the opportunity to send off a rant to Emirates. My rant went like this:

Dear Person Representing Large Corporation (name removed to protect the innocent!)

“Having read of the recently opened Emirates office in Harare I felt compelled to send you this short note on Emirates Airlines. By the way I live in Dubai.

The observations and impressions of  several people  I know who travel frequently on Emirates Airlines and who have used the Zimbabwe and South African route is that customers on these routes receive poor quality service - mainly in the form of old planes and old in-flight services.  It is a shame that Africa is once again treated like the poor relation and given inferior treatment.

Of course customers, me included, will all continue to use Emirates because at least we can get direct flights but what a sour taste it leaves in one’s  mouth.”

I received a reply back very promptly. I totally meant to get back to Emirates Airlines but, and here I have to hang my head in Shame, I went off on a giddy round of travel and having fun and time passed…. Then I tidied up my email ,as I do- believe it or not, and found the unanswered email. Embarrassment, as much as anything, had me jumping around to fix things up.

 

I am sure, by now, you are all dying to know what Emirates had to say so here it is:

”Hi Penny,

Many thanks for your email.

Sorry to hear that your experience has not been up to expectation.

I have passed your email on to the Emirates Country Manager for Zimbabwe.

Emirates introduced a Boeing 777-300 on the Dubai-Harare route from February 1 this year that increases its capacity on the route by 50 percent. The aircraft has 354 seats in a three-class configuration, offering eight luxurious First Class suites, 42 seats in Business Class and generous space for 304 passengers in Economy Class.

Throughout the aircraft, passengers will be able to experience the airline’s award-winning ice in-flight entertainment system with a choice of over 1,400 channels on-demand as well as meals prepared by gourmet chefs.

I wonder if there is some way we can enlist the support of your blog in helping to address the perceptions you mention.”

I am sure those of you who have travelled more recently can confirm these statements and take me to task for my outdated rant. I was impressed with Emirates for responding at all. I was rather disturbed to find out that they knew that I have a blog. And promptly went off and “googled” myself to see what would come up. Once you blog you are no longer anonymous. Which, of course, should be obvious. But ho hum what can I say I did not think of the obvious.

Which brings me to the point that having complained at Emirates airlines and the Airline responding so promptly and so well, I absolutely have to give them a plug:

 

By the way the airline has been busy  winning awards all over the place: ‘World’s Best Airline, ‘Best Middle East Airline’ and for a record ninth year in a row, ‘World’s Best Inflight Entertainment’. 

For those of you that absolutely have to visit Dubai  (or as I like to say Do Buy) for a stop-over on your way to and from the Southern Hemisphere ( and I am not forgiving any of you that are off to the Reps Reunion in the United Kingdom and not stopping over even though you could probably say the same thing to me about not being at the reunion) remember it is the Dubai Summer Suprises Time of the Year and there are all sorts of deals with Emirates Special Offers:

 

Here is a super deal for Business Class travellers:

Explore the World in Style for less with Emirates’ Three-Day Business Class Sale

Fares starting from US$2,550 for travel from Harare to Dubai.

HARARE, ZIMBABWE, June 4, 2013 – Travellers from Zimbabwe are being offered a taste of the highlife with the latest discounts from Emirates in a three-day sale of Business Class tickets this week.

Attractive discounts are being offered on the airline’s Business Class fares to selected destinations starting from June 4 until June 6, with ticket prices starting from US$2,550 for return travel from Harare to Dubai.

Travel is for the period July 12 and August 4 and passengers from Zimbabwe will be able to travel Business Class to London from US$3,140 return or Geneva from US$3,485. A return trip to Paris will cost US$3,985 and Tunis is US$4,070. The fare to New York is US$5,860.

When it comes to Business Class, Emirates goes to great lengths to ensure comfort, efficiency and attention to detail for our passengers. 

On the ground, Business Class customers and Gold card members of Skywards, Emirates’ award-winning frequent flyer programme, can relax before their flights in one of Emirates’ 35 global Business Class lounges, including the world’s largest Business Class lounge located in Concourse A in Terminal 3, Dubai International Airport. Opened in January this year and spanning over 16,000 square metres, the lounge features: showcase kitchens, business centres, fully stocked bars and restaurants, a Timeless Spa with 29 treatment rooms and an entertainment zone.

Onboard, Emirates’ award-winning Business Class offers passengers state-of-the art seats with fully connected inflight communications and entertainment. A highlight is its renowned ice inflight entertainment system which offers passengers up to 1,400 channels of the latest multi-lingual entertainment and has been voted the world’s best at the World Airline Awards for eight consecutive years.

Emirates’ in-flight dining options frequently exceed passengers’ expectations, offering a choice of regionally inspired menus created by award-winning chefs accompanied by some of the world’s finest beverages.

In addition, Emirates’ Business Class passengers can enjoy:

·         Complimentary chauffeur-drive service to and from selected airports;

·         Dedicated Business Class check-in desks;

·         Priority baggage handling;

·         Fast track immigration on arrival and departure from Dubai.

To book your next trip and experience Emirates’ Business Class for yourself, please visit the Emirates sales office at Wakefield Road, Avondale, Harare, book online at www.emirates.com or speak to your travel agent.

 

 

 

FooDivas review of Simsim

26th April our visit to Simsim

A couple of months ago, when  the weather was still what I consider to be civilized, Bryan and I had a yummy outdoor breakfast at a new Palestinian Restaurant on the JBR walk. Simsim.

I am so glad that FooDiva has reviewed it. She is a bona fide foodie blogger who knows what she is writing about. So have a read. And of course, go and have a meal there.

FooDivas review of simsim

A Midsummer Night's Dream - Now and Then



 



Bryan and I went to the theatre last Saturday and watched  A Midsummer Night’s Dream. A good way to round off  a weekend don’t you think? And before it is too late, I must get this blogged  and urge you to get down to the theatre NOW to see the show.



Bottom and Titania and fairies

Helena and Hermia                 Demitrius and Lysander



A bit of Then

Forgive me for a moment as I meander for a bit into the past. Many, many, years ago (in 1985) Bryan landed the role of  Demetrius in the Harare Reps production of the play. Around that time I was officially upgraded from "not knowing what the hell was the deal" to being Bryan’s Girlfriend, or was it the other way around...? As a consequence I was keeping a beady hawk  eye on any and all  potential competition. In this instance  Trish Townley and Debbie Brinkworth who played  Helena and Hermia ( I can’t remember who played who)  lest my recently landed quarry  (Bryan) be snatched out from under me by one of these vivacious and  rather lovely young ladies. We are all still  friends. As it happened Helena married Oberon. I  have a  few odd looking pictures taken back stage. I still remember Tony Gaynor playing Bottom in a stunning, milked for all its worth performance. But that was then  - so back to the here and now.

Bryan and Tony Gaynor and Vince Gray and Debbie Brinkworth (1985)

Bloody rude mechanicals, Alan Parky and Bryan ( 1985)

Here and Now

This show got off to an original start  with the audience being  serenaded   by Theseus’ silver tongue and a charming supportive Hippolyta. If you go, listen to the words the cheeky man is singing……. The set was littered with players casually and quietly  going about their business. All this as the audience entered the theatre and found seats. At the call of “beginners on stage” from somewhere in the depths of beyond the actors removed themselves from the set and we were ready to go. What a  lovely start to the evening.

I loved the costumes - what a great idea, they worked so well. Sort of 1950’s  with a twist of picnic Boho chic (?). Waistcoats and handkerchiefs and layers of stiff petticoats under lovely darted and pleated dresses. Just charming. I loved the use of flats for Hermia and high daddy long legs heels for Helena to emphasis the height difference - so apt and well done. Hair and make-up full marks. From the dapper costumes of Theseus ( loved the cravat) and Egeus to the chic and suavely dressed Hippolyta to the  slinky Titania and the rustic “rude mechanicals” the costumes were a delight. Once again Dubai Drama Group have not let us know who to attribute the costumes to. I think  the identity of their consume person is a closely guarded secret.  Whoever you are good job done.

The idea of crates stacked up for the set  was inspired, I thought. What a great idea to have  a crate concept for a Theatre Group that does not have a home base where your set could be part of your storage and changed for each production. I was off on a day dream of  ideas of what I thought would be done in the this play and this space and was so looking forward to seeing my imaginings come to life. Hummmm the set was not utilised nearly enough. So much more could have been done with the boxes. I did, of course, love the conversion of box to boudoir for Titania. That was lovely. I would have liked to see our actors draped over the boxes more. No matter, it did not detract from the show. I just think the blocking was, for the main, part uninspired. There were too many straight lines. I also did not like the actors in the last scene sitting as the audience with their backs  to us - the actual audience. I get what the idea was but I really did not like it. As an audience member I  want to see the faces of the actors who are on stage most of the time and staring at the back of heads is not okay by me.

The mood lighting was lovely and soft. I liked that. The moon needed a bit of work. It did not move or change in brightness  at all. Again not a big deal but I did notice.

In this production I would say that the ladies stole the show. Whilst everyone gave credible performances the gals charmed me. Brooke Butterworth (as Titania) giving a delightfully physical performance throughout and here I have to highlight her seduction scene ( if I may call it that) with Ciaran Mulhern  as Bottom. All that cooing and shoe removing and flinging was charming. Just the right amount of innuendo, stroking and pause.  

Jennifer Cooper took what I have always found to be a bit of an annoying character, somewhat lacking in empathetic value and turned Helena into a quirkily delightful  and sympathetic part. Her performance was charmingly gauche. All long legs and messy and oh so funny.  Olivia Middleton’s Hermia was a delightful counter point to Helena -these two ladies were a super duper treat to watch.   

I have to say something here for the fairies. All of the actresses playing the fairies had such lovely expressions and they were hidden behind the puppets most of the time. What a complete waste of their talent. The puppets added nothing to the production. A case of a good idea in the wrong show.

The cast of characters for the “play within a play” were just right and  Hani Yakan  with his 5 o’clock shadowed beard and manly brow was an incongruous and comic Thisbe. The matching of ironic physical traits  to characters was thoughtfully cast.  The groups worked well together and were a pleasure to watch. Zain Sheikh was a delight  with his impish, cheeky and confident Puck.

I am going to get shouted at now. Whilst there was nothing wrong with the performances of our romantic leading men I felt them to be a bit lacking in presence. Having watched Cliff Single perform in other shows I know that he is more than capable of delivering a full hearted, vigorous performance. Somehow the romantic men ( with the exception of Erik Hadden)  fell a bit flat and I cannot understand why. All the ingredients were there. The men needed to own the stage a bit more. They needed to square up and stride a bit  - this is after all Shakespeare. Ben Franklin gave us a taste of physical energy when Demetrius was tussling with Lysander.  I think what could have helped may have been  a bit more of  Shakespearean use of addressing the audience. This was done occasionally and well. I think that Midsummer Nights Dream in particular lends itself to this and it would have been useful to take advantage of the tool a bit more.

Overall the casting and acting was good which meant that we ,the audience, had the opportunity to relax and enjoy the show. This combined with  the great costumes and the best material  ( it is Shakespeare and he is the master after all) made our Saturday night entertainment just grand.



 The Beautiful (?) Thisbe

A great big warm congratulations to the Dubai Drama Group for a really lovely evening of good theatre. I enjoyed everything from the introduction as the audience walked into the auditorium to the curtain call. I love a  curtain call. It just ends the entertainment properly in a just so manner.

There are shows this weekend. Hurry, hurry, hurry. Last chances to see the show and it is worth it. You will enjoy yourselves.

Links

Dubai Drama Group

Ductac

Ticketing Information from Ductac:

presented by Dubai Drama Group, in association with Emirates NBD
June 14-15 and 21-22
Evenings 8.00pm, Saturday Matinees 4.30pm
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind
Venue: Kilachand Studio Theatre
DUCTAC, Mall of the Emirates
Tickets: AED 80
Free seating
Tickets now available at DUCTAC's box office and timeouttickets.com

Switch - The Movie. Another Trailer and Bryan Speaks - Yeee Haaaaa

Bryan Mack. International Bad Ass

In June of last year I blogged about Bryan acting in a Chinese Movie:  Bryan in the trailer for switch

It seems it is being released in 3D this year and my Main Man Bryan is again in the trailer. This time he actually speaks. It is a bit worrying ( Bryan speaking that is) as I was under the impression that he was going to be dubbed. So here he is  - not dubbed. Don't blink......

 

If the  above link does not work try this one: Switch Trailer #2

Looking back 25 years - Wedding reflections

Bryan and I celebrated 25 years of wedded Bliss recently. Where did that saying come from? I am not complaining about our time together but really who on God’s Green Earth can possibly have 25 years of Bliss? I always think of bubble bath when I think of Bliss, can’t take that word seriously at all. But my mind wanders.

Sophia, me and Julie

We were legally married a few weeks before our "Wedding Day". Something to do with the fact that Father Basil, the lovely Greek priest that married us, was not an official marriage officer in Zimbabwe. I think there may have been a language barrier involved in the passing of the written whatever it is that you write to resister as a marriage officer with the Zimbabwe courts. So on the 17^th March (St Patrick’s Day, not that we knew that at the time) Bryan and I toddled off to the Magistrates Courts in Harare to get hitched. We did not want to spoil the wedding which was set for the 30^th April so we decided that we would go alone and not make too much of the event. The staff at the wedding registry office were not impressed with us when they discovered that:-

1. We were not in our glad rags for the event.

2. We asked how long we had to wait and how long the actual getting married bit would take as we had to get back to work.

3. We did not have any witnesses with us and they were even more displeased that they had to round up a couple of government workers to act as witnesses to our marriage. Tea time was looming and finding two people willing to abandon their break was not easy.

Even the Marriage Officer was unhappy. Before he performed the wedding ceremony he gave us a rather long lecture about what a serious thing this marrying business was. For a moment or two or three during the set down I wondered if we would be allowed to marry at all, having clearly not shown the proper reverence and gravity the occasion demanded. I think the fact that we were rather young did not help our cause. Anyway after being thoroughly chastised we were "allowed" to be  married.

 Rob and Bryan - note best man Robs black eye courtesy of Bryan during a squash game... GRNNNNNN

 

At the time Bryan and I were involved in a Harare Reps Production probably one of the Calling Shows. We mentioned in passing (as you do) that we were “off to tie the knot” to the cast and crew. They had a whip around and presented us with a bag of money “to pay for a wedding breakfast”. Did you notice that I said “a bag of money”? The horrors collected COINS. We were given strict instructions that we could not change the coins for notes and that we had to pay for our breakfast with the coins from the bag. Picture if you can two young newlyweds paying for their wolfed down wedding breakfast (remember we had to get back to work) in the terribly smart (in those days) Harare Sheraton with a grubby cloth Standard Bank banking bag (remember those?) filled with coins.  

With the Parents

Fast forward a few weeks and we had our lovely wedding at the Harare Greek Orthodox Church, mainly because they would have us. Bryan and my's religious devotions are lacklustre at best and the high minded Anglican Church was well aware of our lack of piety because of my parents’ long involvement with the church. I can just imagine various church groups praying for our dammed souls for years, sorry Mum - only teasing. Anyway, unsurprising, they said no way were they going to marry a couple of heathens like us. We could have gone on bended knee to another Church (that I will not name for fear of being struck down) who it seems would marry just about anyone (that would be almost everyone that we knew and loved) who was prepared to attend a series of pre-marriage guidance sessions and then wade through the most agonising service where women were told to submit to their husbands (and not wear the pants in the marriage) and husbands were told to treat their wife with respect as God had entrusted the wives to the care of the husbands - or words to that effect. You can't see me doing that without a fight can you? Now the Greek Church took a more philosophical and long term view and figured that they were undertaking a community service and our straying ways would most likely be mended further down the line (I am half Greek after all ,and all those years of tradition would, they assumed, win out) and our children (with any luck) would be good Greek Orthodox devotees. I am also pretty sure my lovely Aunt Tass was a wonderful and convincing envoy when she petitioned father Basil to marry us. Once that was done and dusted, the talented Anna Dalmitis who was designing my wedding getup had to talk Father Basil into allowing me and the bridesmaids to wear trousers for the service. Something he had no problem with, but there again I am sure Anna was a skilled negotiator on my behalf. I do wonder if my insistence on wearing trousers was somehow a subconscious cock a snoot at that dreadful Presbyterian priest and the horrid speech that he churned out at more weddings than I care to remember with him officiating. Oh the price we all pay for a church wedding!

With our lovely Grandparents



 Of all the churches in Harare (I might be a bit biased here) the Greek Orthodox Church is just the most beautiful. I spend many an hour as a child inside that church gazing at the artworks in awed wonder. In between standing up and sitting down as you do in church, and scratching at arms and legs and neck because of horrid articles of appropriate church going clothing, I made up all sorts of stories about the saints on the wooden panel that separates the nave from the sanctuary. I spent happy hours day dreaming about St George Slaying the Dragon. I would gaze fondly at the angels and cherubs and feel all warm and fuzzy at their loveliness and quiver with fear at the beautiful sad pictures that Helen Lieros had lovingly and devotedly painted on the walls of the Church. I never ever thought I would get married in the church. Looking back I am so glad that we did. The memories of my childhood, our wedding, our sons’ christenings, my father's funeral, and all manner of other family events that are observed through the rites of the church are so very precious to me, especially now that I am so far away.  The memories of all those rituals are so comforting.

The Greeks do weddings in the most wonderfully symbolic way. The ceremony has a charming, old world, bygone era; incense filled, feel to it and in Harare is conducted entirely in Greek. There is a lot of doing things in three’s. There are symbolic candles and ribbons and crowns. Our wedding crowns were the same as those used by my Grandmother at her wedding, they were delicate and beautiful. Here is a bit of info on what a Greek wedding is all about.

Link: Orthodox Marriage



Interior shot of the Harare Greek Orthadox church - pinched off the Cephalanian and Ithaka facebook page

Bryan’s mum Cecily was roped into arranging flowers. I remember that she and she friends were entrenched the day before the wedding in the carport of my parents’ home. The driveway was littered with delivery vans and ladies nattering away arranging beautiful mounds of flowers.  Whilst writing this I could not remember who was with Cecily helping her so I gave her a call and asked what the scoop had been on the flower front. Cecily told me that I had insisted that I wanted vlei flowers so my poor mother-in-law and her probably reluctant friends drove into the bush and robbed nature of several acres of its bounty so that I could have natural flowers and grasses.  What was I thinking, making my poor future mum-in-law do that? I am, of course, very glad that she did.  My memory is of Cecily and her “all for one and one for all” chums being a delightful back drop to the mundane job of wedding setups with their busy creative industry and warm chatter. Half way through the afternoon a pick up arrived with a delivery of protea flowers from the farming community of Headlands (thanks Debbie). That was a totally unexpected and a delightful surprise that added to the stock of flowers arranged.

Bryan says I galloped down the aisle dragging my poor father along in my rush to get to the alter. I think that is a little unkind of him and I do not believe him. He recovered from that statement by saying that my eyes shone like the stars. How sweet is that?

 

After the service a Reps friend took Bryan aside and cautions him saying that there was a very strong likelihood that Bryan had just been signed up for a few years of hard labour on a Greek oil tanker. But who knows as it was all in Greek and he can't have been right as here we are twenty five years later and no one was conscripted on to a ship.

The Wedding reception was in my parents garden- my mother spend a frantic few months arranging petty much everything. My mother was confident that at the end of April we would be absolutely rain free - so we did not bother with Marquees. It rained the day before the wedding. All over the  chairs and tables. A great deal of teeth gnashing ensued. I have noticed from that day on that around our wedding anniversary it rains every sodding year in Harare. On the day (whew)  the sun came out. I sat in the garden waiting to go to the Church soaking in the early morning crispness wondering what Bryan was doing.

I loved that our reception was at home in the Garden. I loved that my Greek relatives all brought lovely Greek food. I was thrilled that that we had a haggis, which, to be honest I did not try. From Cecily's flowers to Amos Caspi acting as our Chauffeur in his Rolls Royce it all I meant the world to me that almost everything that was arranged was done by a friend or a family member. My memories of our wedding are tied up in the togetherness of it all. I sat with family for hours hand drawings the covers of our invitations. We sliced our cake with a ceremonial sword that belonged to a dear family friend - Costa Hiatas.

There were speeches made, and toasts  drunk. It was a day, naturally, of special  memories created.



Done and Dusted

 

Twenty five years of being married to one person is not something to be sneezed at. We have, surprisingly, achieved this milestone in relative calm. I can honestly say that I can count on one hand the number of time that we have fought in that time. Most likely because I am a past master at passive aggressive sulks and Bryan does not fight. A recipe for bliss? Well, maybe. When Bryan asked me to marry him (that is once I realized that he was proposing to me, which took a bit of time) I remember looking at him and thinking “Yes, I can see myself sitting opposite this person at the breakfast table when I am seventy.” Wild romantic that I am. Honestly only the young can be so arrogantly confident. I mean how do you know at that age that you can bear to spend that much time with someone? Regardless, I thought I could, Bryan must have thought he could because he proposed in the first place, and somehow we have made it this far. How young and stupid we were and how lucky we have been.

Pop open the bubbly- Then



And now toasting 25 years

Bryan and I have a friend, Jerome O’Brian, who made a speech at our wedding - Bryan did the same at his. We have know each other since our teens. Jerome is clear of thought and wise and recently he blogged a gem on the nature of love.  Now, as you know I am not one to go all dewy eyed about biblical verses being quoted but that is Jerome’s stock in trade and he is pretty good at it. All wonderfully high minded. I do think though, that  if you try and remember the high minded stuff, the on the ground bits work.

I have linked this here  :Jerome's Jottings - Love

Or you can read it below:

Love is ….?

by jeromeobrien

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13: 34 – 35)
I have been hearing this word ‘love’ bandied about with ill regard and thought over the past few weeks. Here is one serious definition as to what love is that has recently been offered to me:
“Love is being stunned by the identity of the other, by the strength of feeling, by the realisation that this is not something one has chosen to do or feel. Sheer givenness and sheer providence.”
Sheer coprolite, more likely.
At best this description is infatuation; at worst, it is pure licence. Whatever it is, it is not love
Here is what love is, and, pleasingly, it comes from the book of love:
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1 Corinthians 13: 4 – 7)
For me, this kind of love can be epitomized little better than in the story that Jesus told of the Prodigal, or lost, son (Luke 15: 11 – 32). It is such a well known story, and it is a story of the true meaning of love. In this story, the younger son is loveless: he is arrogant, impatient (“I want it now. Now is the opportune time!”), selfish, overfed, unconcerned, grasping and independent.
So, too, is the older brother in the story. He is a loveless man: arrogant, boastful, proud, selfish, greedy, jealous and angry.
In the face of this onslaught of lovelessness, the amazing thing is that father chooses to be loving: deliberately, decisively, determinedly chooses to be loving. This is not an emotional matter, it is not an instinct and there is no ‘being stunned’ by anything. It is his choice. He meets all the criteria that Paul wrote to the Corinthian Church about when he reminded them of what love is. The father in the story is patient with both sons; he is kind, generous and giving to them equally; he is selfless and self giving; he keeps no record of wrongs and abandons his claim to rights. He never gives up and he perseveres with them equally: with the one, he waits; with the other, he goes to him. He works hard to keep them in relationship and this is what love is. I am convinced that this is the kind of love Jesus was talking about when He said, “As I have loved you …”
The miracle and beauty of the story is not the father and son’s reunion, but is the fact that the prodigal discovers love. As Jesus said, “He came to his senses”. He sheds his pride and arrogance, humbles himself, abandons his claim to rights and entitlements, and is ready to serve and be in relationship again.
That encounter that takes place on the road, then, is not love. It is the result of love. Yes, that encounter is one of deep emotion and outpouring of sentiment, and that is good stuff, but it is the culmination of love that has already been at work. The hard graft, the deliberate choices and decisions that the father has made, represents true love that makes the encounter possible, and the emotions which follow it.
With the older son, however, there is great doubt whether he will ever change his loveless ways.
So let’s hear it for the forgiving father and the returned son.
But not so quick.
Jesus told His followers that this was the way that He loved them, then He said, “In the same way, you must love one another”. Patience, forgiveness, generosity, selflessness, humility, kindness and perseverance. This is what love is.

 

Bart Wolffe - A broken trust.

 My friend Bart writes beautiful poems.

 

Bart Wolffe

 



He also paints, acts, writes plays. He is, in short, a Talent.

Bart Wolffe's Victoria Falls

 

A BROKEN TRUST

Saying goodbye

Doesn’t make sense to dogs;

No way to tell them

Your wife does not love you any more

Or

That you have to leave because of civil war.

(There is a crime in abandoning a dream,

Its end betrayal.)

The death sentence for a canine friend with cancer,

The question “Why?”

Silenced in their eyes

By a lethal injection.

You watch your best friend die.

There is a look of incomprehension,

A stone that is sorrow

Sits heavy in the throat,

Its weight unpronounceable.

(The end of innocence

That moment trust is lost.)

It has happened more than once,

A door closes

And through the fence

You try to touch them one last time

To explain –

But there are no words

So you turn and walk away.

Only a sense of guilt remains.

After all, it was you who gave them familiar names

That you will always remember…

You can buy his work here www.lulu.com