Fine Books

What's in a fine book?

Fragile ideas, vague maps, warmth.

The scent of a rose.

(Haiku by Maria, picture taken by Maria at the home of the architect and designer Henry van de Velde in Weimar, Germany.)

Allgäu- Symphonie

Allgäu- Symphonie

Wildbachrauschen - Blumenwiesen - Fahrwind - Zwetschgenknödel - Buttermilch - Sennalpe - Holzscheune - Holunderschorle - Käsekuchen - Blumenkästen - Bergpanorama - Moorwasser - Tobel - Kneippbad - Wiesenduft - Heu - Bauernhäuser - Kuhglocken - frei-laufende Hühner - Dickmilch mit Früchten - Picknick - Himmel blau-weiß - Wasserfall - Apfelbaumallee - Bergabfahrt ...

das ist das Allgäu

                          H. M.

(text by H.M., pictures by Miller'sImageBank)

Le Vagabond

Le Vagabond

Je suis un vagabond.

Je suis libre.

Je n'ai rien,

et rien qui me retienne.

J'entends de la musique

sur laquelle je danse.

mais personne ne l'écoute, sauf moi.

Le prochain pas?

Là, c'est le néant,

qui m'appelle.

Et moi, j'erre á sa rencontre.

(poem by Françoise and Maria, picture taken by Maria at Montmartre, Paris.)

(If anyone knows the name of the painter I'd be happy to receive an e-mail 

- MARIASmail@t-online.de -.

I'd like to mention his or her name here, I think the painting is marvelous.)

Je flane

Je flane

Je flane devant un café

Un chien est assis là

Son regard suit mes pas.

Je flane devant un café

Un chien est assis là

Musique vole par la porte ouverte.

Je flane devant un café

Un chien est assis là

Il voudrait bien me saluer.

Je flane devant un café

Un chien est assis là

Je passe devant un café.

Peut-être la prochaine fois ...

(poem by Françoise and Maria, picture taken by Maria at Montmartre, Paris)

Porte

Je tape

Je suis arrivée

Quelqu'un ouvre la porte

Cœur

(poem by Françoise et Maria, picture taken by Maria in Paris, Montmartre)

The structure of this poem is called "Elfchen" in German, "Eleven-Words-Poem" in English. Those eleven words are arranged like this:

*

* *

* * *

* * * *

*

With the last word one can try to give a new insight to the reader, it's good to choose a word that rounds out what was said before but which also leads into a slightly new direction.

More of these ideas about how to arrange lines of poetry can be found at the side-bar here with the title: 

Do-it-yourself:Poetry!

It's fun!

Nous nous rencontrons dans un café.

Quelle joie de te voir.

Nous avons beaucoup de choses à raconter.

Nous nous rencontrons dans un café.

Après tant d'années.

Tu es sans pareil.

Nous nous rencontrons dans un café.

Quelle joie de te voir.

(This Rondell-poem - Rondeau - was written by Françoise and Maria, the picture had been taken by Maria in an alley at Montmartre, Paris.)

... at the bookstore "Shakespeare & Company" in Paris.

in the afternoon

the piano is silent

it smiles at the sun

(picture and Haiku by Maria, picture had been taken at the arthouse cinema "Lichthaus" in Weimar, Germany)