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| Bathers by George Tooker Visual prompt by Magpie Tales: Mag 277 |
Rules
the careful pas de deux
of strangers
navigating
the beach.
Lines
drawn in the sand
polite society
should know
not to cross.
Warnings
delivered by frigid stare
making it clear
surf yes, showers no.
Invisible lines
set by cultural rules
polite animals
do not need warning.
J. Binford-Bell
July 2012
Most enjoyable read. Good one.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bee.
DeleteI saw them as together but you went deeper. This separateness can be found in elevators, buses, subways, etc. Just about any public shared space has rules and you nailed it.
ReplyDeleteA hard visual. An interesting concept was somewhat raised.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to know, and the thought of their dance, is as lovely as your lines. Bravo.
ReplyDeleteah yes those rules when sharing spaces....good one!
ReplyDeleteCulture, education, class, wealth - so many lines, so much sand. Such is life. An excellent piece.
ReplyDeleteVisit Keith's Ramblings!
The rules of culture; so difficult to enforce...
ReplyDeleteGosh yes, all those unwritten rules. The style of your poem, so tight, with no superfluous words really echoes the 'tightness' of those rules!
ReplyDeleteGosh yes. And your poem's style really echoes the tightness of those unwritten rules!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the heck out of your words. There are connections between our poems from this image. Love how that works out!
ReplyDeleteNice. I got the same sort of vibe from the picture. Good writing.
ReplyDeleteinteresting!
ReplyDeleteNicely said!
ReplyDeleteBeautifully described
ReplyDeleteThe invisible rules of society are often the ones that define acceptance. Step aside from the rules and you risk alienation. Even if you didn't know the rules existed... that's no excuse. The human race is an enigmatic beast,
ReplyDeleteIndeed, that look quite forbidding.. if you don't pay you are not welcome.
ReplyDeleteI have begun to wonder if polite society still exists ~~ nice write.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe it does. I saw the bathing costumes as definitely dated. Today they would all have cell phones. So rude having to overhear conversations.
DeletePeople take calls on mobile phones even at funeral services. As for beach etiquette. It does not exist. Not only is there road rage and surf rage; there is now pool rage.
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