When paper is burned
That's a lesson learned
When you can't hear sound
Someone nearly drowned
What's learned from mother
Teach to another
When each wheel is turned
That's a lesson learned
None live forever
But their words live on
You'll remember this
Long after I've gone
Write a short poem
Or sing a long song
You know that I'm right
Love, laugh and stay strong.
-ends-
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Bilingual Poem by
Angela Lansbury
(and her new friend
Google Translate)
Inspired by Duolingo
With rhymes playing bingo
Even just using my name
It's a wonderful game
This is bilingual, my poem
I wrote it in Italian
From phrases I learned today
Which said this, what I wanted to say - to you
I am learning Italian
I learned the past tense
What did I learn to say?
I greeted. Then I cheated
With AI translated
I found my way
I was so excited
I practised all day
We understood each other, so well
I really liked it
Believe me, I loved it!
What time did you arrive?
What time were you there?
He had had some problems
We had kept it
Where had you put it?
We had become poor
The neighbours were rich
Now I am the teacher
I'm a learner and poet
I hope that you liked it
It is my gift to you
And your applause to me
Helps me on my way.
We will say goodbye for today
But I shall return tomorrow
We'll get together again
On a page or a train, or a plane.
I won't waste your time today
Two words, before you go on your way
I'll teach you to say hello
And I'll teach you to say goodbye.
-ends-
Poesia bilingue di
Angela Lansbury
(e la sua nuova amica
Google Traduttore)
Ispirata da Duolingo
Con rime che giocano a bingo
Anche solo usando il mio nome
È un gioco meraviglioso
Questa è bilingue, la mia poesia
L'ho scritta in italiano
Da frasi che ho imparato oggi
Che diceva questo, quello che volevo dire - a te
Sto imparando l'italiano
Ho imparato il passato remoto
Cosa ho imparato a dire?
Ho salutato. Poi ho barato
Con l'intelligenza artificiale tradotta
Ho trovato la mia strada
Ero così emozionata
Ho fatto pratica tutto il giorno
Ci siamo capiti, così bene
Mi è piaciuto molto
Credimi, mi è piaciuto!
A che ora sei arrivato?
A che ora eri lì?
Aveva avuto dei problemi
L'avevamo tenuto
Dove l'avevi messo?
Eravamo diventati poveri
I vicini erano ricchi
Ora sono io l'insegnante
Sono uno studente e un poeta
Spero che ti sia piaciuto
È il mio regalo per te
E il tuo applauso per me
Mi aiuta nel mio cammino.
Ci saluteremo per oggi
Ma tornerò domani
Ci incontreremo di nuovo
Su una pagina o un treno, o un aereo.
Non ti farò perdere tempo oggi
Due parole, prima che tu vada per la tua strada
Ti insegnerò a dire ciao
E ti insegnerò a dire arrivederci.
-fine-
The miracle
chains of old alphabets
Can be
learned for free online, and self-taught
Revealing old
stories we can’t forget
Alpha and
omega’s origins caught.
Letters reversed remind us
Of things we have forgot
Reversed R is in toys are us
Reading and writing are not.
Hebrews and Arabs wrote right to left
Chinese from up to down
Lift numbers go from down to up
They always make me frown
I thought I'd be a polyglot
And every language learned
Would add to my enlightenment
No wonder books are burned
I've always found that history
Mixes misery and mystery
The Greek and Cyrillic alphabet
I am not quite confident yet
Writing right to left, then left to write
I see why letters were changed
A thousand years of muddle
An improvement? Just re-arranged.
Right to left and left to right
Maybe I am autistic
It all becomes a whirr and blur
Enough to make you ballistic
I've loads of books and sheets of words
I've gone to endless trouble
I put so much work into it
Yet still I'm in a muddle
I need to get this sorted out
To improve my mental health
If I teach it, maybe I'll learn it
And grow my stagnant wealth
We both know what I ought to do
Instead of writing this to you
I ought to make it clear to me
Instead of writing poetry.
-ends-
Copyright Angela Lansbury 2023 14 Friday July
Please share links to your favourite poems.
Today I thought
That while I swim
I'll not waste time
I shall begin
So let's dive in
We shall begin
The sooner we start
The sooner we win
Today I swam
Today I've swum
The grammar lesson
Has begun
In the beginning
I'd thought of swimming
My dearest dears, here's the thing
You add ing when continuing
I hope that's clear
It should clear up a lot of tears
And add a laugh
To conquer fears
While done, and won
Far past, contract
Add ing to things
Which are abstract
Yesterday we began
With verbs known to
Each English man
And women, too
Add me and you, and others, too
I have begun, to have some fun
I had planned the lesson
While I had swum
I did have fun, made a beginning
To teaching you
The past was swam
Whilst I was swimming.
In the future I shall begin
In the future I shall win
In the infinitive, what I want to do
Is to teach swimming and grammar to you.
I know that we have hardly begun
In the future you'll be able to pass it on
In the future you'll be able to reflect on what you've done
Your past successes, didn't we have fun!
-ends-
About the Author of this blog, Author Angela Lansbury
BIOGRAPHY
Angela Lansbury B A Hons ACG ALB PM5 EH5 DL5 VC5
The Author of several books, including Etiquette For Every Occasion. Wedding Speeches & Toasts. How to be the Best Man. Quick Quotations. Who Said What When.
Blogs travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com
dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com
Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Club Vice President Public Relations (VPPR), Previous President
Join BHA 1st Wednesday 7pm and 3rd Saturday 2 pm Singapore time
Vice President Public Relations (VP PR) of Tampines Changkat Advanced;
Secretary of weekly online Singapore International Dynamic Toastmasters Speakers’ Club;
Member and past president of Harrovians toastmasters club, UK; Past member of HOD Toastmasters, London. Past member in Singapore of: Toastmasters Club of Singapore (TCS); Tiarel; and Senja Cashew.
More details from Toastmasters International find a club.
Regular attendee at annual Swanwick Writers’ School, England.
Regular attendee at annual Writers’ Holiday, Wales.
Contributor to poetry readings, and after tea courses on: Speaking On Radio To Promote Books; and Plots And Character.
Winner of many club and area speaking contests in the UK and Singapore.
Language advisor to Empire Toastmasters club in Indonesia.
Language and speech workshops in Singapore.
Speaker on radio and TV in England, Scotland, the USA, and Australia.
Compiler of a school course on public speaking for teachers to prepare pupils for school open days with attending ceremonies before government ministers, Singapore.
Former member of Harrow Writers’ Circle, London, and two writing groups in Singapore.
Angela is on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter. She would be delighted to link up with new friends.
I also have a blog on comic poems.
