Tom, perhaps semi-serious. And as John has brought up Japan I also think there is an inherent Samurai mentality that influenced their behaviour during WW2.

Comment is about Die Wahrheit macht frei ('The truth sets you free') (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

Thank you Keith, Tom and Brian. I am as guilty as everyone else in indulging in racial and national stereotypes. However, the Germans and English share a common origin and 'type' as our languages attest, so we should be careful. We allowed (yes allowed) millions of Irish people to starve to death in the potato famine of the1840s and millions of Indians to starve to death in the Begal famine of the1940s. Also, modern Germany has apologised deeply and often for the Shoah, their terrible crimes against the Jewish people and other vulnerable minorities. The Japanese, on the other hand, still refuse to apologise for their many crimes against Chinese civilians, young Korean women and Allied POWs

Comment is about Die Wahrheit macht frei ('The truth sets you free') (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

Brian, are you serious?

Comment is about Die Wahrheit macht frei ('The truth sets you free') (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

I always wonder whether it is something in the German nature, an arrogance, that will come out and manifest itself in other ways in the future.

Comment is about Die Wahrheit macht frei ('The truth sets you free') (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

Should gratitude not be forgiveness? Perhaps.

Keith

Comment is about GRATITUDE (blog)

Original item by M.C. Newberry

John,

This brief poem is a statement which holds the truth. "The truth will set you free" is a Biblical (New Testament) quotation and often misunderstood even by theologians and many Christians. One can only hope that future generations will never repeat this horror. The truth is that evil manifested itself in the most appalling crime instigated by man. Those who participated, all Germans, should now be well acquainted with the truth of their actions. They lied and murdered the most vulnerable. They bear the blame and the shame.

Thank you for this
Keith

Comment is about Die Wahrheit macht frei ('The truth sets you free') (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

Yes! I feel you. ? Write on! ❤️

Comment is about Gravity (blog)

Original item by Eric Berard

Your poetry speaks to me Eric. Makes me long for a poetry man of my own. Thanks for sharing this romantic poem! ❤️

Comment is about Speak to Me (blog)

Original item by Eric Berard

thank yoou all!

it really has been a while since i check my WOL account so my apologies for late replies...

thank you all for your lovely feedback, as always its a pleasure to hear your opinions ?

Comment is about Long distance Love (blog)

Original item by HayzTee

Another good poem d.k

Keith

Comment is about She Tends My Wounds (blog)

Original item by d.knape

Breathing is optional.
I choose it because
I want to see what
the next poem will be.
?

Comment is about keith jeffries (poet profile)

Original item by keith jeffries

Interesting and poetic thoughts, tinged with melancholy.

Comment is about Ignorant to society (blog)

Original item by MARIA ELENA

Quite lyrical and poetic. I like it.

Comment is about Speak to Me (blog)

Original item by Eric Berard

Oh no Paul, don't get me wrong, I have also recently become a Grandad and would for the most part agree with you, except on one point, there's a difference between being child and being childish, especially if you're playing like a child. One is all about you, the other is all about someone else. All parents know that someone else comes first. ?❤

J. x

Comment is about Child (blog)

Original item by Jason Bayliss

Dont keep your feelings blocked within you. Express and say your heart's wishes out aloud. She will never give up on you. True love just never.
I can feel your emotions so crystal clear in black and white. How beautifully you speak your heart out.

Take care. Much blessings always!!?

Comment is about Speak to Me (blog)

Original item by Eric Berard

Well thank you Paul, and glad to be of service!

I certainly enjoyed writing it, which is usually a sign for me that there's something going on within it.

All the best,
Chris

Comment is about Desperation Road (blog)

Original item by Chris Hubbard

Thanks for stopping by and leaving thoughtful feedback Keith and Robert! I agree Robert, most compulsive liars I’ve met somehow convince themselves their lies are truth. I suppose it’s their truth!

Comment is about Modus Operandi (blog)

Original item by Vautaw

Paul, thank you for the like. ?

Comment is about Tension (blog)

Original item by Shehariah

Nicola, my spirit has been yearning to be in nature. I have been building a block wall out in the country surrounded by the mountains and pastures in this area. It has been good for my soul. Also, one of the gifts of my sobriety is that my sense of humor is returning and there has been more laughter. As I mentioned to Paul in a comment on We Walk to the Sun, I have felt alone lately. Your comments are helping to remind me that I am not alone.

Comment is about Tension (blog)

Original item by Shehariah

Sea.Green and Jordyn, thank you for the likes. ☺️

Comment is about We Walk to the Sun (blog)

Original item by Shehariah

Robert, thank you! When I first wrote this I felt like it was not so good. My wife encouraged me that this wasn’t the case. I’m glad she did. And thank you again for the encouragement.

Comment is about We Walk to the Sun (blog)

Original item by Shehariah

Adam, thank you for saying that. It took the crumbling of a religious mindset to awaken me to living a spiritual life anew.

Comment is about We Walk to the Sun (blog)

Original item by Shehariah

Paul, I went back and re-read Tension after reading this one and you’re right. Tension is the first part, Into the Unknown is the middle, and We Walk to the Sun wraps it up in an open ended kind of way.

I have been feeling pretty alone lately. It’s good to hear the reminder and to know that I’m truly not alone.

Paul, thank you. ?

Comment is about We Walk to the Sun (blog)

Original item by Shehariah

Nicola, thank you. I am living toward that end every day.

Comment is about We Walk to the Sun (blog)

Original item by Shehariah

Your titular question is very clearly hidden in the poem. You leave us unsure, intentionally or not. Clever.

Comment is about Who is the bully? (blog)

Original item by Alexandra K. Parapadakis

Appreciate you reading, thanks! & Good to be back

Comment is about Who is the bully? (blog)

Original item by Alexandra K. Parapadakis

Cheers, Robert.

Comment is about Meeting Her Needs (blog)

Original item by Robert C Gaulke

A tour de force! Very well written!

Comment is about We Walk to the Sun (blog)

Original item by Shehariah

This is very good! Truly engaging, with good use of language. I like it very much!

Comment is about Dream Triptych (blog)

Original item by David Blake

An entertaining write, for sure! I enjoyed the read.

Comment is about Meeting Her Needs (blog)

Original item by Robert C Gaulke

Politicians are good at that. Sometimes I even think they begin to believe their own lies! Truth usually comes to light, eventually.

Comment is about Modus Operandi (blog)

Original item by Vautaw

Apologies for the late response everyone! Keith, you're right, it does have that kind of flow to it - i'll have to make do with zoom !

Thanks Martin, my dad would have been too aloof to do that, but i'm glad it stirred up a memory or two!

Hi Brian. There's some truth to that in an extreme sense. I often think everything we used to take for granted has to be justified nowadays even though to us it is bleeding obvious.

Yes Mark. That doesn't bear thinking about, although some of our leaders have chunks of common sense missing that we took for granted and learnt almost by rote.

Many thanks for the likes too, Graham, Binte, Stephen and Iman.

Ray

Comment is about STAY SAFE (blog)

Original item by ray pool

Vautaw,

A straight forward poem but loaded with the truth.
Thanks for this
Keith

Comment is about Modus Operandi (blog)

Original item by Vautaw

d.k.,
strength and defiance. I am with every word. This is one of your best.
Thanks
Keith

Comment is about I Am A Man (blog)

Original item by d.knape

Old loves?

The joy of anticipating a new lover after shedding our old love usually makes one feel like a child again.

Your poem is like an excursion into new horizon. You take your reader along in your journey to experience your new lover.

Great piece, Keith.

Comment is about A New Love (blog)

Original item by keith jeffries

Thanks Paul - if the "Franky" is Sinatra, i couldn't be more flattered!.
Thanks also to those taking the trouble to click the "like" button.

Comment is about AS TIME GOES BY (blog)

Original item by M.C. Newberry

I retain two volumes by Nigel Rees: "Graffiti Lives" and "Graffiti 2" - which provide fun when the mood seeks a lift. Well done to Mr Rees
and his publisher for these forty year old treasure troves of public
wit. Excerpts gratefully acknowledged in the cause of further
education!
Join the Hernia Society
it needs your support
And how about this for all you intellectual poets out there
TS Eliot is an anagram of toilets
Then there's this....
I wish I were what I was when I wished I were what I am.

Comment is about Here I Sit (blog)

Original item by julie callaghan

Added a couple of extra verses. Anyone?

Comment is about The Hokey Cokey (blog)

Original item by julie callaghan

I'm still smiling at this as I type my comment, Simon. A highly amusing write, with more than a hint of truth for many of us, I suspect!

Comment is about Ginger And Fred (blog)

Original item by simon lucan

Very strong inspirational poem, bravo!

It brings to my mind the thought that even as authoritarian religions crumble, spirituality remains untouched.

Comment is about We Walk to the Sun (blog)

Original item by Shehariah

Such a sad storey. So pleased there is a positive ending.

Comment is about Amanda,a young girl homeless on the street. (blog)

Original item by hugh

Oh no, please don’t let it be so.
My written rhymes
I fear may offend
My time on WOL
Must to come an end

Comment is about Rhyme Is Dead!!!!!!!!!!!!! (blog)

Original item by Paul H Tubb

Ha-ha! Yes, we've all seen similar ditties on toilet doors, I think.

Comment is about Here I Sit (blog)

Original item by julie callaghan

Ha-ha! Strange how different poets have different ideas about rhyme. I write in rhyme perhaps two-thirds of the time, but we are all free to write in whatever style or form we choose. Poetry itself is open to a myriad different approaches. Long live poetry - and freedom to express ourselves!

Comment is about Rhyme Is Dead!!!!!!!!!!!!! (blog)

Original item by Paul H Tubb

A poignant write. As I have become older the mirror has not been a good friend of mine! Still, we are all in the same boat, as far as that goes.

Comment is about WHILE LOOKING AT THE MIRROR! (blog)

Original item by MANISHA SAINI

Thank you, Robert and Abdul and everyone else for the likes.

Comment is about Dreams (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

A boy in an exam once said his dreams were in a matchbox the teacher marked the question wrong as the question was what is in the matchbox, the correct answer was nothing. But really the boy had put his dreams in there. Kerp dreaming, all children should have dreams also x and our system of schooling very often tramples on them x

Comment is about Warmer than blood (blog)

Original item by John E Marks

Get back into nature and surround yourself with laughter love and joy x

Comment is about Tension (blog)

Original item by Shehariah

Beautiful keep shining that light....

Comment is about We Walk to the Sun (blog)

Original item by Shehariah

Sounds like a soul mate, soulmates are conformable like a pair of comfy slippers but rarely evoke passion like a pair of leopard print stilletos!! Excuse the metaphor x

Comment is about Spiral (blog)

Original item by Robbie Christian