Selfies

Cherry

By luigi_pagano

Mon, 12 Aug 2019
  • 3730 reads
22 comments
 
 
In the past, painters did self-portraits
on canvas, with palette and brush; 
it took ages and they did not rush.
But with no sales, they were in dire straits.
 
It is an old method that's now obsolete;
today we make use of a new craze
that swept the world in only a few days.
Art has moved from studio to street.
 
We can take a selfie with a celebrity,
a president. a prime minister, the Pope.
If you are filmed with a crook, you hope
that it won't affect your popularity.
 
I have refrained from such inanity
but it's always been a dream of mine
to be seen side by side with Einstein;
so I am not exempt from vanity.

 

© Luigi Pagano

 

 

 

 

Certificate U
Poem
Are you being versed?
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by lenchenelf on

sadly the link doesn't work. xx

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

How odd, it works for me Maddalena. This is the first time that I tried so I am not sure whether I'm doing it correctly. I am an ignoramus on the matter. Do you have to have onedrive on your computer? Some IT expert will tell us. I seem to have a similar problem tracking airyfairy's posting.
Watch this space.

Luigi x

 

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

As your link's to Onedrive, Luigi, not sure if it works the same as Souncloud re the privacy settings, as mentioned on the Forum thread.  Hope it works soon - looking forward to hearing you read it!

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Ihave opened a soundcloud account and got a new link (public) that will now post. Hope it works.
You may regret listening to it though.

Cheers, Luigi. x

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Hi, Luigi. No, I can't work it either sorry. Is a One Drive account item available to all?

I have just realised that I have forgotten how to record on my computer, and I have to wait until my husband has time to show me again, but have found that I already have some verses I'd meant to post recorded onto soundcloud. It was done awhile ago, when ABC had a previous go at encourageing making recordings. I hope to post up today sometime. I had forgotten the procdure for getting the links to that as well. Things go from my mind easily. Maybe soon we will hear your voice! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

I have been able to record a sound file through Voice Recorder. I wanted to get a link so uploaded the file to Onedrive but got nowhere. I then opened a Soundcloud account and did the same. The link seems to work, for me at least. Can you try  now? Forgive my audio  interpretation; I need elocution lessons.

Luigi x

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Oh, it works very well, Luigi. You have good volume too, and no, no need for elocution lessons, very clear and a nice accent! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

You make an old man very happy, Rhiannon. smiley

Luigi x

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

I can hear it Luigi - well done for persevering (and very nicely done too)!

For anyone else wanting to have a go but not wanting to have to open their own sound cloud account, or if you have an account which you use for other things you want to keep private, just email your sound file to me and I will upload it to the ABCTales sound cloud account with your ABCTales username to preserve your anonymity.

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Very kind of you to say so, Claudine. I am not entirely satisfied with the outcome but I learned useful lessons. I can do very little about my pronounced accent but I may be able to improve my diction the next time.
My disappointedment soon vanished when I saw the cherries. Thank you.

Luigi x

 

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

You have a great accent Luigi - you shouldn't ever feel you have to apologise for it!

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Well, it was a shock to the system hearing how I sound. It wasn't what I expected but I am reassured that it passed the test. Thanks.

Luigi x

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

Great!  Really enjoyed it.  Perfectly clear, no elocution lessons needed!

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Glad you enjoyed it, Jane. Feel a bit more confident now. 
I thought the way you read your story was very professional. You must be good at public speaking. Top marks.

Luigi x

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

You're very kind.  I used to deliver lots of training in my old job, which I enjoyed, but although I've done quite a lot of readings, I actually loathe reading out my writing.  I'm hoping the Soundcloud stuff will help me!  

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

A good diction is a useful quality to have at ABC's reading nights.

Luigi x

 

Submitted by lenchenelf on

...and what a lovely voice :)

best wishes

Lena x

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Pleased that it works now and thank you for your kind appreciation.
Are we going to hear your dulcet tones, Lena? I am curious to know how your lovely  'doodles' sound.

Luigi x

 

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

you have a lovely voice Luigi! Though can't remember hearing any Italian voice that did not sound musical, your words are also wonderfully clear and well paced. And what a great poem to choose to read! Particularly like the second stanza, and, again, am so jealous of how you write so smoothly it seems there could be no other way of making the sentences, they just happen to have perfect beat and rhyme, but it's not easy at all!

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Good morning, Di..
Thanks for your vote of confidence.
Though all Italians are supposed to possess the gift of musicality, I feel that Nature has short-changed me as I cannot sing for toffee. But I can speak and make myself understood even with a distinct accent which sounds peculiar to my ears but seems to be generally accepted although it raises the usual question: "Where are you from?"
As far as my writing is concerned I've had successes and failures in equal measure. I am much more at ease with putting words on paper than speaking them. I honed my poetic style by long practice and listening to feedback but, as you rightly point out, it's not easy at all to obtain good results at all times.

Best wishes, Luigi x

 

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Luigi,

being a lover of the Italian accent I thought your voice did so much credit to your poem.

My most treasured memories are from when I spent three weeks on holiday in the Northern part of Italy, you certainly have managed to retain yours considering how long you've lived in England.

A lovely piece and I'm glad you managed to work out how to record.

Jenny. xx

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Hello Jenny, 
Before coming to England I was living in northern Italy near the Swiss border. The reason I have retained my accent is that I was already grown-up when I came and unless you are a child it is very difficult to lose the native pronunciation.
I was happy to find how to record and I expect that a future effort would be more polished. I shall have to test the theory.
Thanks for reading and listening.

Luigi xx