Follow One's Nose

Cherry

By luigi_pagano

Wed, 26 Apr 2023
  • 1024 reads
18 comments
 

We tend to judge
people and creatures
by scrutinising
their facial features.

Most interesting,
perhaps are those
who are the owners
of a prominent nose.

We know Cleopatra
had a big honker,
a requisite asset
in order to conquer.

But that a big nose
is always beneficial
is an assumption
that's superficial.

Cyrano's schnozzle
was so obnoxious
that thinking of it
made him anxious

He doubted that
his adored Roxanne
could ever love
such an ugly man.

Pinocchio's nose
increased in size
on every occasion
that he told lies.

The olfactory organ
tells us a lot,
it reveals things
other features cannot.

 

 

© Luigi Pagano 2023

Certificate U
Poem
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Isn't it sad that the first stanza of your poem is so true? Remembering when I was young how much confidence I had...even enjoying having my photo taken. Now I'm older I won't let anyone take my photo, just hate seeing myself on camera.

Though I did find your poem amusing, especially the stanza:-

We know Cleopatra

had a biig honker,

a requisite asset

in order to conquer.

Great idea for the I P. yes

Jenny. xx

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Hi Jenny, some people are more self-conscious than others about their looks. Personally, I don't agonise about it. I have what could be described as an aquiline nose but I call it a 'Roman nose'. It seems to be more acceptable. We have to accept that as we grow older, nature takes its toll and we can't reverse the situation.

Luigi xx

 

Submitted by Nolan on

Cleopatra did not have a "big honker" she was famous for a beautiful dainty feminin little nose. Well the rhyme works. But now, Julius Ceasar hey? Stately, dtgnified, strong.

A proper double chin? Now that's the ways to go. Keep your knows out of it

Keep well Luigi & Nolan

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Dear Nolan, you must be better informed than me. This is what I read: "

Cleopatra's beauty wasn't her biggest asset. Coins with her portrait show her with manly features and a large, hooked nos" 

Best, Luigi

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

A very nicely done IP response Luigi. One thing though - our in-house copyright Dr has spotted that the picture you've used is Gerard Depardieu and is a stock image from Alamy so unless you've given them some money to use it, could you please change it to something else pronto? Thank you!

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Dear Claudine, this is what Wikimedia Commons says: "This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International, 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license". So, who's is right? Does Alamy hold the copyright and Wikimedia are in breach? If you feel uncomfortable about the image,  by all means. delete it Luigi x

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Hi Luigi - apparently it's Wikimedia who have got it wrong in this case. Ewan searched the image with Tin Eye and it's a stock image from Alamy. I know you're careful about these things, but sometimes Wikimedia isn't 100% accurate.

I will remove, but please find something else -plenty of noses to choose from! I always find Flckr is a good place to go.

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Found a simple image, hopefully, free of copyright.

Luigi 

P.S. Thanks for the cherries

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Thanks for finding a new pic Luigi - apologies for the hassle!

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

No worries, happy to oblige.

xx

 

Submitted by Nolan on

Looks like you're in trouble.

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

No problem, Nolan. laugh

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

LOVED the rhyme Luigi :0) Particularly as I was born with a huge
honker. Re Cleopatra I heard that the first statue "of her" was infact one of her father who had died and they didn't want to waste it, so put her name underneath instead. Which makes me think her biggest asset might have been cleverness, and that is why she is remembered? Although it is very comforting to think someone with a big nose might be thought beautiful, it might have been clever PR on her part, do you think?

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

That's hilarious about the statue Di. I think in the Asterix and Cleopatra book, she spends 50% of her time stressing about her nose - it's very funny!

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Yes, Di. It has also been suggested that she cleverly exploited the story of a big nose which was supposed to signify a strong (masculine) personality.

 

Luigi x

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Oh, I didn't know that! How interesting! So, for Cleopatra, it was more important to appear like a man (because that would gain more respect) than to be beautiful, which would make her an object? Wow, in which case, maybe the beautiful bit could have been invented by her detractors, to suggest it was that which swayed Mark Anthony and Julius Caesar, rather than her ability to play her cards in a genius way?

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

I think that the matter of Caesar and Mark  Antony being seduced by her beauty has been overemphasised and it was political expediency rather than just sexual attraction. She needed Rome to consolidate her authority over her brother and co-ruler as much as the Roman duo relied on her in their fight for supremacy.

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Those books are SO GOOD :0)