Philly

My poems tend to be more for fun rather than deep thought - this one is about my awesome city.

Philly

The Liberty Bell

A hoagie or two

So much to see

So much to do

The Art Museum

Historic shows

Soft pretzels,

Cheesesteaks,

Boat House Row

Cobblestones beneath your feet,

William Penn above

Come to Philadelphia - 

City of Brotherly Love!

Reviews

[James Hanna-Magill]

PS to my longer comments, you will see here.

You should know, I cried when reading this poem and still am as I type. Now that is a reaction!

[James Hanna-Magill]

Dear R. L. Severino

Let me keep my review simple for once!

Though having said that what follows is unlikely to be if I remain true to form.

Style: I like

Content: As ever the big draw for me. And above all here, immediate recognition.

I love Philadelphia, albeit I have only been there on business, as I live in the UK. Indeed I also love the film Philadelphia.

Although when on business, my time was often taken up by coming off a transatlantic, business class air conditioned flight, into an air conditioned limo, to an air conditioned hotel, to an air conditioned office and all the same repeated, I did get a chance to get out and about a bit and relate to all your references.

There is also an Irish connection. I am Irish by origin. My maternal grandmother's parents both died within months of each other leaving seven children. As my grandmother was the eldest she stayed in Ireland, but her younger siblings moved to Philadelphia to be looked after by an uncle. Two lived in Philadelphia all their lives and would visit Ireland from time to time when I was a child. For a little Irish boy, they with their American accents and ways of looking at the world made them so intriguing and mysterious, I was entranced.

When once on business in Philadelphia, my mother gave me their old address beforehand and a colleague drove me round and past their old home. They were of course dead.

You cannot imagine, however, the chill that ran up and down my spine when I viewed the place they once lived.

I have travelled widely throughout the world including within the US. But there is always this strange feeling I have when I visit the City of Brotherly Love and were I to express it best, it would be like 'I have just come home'.

This is a beautiful piece of writing. Not sombre as many poems can be, but celebrating the beauty of life.

A writer's job is to stimulate a thought, a question, recognition in a reader. Of course everyone will have their own take. We are all so different.

But you have aimed at and hit the bull's eye in my case.

Thank you for sharing this piece which is very personal to me and which I love.

With my kindest regards


James

[Rita L. Sev]

James,
Thank you for your kind review. I have lived in Philadelphia my whole life, and it is my home in every sense of the word. Though no city is perfect, and Philadelphia is not without its troubles, I choose to see and reflect on the joy, the fun, the unique beauty of the City of Brotherly Love. I am fortunate that my husband works as a Ranger in Independence Park, so I enjoy rare insight to the many historic sites.

I teach middle school Language Arts, and we have just finished reading a book called Fever 1793. It would be an easy read for you, but it is well-written, and gives a wonderful description of Philadelphia during the yellow fever epidemic in the summer of 1793.
I look forward to reading your pieces.

Sincerely,
Rita

[James Hanna-Magill]

Dear Rita

Thank you so much for your personal insights.

I am an early retired academic (linguist) but finally business man. My early retirement was the result of bipolar disorder.

You will find much of my writing is coloured by it, though I love to flit between genres, smiling, sad, meaningful and pure nonsense.

If you get a chance to review my novel Split which is creative non-fiction, fact told as if it were fiction, and a voice for the otherwise voiceless on behalf off those with mental health issue, to seek better understanding, please do.

I am in heavy edit mode preparing it for publication in the interests of 'the forgotten race.'

I am happy to report these days, I am in recovery mode. And if so, it is entirely down to the love and support of my partner Susan, without whom I would no longer disgrace the planet with my presence.

If you want a very brief and funny piece to read, the one only co-written by Susan and me on here 'At 55 (The Hanna-Magills)' please go read. I hope it will make you smile.

With my best wishes to you and your husband

James

[Holly Mason]

fun is good
and this is a day trip in writing
liked the read of this from the start to finish
felt like I had gotten away for a bit
thank you for sharing

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Holly!