O Franco, Oh Franco, How I long to hear your poems each week. Loved this. Really good literary food for thought. WE all talk to ourselves once in a while, but are we truly just talking to ourselves?
These lines really hit hard. I think what you're getting at is that we're all like the characters in these places, wanting to address our emotions to people who aren't there. Or maybe who are there, but can't bear to truly listen. Well said and unique delivery.
I love it when people put things into words that I have been vaguely feeling or thinking. It’s like a mini epiphany. For example, this: I wonder, am I actually talking to myself, or am I talking to this metaphorical stand-in for like the ideal friend? Or mentor? Or parent? Or whatever…
yeah, some of these complex feelings can be quite simple and yet also so difficult to express, and we often think people won't understand. but it's usually they they are struggling to reconcile their own complicated internal states. It's a mess. But writing always helps, and so does shouting into the nothingness.
Yes, I talk to myself and dead people all the time. The dogs don't even notice. And my writing, too, is a kind of talking to myself out loud. It also helps me find my people. Loved this ❤️
“Apostrophe isn’t just punctuation” is such a strong starting point.
What stayed with me most was the feeling underneath the whole piece — that strange human need to keep speaking toward something when the world around us no longer feels able to truly listen.
thank you my friend. i was hoping people would relate. but i can never be sure. i think a lot of people want to speak toward something important but it often feels like talking to a wall.
I love how you frame apostrophe as both comfort and catharsis, a way of reaching for connection even when no one’s listening. Your honesty about self-talk and writing feels both vulnerable and affirming. Thank you for putting this into words.
By the way, I don't usually like modern poetry. It often seems to consist of sentences about nothing broken into bits and spread across multiple lines, like a car engine taken apart, parts strewn across the floor, possibly to frustrate my ability to understand what the author is trying to say, but I liked your poem quite a lot. I understood what you were saying instantly, and it had real meaning.
I know exactly what you mean. I’m not in the business of intentional obfuscation when it comes to the written word. We should be better at communicating our internal states in a ways that can be accessible to the people who need it. thanks for mentioning this.
Crazy in an insane world, well what else are we supposed to do. We have our internal monologues. Why not let them loose once in a while. Nothing wrong with that.
O Franco, Oh Franco, How I long to hear your poems each week. Loved this. Really good literary food for thought. WE all talk to ourselves once in a while, but are we truly just talking to ourselves?
Thank you Vee, love the example.
My whole life is a giant apostrophe.
We all need a little apostrophe in our lives. haha. embrace it.
"when no one in our lives
can bear to listen
to the intolerable truth, the ugly stuff
the unpleasant and the picayune… "
These lines really hit hard. I think what you're getting at is that we're all like the characters in these places, wanting to address our emotions to people who aren't there. Or maybe who are there, but can't bear to truly listen. Well said and unique delivery.
thanks SG, you said it perfectly. I'm glad you liked that line. I like the word picayune.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who talks to myself - or at least thinks about talking to myself, and then hands it off to my characters.
haha, definitely not the only one. writers do it a lot, I think it's part of the job
I love it when people put things into words that I have been vaguely feeling or thinking. It’s like a mini epiphany. For example, this: I wonder, am I actually talking to myself, or am I talking to this metaphorical stand-in for like the ideal friend? Or mentor? Or parent? Or whatever…
yeah, some of these complex feelings can be quite simple and yet also so difficult to express, and we often think people won't understand. but it's usually they they are struggling to reconcile their own complicated internal states. It's a mess. But writing always helps, and so does shouting into the nothingness.
One of the many reasons I read and write. To sort the internal state. And to find commonality.
we're all going through it, and this is a great place to find that community. Glad you connected with this. <3
Yes, I talk to myself and dead people all the time. The dogs don't even notice. And my writing, too, is a kind of talking to myself out loud. It also helps me find my people. Loved this ❤️
thank you, phew. i guess it’s a very human thing. i appreciate you Trevy. cheers
“Apostrophe isn’t just punctuation” is such a strong starting point.
What stayed with me most was the feeling underneath the whole piece — that strange human need to keep speaking toward something when the world around us no longer feels able to truly listen.
There’s a rawness here that feels very alive.
thank you my friend. i was hoping people would relate. but i can never be sure. i think a lot of people want to speak toward something important but it often feels like talking to a wall.
I love how you frame apostrophe as both comfort and catharsis, a way of reaching for connection even when no one’s listening. Your honesty about self-talk and writing feels both vulnerable and affirming. Thank you for putting this into words.
I'm glad you see it as both vulnerable and affirming. It's not easy to capture both in the same expression. Thanks, Sunshine.
Only Franco can take a term that is so literary and make it universally relatable. Great job my dude.
haha, I'll take it. thanks Blake.
By the way, I don't usually like modern poetry. It often seems to consist of sentences about nothing broken into bits and spread across multiple lines, like a car engine taken apart, parts strewn across the floor, possibly to frustrate my ability to understand what the author is trying to say, but I liked your poem quite a lot. I understood what you were saying instantly, and it had real meaning.
I know exactly what you mean. I’m not in the business of intentional obfuscation when it comes to the written word. We should be better at communicating our internal states in a ways that can be accessible to the people who need it. thanks for mentioning this.
Thank you. So much.
you're welcome Tony. Thank you as well my friend. :)
Thank you for your poem I appreciate you
thank you Joe 🙏 i appreciate you as well
Shazam! The catastrophe of apostrophe!
haha love that, yes we all need a little catastrophe of apostrophe! Thanks Carl.
"this is not lunacy, I fucking swear! "
Crazy in an insane world, well what else are we supposed to do. We have our internal monologues. Why not let them loose once in a while. Nothing wrong with that.
thanks Derrick! so true! glad someone said it.
Last two lines really got my heart. You have such poignant ways of ending poems. Definitely makes them linger.
Thank you Ria :)
Sublime
thank you Naman!
♥️♥️♥️
👍
Sublime, comforting, confronting revealing, freeing and it makes me laugh
of course, till I cry... ..Is it really that the world isnt listening? Or is it even deeper..?that
those you cherish are always talking to/with themselves.. TOO.
thank you Jan! ♥️