Author Archives: wordcloud9

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About wordcloud9

Nona Blyth Cloud has lived and worked in the Los Angeles area for over 50 years, spending much of that time commuting on the 405 Freeway. After Hollywood failed to appreciate her genius for acting and directing, she began a second career managing non-profits, from which she has retired. Nona has now resumed writing whatever comes into her head, instead of reports and pleas for funding. She lives in a small house overrun by books with her wonderful husband.

To Kiss the World Good-bye – In Memorium

Posted on January 27, 2021 by wordcloud9

January 27th is International Day in Memory of the Holocaust Victims. Hana Volavková (1904-1985) was the only curator of the Central Jewish Museum to survive World War II. She collected and edited poems, letters, and drawings in a book called I … Continue reading →

Posted in Holocaust, Nazis/Nazism, Poetry | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

TCS: For All That – Songs for Burns Night

Posted on January 25, 2021 by wordcloud9

Good Morning! ______________________________ Welcome to The Coffee Shop, just for you early riserson Monday mornings. This is an Open Thread forum,so if you have an off-topic opinion burning a hole inyour brainpan, feel free to add a comment. ______________________________ O would some power … Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Poetry, The Coffee Shop | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

MORE Amanda Gorman – On Her Audition for ‘The Lion King’

Posted on January 23, 2021 by wordcloud9

Amanda Gorman is now a global ‘phenomenal woman’ – but she hasn’t always been recognised for her remarkable talents. To see her tell the story of her audition for Broadway’s ‘The Lion King’ click:

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , | Comments Off on MORE Amanda Gorman – On Her Audition for ‘The Lion King’

Amanda Gorman Reads ‘The Hill We Climb’

Posted on January 20, 2021 by wordcloud9

For the text, click:

Posted in Poetry, United States | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

‘The Hill We Climb’ – Poetry Returns to the Presidential Inauguration

Posted on January 19, 2021 by wordcloud9

Second inauguration of President Barack Obama There have been five poems delivered by their poets at inaugurations of U.S. presidents, all of them Democrats. It began when John F. Kennedy asked Robert Frost to read his poem “The Gift Outright” … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, United States | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

TCS: The Starless Midnight and the Bright Daybreak

Posted on January 18, 2021 by wordcloud9

. Good Morning! ______________________________ Welcome to The Coffee Shop, just for you early riserson Monday mornings. This is an Open Thread forum,so if you have an off-topic opinion burning a hole inyour brainpan, feel free to add a comment. ______________________________ Justice in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Rights, Poetry, The Coffee Shop | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Religious Freedom Day: A Humanist Activist Mystic Christian Philosopher

Posted on January 15, 2021 by wordcloud9

Religious Freedom Day was established on January 16th by the U.S. Congress in 1992. It celebrates the enactment in 1786 of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, written by Thomas Jefferson, who asked that his tombstone recognize that he was … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Religion, Thomas Jefferson, World War II | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

TCS: Thank You Day – The Slant of Hope

Posted on January 11, 2021 by wordcloud9

. .Good Morning! ______________________________ Welcome to The Coffee Shop, just for you early riserson Monday mornings. This is an Open Thread forum,so if you have an off-topic opinion burning a hole inyour brainpan, feel free to add a comment. ______________________________ Silent gratitude isn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, The Coffee Shop | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Notes on How to Be Old

Posted on January 8, 2021 by wordcloud9

Today is my 72nd birthday, so I’m taking a refresher course on being old from one of my favorite poets. May Sarton (1912-1995) was a prolific writer and poet. She did old age as well as anybody I ever knew … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Thoughts About the Attempted Insurrection in Washington DC

Posted on January 7, 2021 by wordcloud9

“Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.As nations become corrupt and vicious, theyhave more need of masters.”   – Benjamin Franklin “In questions of power, then, let no more be saidof confidence in man, but bind him down frommischief by the … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Liberties, Constitutional Law, Fascism, History, Presidential Elections, United States | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments