Sunday, December 14, 2014

Just Politics - A Magpie Tale

Le baiser de l'hôtel de ville by Robert Doisneau, 1950. The setting is the square in front of the City Hotel, which is Paris' City Hall, seen in the background. Le baiser means the kiss. Sold to Life Magazine, this photo became an internationally recognised symbol of young love in Paris. The identity of the couple remained a mystery until 1992.

Photo chosen by Tess as a writing prompt for this week's The Mag You can click on the numbered links found there to see how other people responded.

Just Politics

Don't you look at me
with my book bag, my cardboard
case covered in false
leathery binding.
Wearing my beret, leaving
City Hall, I have
this effrontery,
this kiss in my face. Maybe
it takes the highlight
off me though, and soon
Paris' City Hall explodes
with our special gift.
My nine million francs
will get me by for a while
still. What has he got
I don't, the bastard?

‎December ‎14, ‎2014 8:40 AM


10 comments:

  1. Nice, "effrontery, this kiss in my face". And I like the story behind the photo that I failed to research.

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  2. Nice to learn more about the 'love'ly photo :)
    Nice use of the pic in your story.

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  3. I saw (and read a bit about this photo) in an article about V-J Day in Times Square and other famous kisses. And ever since, I've been wondering why the woman standing to the left of the couple looks so upset.

    I really love that your poem focuses away from the kiss...

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    Replies
    1. Here's my guess. Everyone is going somewhere in that photo but you usually stop to kiss. So the woman has had to walk around them.

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  4. there is always someone not happy with his suuroundings....well done!

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  5. enjoy your imagination !

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  6. I've always wondered about the guy behind them in the beret...nicely done!

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    Replies
    1. Well I don't have it right or the bomb was a dud because City Hall was not blown up.

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  7. I appreciate knowing more about the photo.
    Nice to give a POV from the man in the beret. It's hard to compete with the male kisser's great hair!

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  8. Love the alternate point of view! This one is a lot of fun!

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The chicken crossed the road. That's poultry in motion.


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