He walked in
And walked out again.
Hands pocketed,
Jacket pushed back.
Again he walked in
A friend accompanying
In walk, talk and
In looking at me.
Lines beneath an L.Cohen poem
I’d wanted to write on this page from the moment I opened this book
But I restrained myself, instead allowing myself, rather forcing myself
To read till the end of the poem.
The problem was my impatience,
Till that was subverted by interest and
I forgot what it was I had wanted to write.
In truth I guess I had only a notion
Something, some fleeting romantic attempt – at poetry.
Well being that it’s gone, this urge, this feeling,
I present this – My reality!
The struggle
There is a battle I fight every day
Sometimes I lose, sometimes I win;
Now let me explain.
In my fantasies, not disturbed, but disturbing
I sometimes find my muscles twitch,
my jaw clench tight, the grit of enamel.
I’m seized, in seizure, I’m a victim!
But every day I realise this battle
And at times I control it. Then it’s another.
The battle within! The battle within!
To wing, to music
Against the half-opened blind in the skylight
A predatory bird sails across the blue canvas.
The wild – framed by this room
Where my baby played music
By pulling on a string –
The garden birds running scared…
I imagine
I imagine negativity
Places I have been,
Or imagine being.
I imagine I’m the victim
Picked on by the pack
While the Alpha dog kicks back.
I imagine people forcing me
To accept what they have said
Although I disagree.
I imagine I am judged
By those same people who have tried
To rob me of my dignity.
I imagine those called friends
Will let their fear our great bond end
I imagine friendships then.
I trust in very little
But that which I trust in –
I imagine it’s enough.
Untitled 5
The man’s music,
strung out,
resounded
across the square
across the tracks
And it may
even have reached
internally
for some stood staring,
perhaps wondering,
perhaps wagering
as to who’d
be first to crack…
The man or his audience.
‘No name’ cafe*
On Podmaniczky utca, near the corner with Teréz körút I’m perched facing West to South West as the road runs. I can make out from the street signs yonder that Jókai utca parellels the körút, but I already knew this. I just now, however, decided to write about this: Jókai utca to Jókai tér and Nagymező down farther being more than familiar to me on my late night excursions.
I find myself sitting street side at a cafe which I’ve been to before. The TV plays reruns of matches; I hate that, I always have, especially when the game was boring the first time round.
Cars pass up and down as do trolley buses. The tram runs to my back. I know it. I’ll not take it now. It’s the metro I’ll be needing in less than 5 minutes.
I finish my wine, a white – the only dry they had –, I peep over the shoulder of a man in front catching Zorba’s restaurant in my glance. Those are other stories.
This place, this cafe, has changed from what I knew. My favourite perch just inside the window, where I sat with Andi watching the snow, where I sat alone writing, has been altered. A low table, those knee high abominations, now sits in place of me. The chairs no doubt comfortable do little to lure me. I hate having to bend every time I want to take a drink. Abominations I tell you!!! The bar has also changed though admittedly moving the service entrance away from the front door is a good idea.
I scribble these last few words, pleased to have sat, and perhaps destined to have had the street experience. The rain threatens, the heat cools and I must run before I’m late. Good teaching!
*In all my time I’ve never noticed a name so the directions given here are the best clue to finding it that I can give.
To the beat of a different drum
This fits into the cosy bracket, perhaps a little too cosy. One could try swinging a cat in here but I’d recommend at least a kitten, and at that a Manx kitten!
Leading in the door one can avail of 3 tables along the wall, for two people really as three would block the passageway. Set high in the far left corner there’s a bench allowing customers the option to sit above the bar, it being at the lower rib level here, a clear view behind the bar and of the workings therein. Up the steps on your immediate left of entry sits another table barely managing to seat two but with stools provided nonetheless. This is a window seat extraordinaire allowing you the feel of the street from within relative comfort. Dob utca, being narrow, it amounts to an ambience rushing to the interior. Upstairs there is further seating but I didn’t dare, it seemed dark and lonely in those ascendant regions.
In truth I was first drawn to this place by a friend who, himself, has become somewhat of a regular, if not resident. Well known among the staff the banter among them flows allowing the place to grow in one’s heart even if the Manx kitten is still not getting much in return. To top it off the bar itself, provides fresh coffee – loyalty card included – and fresh croissants as well as a variety of other pastries and sandwiches. I know I’ll visit this place again and not just for the sit down stand-up comedian or the friendly staff. Those are just the bonuses one learns to take in one’s stride on the road to enlightenment.
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Grammar will feature on the course but will not dominate. Speaking communication is a priority!
Homework activities will focus on class work and will be a requirement (where applicable).
The four skills of Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking will be dealt with capably on these courses.
You will be required to use English at all times as this helps to create a truly intensive English experience.
You will have a 4 hour morning intensive class each day which will include aspects of grammar, vocabulary building, listening and speaking.
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There will be a 1 hour lunch break between the morning and the afternoon sessions.
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The breakdown is as follows:
Per hour intensive (morning) – 2000 HUF
Per hour intensive (afternoon) – 1500 HUF
Early bookings get a 10% discount.
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