Confined Glory Shining From Behind

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This is an ode about Portugal. In 1761, it became the fist colonial power to abolish slavery, half a century before spain, France, Britain or the USA (lines 1 & 7). The biggest wave ever surfed to date was in Praia do Norte, near the town of Nazare in central Portugal, caught by the Hawaiian surfer Garrett McNamara (30m/90ft) (line 3). Portugal established the world’s first commercial wave farm to produce electricity (line 4). It is one of the most conservative countries in Europe due mostly to Catholicism (line 5). It is the only county alongside spain in the EU, where life imprisonment has been abolished (lines 6 & 7). The Anglo-Portuguese Alliance, signed in 1373 is the oldest alliance in the world which is still in force (line 9). The world famous port wine also known as “porto” is a sweet Portuguese fortified wine which has been imitated notably by Australia, South Africa, India and USA (lines 10 & 11). It has the world record for the largest dinning table- 15,000 people were served (line 13). The Vasco da Gama bridge is the longest in Europe (line 14). Fatalism in the form of Fado is an intangible cultural heritage (line 16).

It’s one of the masters of colony domination and the longest standing territory with unchanged defined borders. The wave power of praia do Norte attracts the unique technology of a wave farm existence. In a compound of many flats, it’s the most reserved and one of the twin sisters in their menopausal period of the life imprisonment era. The first domineering power to abolish human right repressiveness which sustains the oldest alliance made in the world. It’s a colourful identity, maintained by the porto which has been imitated by regional powers. Shines through a record-breaking Santa Claus parade and hitting heights with a ‘half-a-county’ dinning. Known continental praises of remarkable length in Vasco da Gama; shows off mini-glory in the league of large firework rockets; an intangible cultural heritage in the express exhibition of fatalism; are highlights to its greatness spreading from porto to Lisbon, then Braga to Benfica and overseas contributing its ink, in the inscriptions of the developed giants.

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Robert Lindley

Date: 10/13/2015 8:12:00 AM

I see that reading your poetry is both very entertaining poetically and educational! A7 on this poem my friend!

Agona Apell

Date: 9/19/2015 8:50:00 AM

This is a revelation to me. Didn't know of Portugal's many firsts. Thought slavery was first abolished by Britain. And I didn't know there are countries where the life sentence has been abolished. Now I know! Come to think of it: if all history was written as poetry, perhaps we might pay more attention to it ...

Funom Makama
Date: 10/13/2015 7:19:00 AM

you are 1000000% right Agona... Sometimes we need to portray or inject life with the variety it deserves... Entertainment throug sounds and melody has achieved that already, education and enlightenment can do so. History, exposition and poetry can as well go hand in hand. Thank you so much for your delightful, well thought and encouraging comment. I hope we bring the light to the world via poetry.