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Poison - an analogy - Suzette Richards's Blog

About Suzette Richards
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Mission statement: I don’t use AI to generate or even tweak my poetry, because I am a better poet than it.

 

Poetry has been my passion since my retirement from an accountancy based career a dozen years ago. I currently live in South Africa and this rainbow nation has inspired many of my poems. I also have British nationality and embrace their grammar and spelling, but I read widely and am not fazed by strict grammar rules: A pavement/sidewalk; glasses/eyeglasses; judgement/judgment, et cetera; they are one and the same to me when I read poetry. To date, I have self-published a number of books, including the poetry anthology by international poets, © Time, 2014 ISBN 978-0-620-60578-6, and have been cited in many international publications, both poetry journals, as well as in scholarly handbooks. Some of my short stories have been published in international electronic publications, and one of my novellas had been short-listed for an Afrikaans SA publication.

I serve on the Board of Advisers, of Taleemi Baithak.

I have a number (14 to date) poetic forms to my credit, notably, Suzette Prime, 2012 (listed here on PoetrySoup under Types of Poems), as well as The Tesla 3-6-9, 2017, and Suzcrostic, 2021 (listed under New Poetic Forms here on PoetrySoup), Suzette sonnet (Suznet), 2023 - introduced via an article here at PoetrySoup, as well as the brand new Suzette Swan Arc, 3  April 2025. These all resist AI imitation.

My most recent books which include examples of my poetry as well as notes regarding poetry - available directly from me:

  1. © The Eutony of Words, 2018 ISBN 978-0-6399382-0-2
  2. © Docendo discimus, 2021 (Revised 2023) ISBN 978-0-620-95432-7
  3. © Flight of Thoughts, 2023 ISBN 978-0-6397-8880-7
  4. © Downtown - Poetic Devices, 2023 ISBN 978-0-7961-1968-1
  5.  © Rocking Poetry, 2033 ISBN 978-0-7961-2824-9
  6. NEW: moonwake - Suzette Prime poetry, ISBN 978-1-0370-1836-7(PDF). It is a collection of 61 Suzette Prime poetry spanning from 2012 (when I designed the poetic form), up till now.

Poison - an analogy

Blog Posted:1/12/2025 11:08:00 PM

I had a harrowing experience this weekend. Saturday, when I returned from the mall with my weekly shopping, I had, what I thought, was a panic attack: felt dizzy, nauseous, racing heart, and struggled to breath. It was the first time that I had ventured outside my premises on foot after The Incident. I put it down to the incident on New Year’s Eve when I was mugged and robbed of my bottle champagne and salad ingredients mere steps from the safety of the security gate to my property. That afternoon, I was on foot as the shopping centre is a mere kilometre from my place. The perpetrator was identified by a kindly neighbour who had given chase and the police was notified. I am not holding my breath that anything will come of it.

Back to this weekend: My dog started coughing on Saturday and dry wretched the whole weekend. When my immediate neighbour returned late Sunday evening, I was outside with the dog for a bit of fresh air after being cooped up inside due to the inclement weather. At least the rain the past week had broken the drought, but all things creepy crawly had multiplied exponentially. As he opened his front door, I could smell the telltale stale odour of Room Fogger.

I am highly sensitive to anything poison – even if the label says that it is safe for pets! The units where I stay share a common roofs space (a building error as it is supposed to have a firebreak between each, extending into the roof area). He had his fan extractor on the whole weekend to circulate the poison fumes in his flat, but in the process, it seeped into my unit as well. There is no point in complaining about it as he has the right to manage his unit as he sees fit. He had a valid reason for using the poison – it is not his fault that I am sensitive to all things poison.

There is an analogy here with free speech …



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Date: 1/14/2025 9:43:00 PM
Dear suzette, thats awful, and must be so terrifying, i remember my twin sister got car jacked once in malaysia and was so scary, and traumatizing, for a very long time. I hope you and your dog are doing fine and are ok. I feel for you: Sending you light always.
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Suzette Richards
Date: 1/15/2025 5:41:00 AM
Bless you, thank you, Ink.
Date: 1/14/2025 3:56:00 AM
Sounds absolutely awful Suzette, I'm so sorry to hear this. I hope things are improving and there is no lasting damage from either event. I'm extremely wary of chemicals and try to steer clear of everything I can. I get the meaning beneath the lines, everyone puts up with things as there isn't really anyone policing anything regardless of what's stated.
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Suzette Richards
Date: 1/14/2025 6:06:00 AM
Thank you, DD. I'm in survival mode at present. Will snap out of it as my philosophy is of learn from it and move on.
Date: 1/13/2025 9:29:00 PM
Suzette, how awful to get mugged, that must have been so scary, and to have to worry about your pet being poisoned. They were spraying in my building once and I asked if it was poison for cats and they said best the cat is not there for 24 hours, so me and Snuggles (RIP) went to a hotel for the 24 hours, it was like a mini vacation, huge bed, huge tv, nice window view for the cat, plenty of snacks for me, (Gosh I miss Snuggles)
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Suzette Richards
Date: 1/13/2025 9:35:00 PM
Our pets are dear to us. I would like t give the neighbour the benefit of the doubt - I hope that it was not intentional.
Date: 1/13/2025 9:33:00 AM
wow, what a weekend. I've had ones like that too! Not too sure on your analogy. We can write how we want even if it's offensive to some? Sorry, I don't catch on to hidden meanings all the time!
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Andrea Dietrich
Date: 1/13/2025 6:41:00 PM
Ok I get that now.
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Suzette Richards
Date: 1/13/2025 9:37:00 AM
The analogy means to me that some people seems to get away with stuff, even if it is detrimental to others - the onus seems to rest on the latter to complain, and it is not always effective to bring about change.
Date: 1/13/2025 8:00:00 AM
Wow! Hope you are feeling much better (and your dog too). How does one get away with such bad building and management! Doesn’t seem that anyone in a shared building should be piping out poison! Freedom involves responsibility. Freedom, obtained for all, holds to high standards. Hope things get much better. Sorry that you’ve been through all this!!
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Suzette Richards
Date: 1/13/2025 9:39:00 AM
Thank you, Kim, we are feeling better. I agree: Freedom should imply responsibility.

My Past Blog Posts

 
Suzette Swan Arc - Contest Finale
Date Posted: 6/14/2025 12:12:00 AM
Suzette Swan Arc and AI with Examples
Date Posted: 5/25/2025 6:00:00 AM
Lost in Translation
Date Posted: 5/21/2025 3:17:00 AM
Elements of Nature - Suzette Swan Arc Poetry
Date Posted: 5/14/2025 11:20:00 PM
Klein’s Vase Verse - A New Poetic Form Freer than Free Verse
Date Posted: 5/7/2025 12:54:00 PM
Free Verse – How Free is It?
Date Posted: 4/26/2025 11:37:00 PM
Gender Influences on Contests
Date Posted: 4/20/2025 2:54:00 AM
Memento on the Moon
Date Posted: 4/9/2025 12:26:00 AM
Tariffs on Penguins Limerick
Date Posted: 4/4/2025 7:02:00 AM
Light or Shadows
Date Posted: 3/25/2025 1:55:00 PM
Blood Moon Eclipse - Light or Shadows
Date Posted: 3/11/2025 12:46:00 AM
A Timely Intervention
Date Posted: 3/2/2025 12:42:00 PM
On a more serious note
Date Posted: 2/23/2025 5:40:00 AM
Weekend Wacky Limericks
Date Posted: 2/22/2025 3:34:00 AM
Saints and poets maybe – The Bride Trilogy challenge
Date Posted: 2/14/2025 12:37:00 AM
Saints and poets maybe
Date Posted: 2/9/2025 4:24:00 AM
According to the poem’s meter is stressed
Date Posted: 1/25/2025 9:53:00 PM
Poison - an analogy
Date Posted: 1/12/2025 11:08:00 PM
Be Happy and Merry
Date Posted: 12/21/2024 9:45:00 PM
Which is worse - AI or Plagiarism?
Date Posted: 12/8/2024 11:13:00 PM
Bring in the Clowns
Date Posted: 12/2/2024 12:04:00 AM
Cyber bullying
Date Posted: 11/29/2024 1:22:00 AM
Future Trends in Poetry
Date Posted: 11/26/2024 11:15:00 PM
Jack and Jill
Date Posted: 11/22/2024 9:52:00 PM
Counterintuitive versus Juxtaposition
Date Posted: 11/8/2024 10:11:00 PM

My Recent Poems

Date PostedPoemTitleFormCategories
6/15/2025 Limerick - My Nemesis Limerickhumorous,introspection,
6/14/2025 The Duality of Fatherhood Otheranalogy,father,
6/8/2025 Seaborne Longing Otheranalogy,grief,
6/6/2025 Indispersed Echoes Otheranalogy,nature,
6/4/2025 Suzette' s Swan Otheranalogy,bird,nature,
5/26/2025 weeding the herb garden - dadaku Haikunature,
5/26/2025 flower petals - dadaku Haikuanalogy,nature,
5/24/2025 In the Autumn of Life Otheranalogy,
5/19/2025 Excire Otherintrospection,
5/17/2025 Fire Othernature,
5/16/2025 Air Othernature,
5/15/2025 Earth Othernature,
5/14/2025 Water Othernature,
5/7/2025 Liquescent Marmoris Otherfamily,introspection,
5/7/2025 No Way Out Otherintrospection,surreal,
5/3/2025 Starlight Eyes Otheranalogy,introspection,per
4/30/2025 Purple - An Analogy for Deception Suzette Primeanalogy,
4/27/2025 Cultural Mores Mirror Free verseintrospection,
4/23/2025 Oenomel Free verseanalogy,childhood,mother,
4/17/2025 Left Unspoken Quatrainmom,
3/24/2025 Memento on the Moon Alexandrineanalogy,introspection,
3/11/2025 In a Pickle Free verseanalogy,satire,
3/10/2025 Light and Shadows Suzette Primeanalogy,philosophy,
3/9/2025 Thinking about Aladdin Sane Free verseanalogy,
3/6/2025 raven Haikunature,symbolism,
3/1/2025 Kiss the Ring Free versesatire,
2/26/2025 Giving a Cat a Pill Limerickcat,humorous,
2/22/2025 A Fly on the Wall Free versepolitical,satire,
2/21/2025 A Vine in Winter Free verseanalogy,winter,
2/21/2025 broken blood moon Haikuanalogy,moon,nature,
2/16/2025 The Soldier’s Covenant Prose Poetrybaby,war,
2/13/2025 Undergrowth with Two Figures - Van Gogh Free verseanalogy,
2/11/2025 A Blues Sonnet for Jan Sonnetafrica,conflict,endurance
2/7/2025 The Bride's Dreams Prose Poetrydream,love,
2/7/2025 The Bride Prose Poetryfeelings,flower,sunset,
1/22/2025 The Reluctant Bride Prose Poetrylost love,
1/10/2025 humanity Suzette Primephilosophy,science,
12/22/2024 A Woman's Longing Otherlonging,love,water,woman,
12/19/2024 Where Tides once Gossiped Sonnetemotions,imagery,inspirat
12/14/2024 Dandelion Suns to Moons Sonnetflower,life,metaphor,natu
12/2/2024 Aging rocks Crystallineage,
11/27/2024 Divine Madness Sonnetreligion,
11/26/2024 fierce sun Tankaintrospection,nature,summ
11/15/2024 The Event Horizon Verselife,memory,
11/11/2024 Less is More Crystallinephilosophy,
11/9/2024 Jolted by Twilight Suzette Primenature,
11/5/2024 as long as - Monokunature,
10/31/2024 Burning Love Letters Free verselost love,nostalgia,
10/23/2024 yellow light Haikuanimal,spring,
10/21/2024 twilight silence Tankanature,
10/20/2024 Swans Pleiadesbird,
10/18/2024 wAlls In dAlI Ekphrasisart,philosophy,
10/15/2024 Here we go again Limericksatire,
10/15/2024 Haunted Cemetery Rhymehalloween,humorous,
10/12/2024 My Truths Verseliterature,myth,relations
10/10/2024 BALLAD OF ELEANOR RIGBY Balladmusic,
10/8/2024 Life is a garden Suzette Primeanalogy,birth,death,flowe
10/2/2024 Avarice Enclosed Rhymeanalogy,
9/28/2024 Stranded in Peace Quatrainnature,
9/26/2024 Insidious AI Concreteintegrity,poems,poetry,po
9/13/2024 Pie-in-the-sky Versesatire,
9/3/2024 The Scent of Words in the Air Shapeinspiration,poetry,
8/15/2024 The Co-dependent Pantoumaddiction,
7/25/2024 a loveliness Senryulanguage,nature,
7/10/2024 Mother said --- Versehumorous,mother,
7/8/2024 The Earth from a Distance Sonnetnostalgia,
7/5/2024 Lingering Dusk Free verseallegory,analogy,flower,n
6/14/2024 A Child of Light Otherdaughter,
6/5/2024 Cave canem Suzette Primefear,
5/31/2024 Layers of Life Enclosed Rhymelife,remember,
5/13/2024 Love Lauded in Song Free verseromance,
5/13/2024 The Truth in Time Sonnethorse,mythology,
5/9/2024 Silence of the Sea Otherpeace,
5/6/2024 Love Sonnetlove,pain,
4/6/2024 From Purgatory to Paradise Haibunafrica,nature,
2/23/2024 The Last Leaf Tankaautumn,feelings,friend,im
2/20/2024 To everything there is a season Otherlife,nature,seasons,
1/29/2024 On a Thesaurus Diet Suzette Primeanalogy,nature,philosophy
1/23/2024 The Wind Teased Sijoloss,
11/3/2023 Moonwake Suzette Primemetaphor,nature,philosoph
10/16/2023 The Rocking Chair of Memories Suzette Primeanalogy,memory,metaphor,p
9/10/2023 The Dilatory Thought Verseintrospection,
8/25/2023 Through the Keyhole Iambic Pentameterdream,fantasy,
8/8/2023 View From Basement Flat Dramatic Verserelationship,
7/27/2023 When Doves Cry Terzanelleeulogy,
7/26/2023 You Shall Reap What You Sow Ekphrasisart,
7/8/2023 Graceful Lily Sonnetpoetess,
6/21/2023 Thalassophile Alexandrinesea,
6/14/2023 Recombobulating Chaos Free versenature,
5/25/2023 The Seeds of Time Quatrainanalogy,introspection,met
5/24/2023 The Moon By Day Sonnetromance,
5/8/2023 Discord and Peace Ekphrasisanalogy,anger,angst,child
4/22/2023 If a Tree Should Fall Suzette Primedream,philosophy,
4/19/2023 Like Burnt-Out Logs Heroic Coupletemotions,simile,
4/18/2023 An Attenuated Tree Branch Personificationimagery,metaphor,nature,
4/12/2023 Verismo Suzette Primeanalogy,introspection,met
4/6/2023 A Tree Tankaanalogy,image,nature,
4/5/2023 The Welkin - and - the Influences Juejuanalogy,nature,
3/19/2023 Alone Suzette Primeanalogy,inspiration,metap
3/9/2023 A Waste of Space Proseculture,introspection,lit

My Photos


Fav Poems

PoemTitleFormCategories
I To Poisonous Honey Free verselife,
The Usurper King Dramatic Monologueidentity,satire,
Summer Peak Haikusummer,
O Charming Rhymehumorous,valentines day,
Prime Crime - Bt Than-Baukdream,horror,
O April Free verseappreciation,april,beauty
Unsure the Shore Sonnet8th grade,beach,bereaveme
The Grey Suzette Primeintrospection,
Hall Pass Sonnetlove,
Earth Prayer Verseprayer,
Fiery Events Haikufire,love,
Best In Show Dodoitsuwinter,
The Wait Rhymebody,devotion,truth,
Love In Love With Love Sonnetlove,spiritual,
When the Chemistry Is Gone the History Does Not Matter Free verselove,
Lit By Love Quatrainloss,love,strength,
Blemished - a Coin Poem Otherpain,
Telegraph Pole Potd Imagismimagery,
Floating Shards of Dream Free verseanalogy,lost love,pain,
Courtney Mae Or Courting May Sonnetmay,
Poet's Honeymoon Collaboration With Joanna Daniels Rhymefantasy,imagination,
Rebirth Me Prose Poetryhope,mental illness,
Pulchritudinous Rhymeart,
I Died Sonnetallusion,anger,angst,
Bantu Free versepoetry,
The Forming of Thoughts Rhymeangst,
Ashes - Edvard Munch Ekphrasisart,inspiration,
A woman called house Free versehome,
Salvations Rests Behind True Faith's Gold Door Sonnetappreciation,art,bible,ch
The Cold Embrace of Death Ekphrasisart,
Debacle Rhymeconfusion,evil,history,
Pearl-Prayer Sijoemotions,heaven,life,long
apologies for the truth Suzette Primephilosophy,senses,
Stolen Nights Coupletangst,dark,light,morning,
Vanishing Point Free verseangst,anxiety,heartbreak,
Silence Listens Free versesound,
Amberina Ballerina, Whatever Verseintrospection,
Back Against The Sea Coupletangst,death,introspection
Fire Otherart,
Love Hurts - Bound by Love, Broken by Fate - POTD Balladfate,lost love,rainbow,ro
The Narcissist Who Saved Himself - Cynthia Howard - collaboration with Ink Empress Ekphrasisart,
thoughts drift to sirens Free verseart,
Roots and Dandelion Dreams: A Mother's Heart Ekphrasisheart,love,mothers day,na
To Whom Does This Come Haibunanalogy,deep,i am,
Misty Blues Quatrainlost love,solitude,
Les peupliers bleus - Andre Brasilier Ekphrasisart,
Not for Contest - Impact of AI on poets Rhymeart,
No Longer Quatrainbetrayal,recovery from,
Sea Shore Night Sijonature,sea,
Reason I Believe Free versehow i feel,
Yesterday's Wishes Free verseanxiety,
Clover's In the Bottom Right-Hand Corner Doing the Best with What Circumstance Brought Her Ekphrasisart,extended metaphor,
Domenico Gatti - Purita Ekphrasisart,
Humanity Rhymehumanity,perspective,scie
Undergrowth with Two Figures Ekphrasisart,love,nature,paradise,

Fav Poets

PoetCountry 
James Marshall Goff United States Flag United States Read
Richard Lamoureux Canada Flag Canada Read
Susan Woodrow Fiji Flag Fiji Read
Robert Lindley United States Flag United States Read
Brian Strand United Kingdom Flag United Kingdom Read
Susan Ashley United States Flag United States Read
Andrea Dietrich United States Flag United States Read
Eileen Manassian _Not Listed Flag _Not Listed Read
Christuraj Alex India Flag India Read
Quoth Theraven United States Flag United States Read
Runa Pradhan India Flag India Read
Christopher Flaherty United Kingdom Flag United Kingdom Read
Sara Kendrick United States Flag United States Read
Hilo Poet United States Flag United States Read
Judy Reeves United Kingdom Flag United Kingdom Read
Mark Frank South Africa Flag South Africa Read
Gordon Mcconnell United Kingdom Flag United Kingdom Read
Joanna Daniel India Flag India Read
Di11y Da11y United Kingdom Flag United Kingdom Read
Frederic Parker United States Flag United States Read
Mark Massey United States Flag United States Read
Timothy Ray United States Flag United States Read
Charlotte Puddifoot United Kingdom Flag United Kingdom Read
Christina Bowring United Kingdom Flag United Kingdom Read
Arlo Parker United States Flag United States Read
A Yorkshire Poet United Kingdom Flag United Kingdom Read
Thomas Lee Rhymes United States Flag United States Read
Sam Kauffman United States Flag United States Read
Linda Alice Fowler United States Flag United States Read
David Crandall United States Flag United States Read
Maria Williams Australia Flag Australia Read
Paige Hind United States Flag United States Read
Ink Empress Maldives Flag Maldives Read

Book: Reflection on the Important Things