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Frederick Kesner
Member since August 16, 2007
Member for 18 years, 9 months
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breast-pocket
"breast-pocket"
At a small table, an older woman
draws a bamboo toothpick from the breast‑pocket
of her frock, works with practiced care,
wipes it clean with a sheet from her thigh pocket,
then slips it back as the talk continues.
___
A couple on the path, mid‑argument
over something already fading,
their steps carrying them toward the pond.
Above them, the same woman, younger now,
on the second‑floor balcony,
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hand rising toward her breast‑pocket,
stopping, then calling down with a tone
that reaches the lawn with ease.
He fires back without looking up,
the moment tightening, then thinning out.
#
A child at the pond’s edge,
older boys in the water,
their shouts carrying across the surface.
Shoes off, shirt open,
the child stands between caution and invitation.
From the balcony, a small motion
travels the distance.
___
Years later, a sidewalk café.
An older man finishes his meal,
reaches into the breast‑pocket of his shirt,
draws out a bamboo toothpick,
and works with the same steady rhythm
he has carried through decades.
His grandchild arrives, bright and curious.
Beside them, another figure —
middle‑aged now — lifts a hand
to their own breast‑pocket,
feeling a toothpick beneath its fabric,
the gesture settling in without voice.
.
Frederick Kesner’s timeline
- June 2026
-
08 MonReceived a critique
on breast-pocket from @Lavender
"Hello, CB, I love how ordinary, material "things" reveal the human experience. The activity within this feels almost like a dance - precisely choreographed to help the reader observe the actions of the individuals, and…" -
07 Sun
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05 FriReceived a critique
on the baron declares from @Sen99
"A dry, amusing poem about a famous baron with delusions of greatness" -
04 Thu
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03 WedReceived a critique
on architraval shadow from @Geezer
"way to introduce someone to the art of architecture! I just had to go look to see if there was in fact a word or word usage. This reminded me of a Greek or Roman amphitheater or temple; at least as I picture them. Funny…" -
02 Tue
- May 2026
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31 Sun
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15 FriHighest posting month
May 2026 — 26 poems
- April 2026
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30 Thu
- July 2025
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31 Thu
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31 Thu
- August 2022
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15 MonAnniversary
15 years of membership
- August 2017
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15 TueAnniversary
10 years of membership
- August 2012
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15 WedAnniversary
5 years of membership
- March 2011
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06 SunPosting milestone
100 poems posted
- November 2010
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23 Tue
- August 2008
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15 FriAnniversary
One year of membership
- January 2008
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26 SatFirst critique offered
on "Revolving Echoes" by @purplemoondoll
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23 WedFirst publication
From Swords to Plowshares
- August 2007
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15 WedJoined Neopoet
Membership begins
First poem published 160 days later.
About Me
About me
…a writer who started on the quiet side of things.
Early on, speaking felt harder than shaping a line, so the page became the place where thoughts could land cleanly. That history still lingers, but it doesn’t define the work.
What I write now comes from paying attention to the small moments that pass too quickly unless someone pauses. If you read along, thank you for meeting the work with patience and curiosity.
Location: West Moreton, AUS
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There is nothing quite as boring as a life completely devoid of shadows.
I am because we are
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Contest Wins
| Winning Submission | Contest | Contest Date |
|---|---|---|
| a small dismissal | 05/26 My First Time | – |
| bemusedly ruminating | 04/26 April Fooled | – |
| morning psalm | 07/25 Renovated Quill | – |
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