As a follow-up to my ‘Promises’ post, I have another one to keep for dear Marylin at Things I Want To Tell My Mother where she writes delightful letters to her lovely Mom who suffers from Alzheimer’s. She recently wrote a post entitled SUNRISE or SUNSET in which she shared how her mother had written, from time to time, a type of poem called an Aubade.
Until I read Marylin’s post I had never heard of an Aubade but was so intrigued and taken by what she shared, that I felt compelled to write one. In my woeful ignorance of poetry so far as all the different styles and formats (of which I follow none but am beginning to love the challenge of learning all about these new styles), I’ve discovered that an Aubade is a poem or song either welcoming or evoking daybreak or lamenting the sunrise for lovers who have to separate at dawn.
It is the opposite of a serenade which of course is a song sung in the evening. There are no rules of form, it is a genre for a theme not a structure. My kind of poem then!
In honour of National Shakespeare Day held on April 23rd (been and gone, I know,) here is an example of William Shakespeare’s Aubade:
HARK! hark! the lark at heaven’s gate sings,
And Phoebus ‘gins arise,
His steeds to water at those springs
On chaliced flowers that lies;
And winking Mary-buds begin
To ope their golden eyes:
With everything that pretty bin,
My lady sweet, arise!
Arise, arise!
My Aubade is very different, obviously! A welcome of daybreak or a lament? Maybe it could be a touch of both. I hope you enjoy it either way. I should also let you know that, as I said to Marylin, I’m not one for rising with the sun but hubby is and he was put on strictest orders to wake me up in time for me to grab some sunrise shots. He puts up with so much for my writing (poor guy) but I couldn’t do it without him…and the things we do for art!
Here, then, is my Aubade. For Marylin and her Mom.
Morning’s Sweet Light
Midnight’s curtain pulls apart
shot through with the blink of day
As morning’s early light whispers
pastel-pink, for the sun to have its say;
Sparks beauty in her sleep, draws me back
into your warmth where once more
I am darkly safe.
Yet entwined in the heat of that lost,
Golden Hour.
Somerset Sunrise
(c) Sherri Matthews 2014
Guided through the night,
now revealed in day-break’s flight;
Searing through
Parting’s Despair as it opens as with
Sun-streaked sun-touched burnished flower.
Where once we lay, still, secure;
Exposed and naked as with no lie;
Just one last time
before Desire’s Goodbye.
Tearing away from the cool of the dream
falling now, ever closer, into
Morning, unseen.
Somerset Sunrise in the Spring
(c) Sherri Matthews 2014
Sun-flares paint the distant clouds
as God’s hand, the Artist’s perfect eye
brings forth the announcement that all must end;
Awakens panic drawn from
Slumber’s Ignorance
As I spread my wings, time to fly.
‘Come back, my love!
Why must you leave?
Morning’s Dawn is my gift
to bless your Night;
No more for you to grieve!’
Look no more! As I wipe my tears
through soft-seeping bright
I cannot speak another word.
Never more with you, I turn away
and walk alone, as I must, into
Morning’s Sweet Light.
Somerset Sunrise
(c) Sherri Matthews 2014
(c) Sherri Matthews 2014
……………………………………………………………………
I haven’t been able to keep up with the weekly challenges these past couple of weeks but hope to return to ‘normal’ next week. I have though linked this in with Time for Poetry Weekly Writing Challenge although it’s late.
I am also typing this with very limited battery power left on my laptop, the charger having just ‘popped’ and emitting a rather strong odour and I’m watching the power drain away minute by minute. A new charger is on its way and as soon as I’m up and running I’ll return. Never a dull minute eh? See you all soon 🙂
A View From My Summerhouse 
All of the poems are beautifully written and bring such a lovely start to my day! Have a very blessed day and a wonderful weekend! God bless!
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Thank you so much Wendell, I am so glad to have given you a good start to your day, bless you! You have a wonderful, blessed weekend too 🙂
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Sherri, this is absolutely lovely. It’s a wonderful tribute to two beautiful women. I love the line “as God’s hand, the Artist’s perfect eye.”
Thanks to your hubby for waking you up. The photos are spectacular! Happy Friday! xo
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Ahh, thank you so much Jill, I do appreciate it. I’m always very nervous when I post any poetry as I never know how it will be received. It’s just something I enjoy writing. I wasn’t sure if I could get the photos in as it had been raining earlier but I was glad to be able to capture some light. Happy Friday and have a happy weekend too, you and DFD 🙂 xo
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What a wonderfully written piece of poetry Sherri! It’s like we’re right there with you watching the sun rise and you’re taking us along on a journey. I’m a morning person myself but I can’t recall the last time that I watched the sun rise. Thank you for sharing the experience 🙂
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Taking these photos made me think how much I’m missing not being up for the sunrise more often. There is a beautiful stillness before the hustle and bustle of the day. I’m so glad you enjoyed the poem Heather, thank you so much. I hope you have a great weekend 🙂
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You are a gifted poet Sherri I think. So evocative and lovely use of language. The photos really enhance the words x
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How lovely and kind of you to say Brenda, bless you. I’m so pleased that you enjoyed it, it’s always nerve-wracking for me to post any poetry and only do so because of the encouragement I’ve so kindly received here. It means so much to me, thank you so much. I’m glad too you enjoyed the photos. I hope you have a wonderful weekend 🙂 xx
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Sherri you are so clever – this is a wonderful Aubade for Marylin and her mother. And the photographs complement your words beautifully. A good job all round.
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Well I thank you very much for this Jenny, as I’ve said to others, I always take a big gulp when I post poetry, but I do really enjoy writing it!! Your kind words and encouragement mean a great deal to me. I hope Marylin likes it! Enjoy your weekend Jenny, celebrations in order for you and your family 🙂 x
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Sherri, how beautiful are your words! A moving and lovely poem. Thank you so so much for your light and love and creativity.
Peace always, Allison xo
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Thank you so much Allison your lovely kind words and encouragement which mean so much to me. I’m glad that you enjoyed it, really am.
Peace and blessings to you too, have a wonderful weekend 🙂
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wonderful poem and the sunrise pics are so nice and perfect complement – 🙂 I love all the horizontal clouds too 🙂
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Very kind of you Y, thank you so much for reading, so glad you enjoyed the poem and the pics. I was glad to be able to capture some light, I wasn’t sure I would be able to as we had a lot of rain in the night. It was lovely to feel the peace of the sunrise, makes me think I should start getting up earlier! Hope you have a great weekend mon amie 🙂
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You’re talented, Sherri! Thank you so much for sharing the beautiful poem and sunrise photos!
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You are very kind Amy, thank you so much, I’m really glad you enjoyed both the poem and the photos. Have a lovely weekend 🙂
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Your passion is showing, Sherri. This must be your best work so far. Absolutely divine. All the ‘s’ words give this a soft, melancholy feel I like. Fabulous.
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Hi Tess, so lovely to see you back at the old summerhouse! Can’t wait to hear about your trip and hope you are feeling better now 🙂
Aww, well, this means so much to me, thank you so much, I’m just really glad that you enjoyed it, really encourages me no end this 🙂
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I mean it when I say it. 😀
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I know you do and I thank you for it 🙂 🙂 🙂
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Lovely poem and photography.
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Thank you so very much Renee, really appreciate this 🙂
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A beautiful poem, Sherri; and written despite computer troubles as well!
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Ahh, well, such is life eh?? Thanks so much Rachel, means a lot to me that you enjoyed it 🙂
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Sherri You are so talented. The words evoke such wonderful thoughts and feelings. and your photos are delightful. Do not be at all shy about writing poetry. You have a great gift. Many blessings and much love xxx
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So glad you enjoyed it, thank you very much for all your wonderful support and encouragement. Much love and blessings to you too MP… 🙂 xxx
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So lovely! Words and photographs both. I enjoyed a glimpse of your poetic side. Enjoy your weekend and may your photos inspire you to pursue your poetic side. 🙂
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Ahh, well, I’m truly humbled by your kind and loving words Lilka, thank you so much. I have found that since writing on my blog I feel compelled to write poetry again as I did before when I was (much!) younger and I’m so blessed and encouraged to know that you and others here enjoy it, as well as my photographs. Means so much to me.
I hope you are having a lovely weekend too my friend 🙂
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Sherri, this is so lovely. It’s vivid, real, and touching, and I thank you. You definitely have the soul of a poet…a kind and generous and thoughtful poet. I’ve printed out your aubade. I just returned from seeing my mother–she’s out of the hospital and eating! still doesn’t know who she is, but she can tell amazing stories about growing up on the farm 80+ years ago!–and when I see in her two more weeks, I am going to read her your wonderful poe. Thank you again, dear Sherri!
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Oh dear Marylin, I’m so happy to know that you enjoyed my first-ever Aubade, thanks to you and your dear mom’s inspiration! So glad now to read that your mom is out of hospital and eating, that is great news and wonderful indeed to be able to share in her stories from so long ago, and what a very great blessing for her to have you as her daughter to share these very stories with your family and with us so that they will never be forgotten. What a powerful and beautiful legacy.
I’m so excited to know that you are going to read her my aubade, wow, oh I do hope she enjoys it! I’m truly honoured and can’t wait!! 🙂
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Wow – that’s beautiful Sherri – you have the most amazing ability to make me smile and cry at the same time. 🙂 XXXXX
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Oh dear Jo, bless you my friend! I’m really touched, thank you so much is all I know to say…. 🙂 xxxxxxxx
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An aubade of beauty and melancholy. Lovely photos. Like you I’ve never been much interested in poetry but am finding all these different styles so expressive for so many different emotions and work where prose would just be too cumbersome. Hope your battery is fixed soon. It is such a pain. Just as you were on a roll. Maybe time to have a walk. Cheers Irene
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I’m so glad you enjoyed the poem and the photos Irene, thank you so much. Yes, that is what is so marvelous about poetry, the emotions and words come pouring out in such a different way and can be expressed in a more condensed, powerful way I think. I feel that when I write a poem I am writing a ‘piece of me’ in a more profound way than in my other writing. That’s why it’s more nerve-wracking to share it publicly!!!
Battery replaced now, phew. Honestly, as you say, just when I was on a roll…haha, that’s life eh? Hope your ‘roll’ is still going and yes, think we are overdue for that walk. Then maybe a nice glass of wine later on to chill with…happy Sunday my friend 🙂
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Good to hear your battery is replaced. Let’s walk instead of rolling, then yes a chilled wine. I have finally got my writing process blog hop up and running. Have a good day. Cheers Irene
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Sounds good to me!! Coming over to you now… 🙂
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Wow what beautiful poetry… I’m blown away…
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Thanks so much Bulldog, means so much… 🙂
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I love seing the sunrise slowly peeping, glowing, greeting the day. It’s a sign of hope that better things are to come. Thanks for sharing a beautiful, moving poetry fused with images that stirs the heart. There’s one sunrise I can’t forget a few years back. It was by Galveston beach with my son. We saw surfers welcoming the new day, we chase seagulls and built sand castles. Then we had a yummy buffet breakfast. It was a perfect day. Have a wonderful weekend my friend. All the best to you and your family.
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The sunrise certainly is a beautiful thing to behold, I should do so more often! Certainly brings to mind that ‘The Lord’s mercies are new every morning’. What a perfect day you describe by Galveston beach with your little boy, a memory to be treasured forever., thank you so much for sharing it with me. I can taste the salt air and hear the sea gulls even now…not to mention smell the bacon and pancakes, yummmmm 😉
Bless you dear friend, and I hope you too are having a wonderful weekend with your wonderful family. 🙂
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‘but hubby is and he was put on strictest orders’ – Ohh, that made me giggle for some reason. Like you, I am horribly ignorant when it comes to poetry types and formats. I knew some, once upon a time, but it all goes over my head, quite frankly. A poem is a poem 😉
What a beautiful poem of yours there, Sherri. Really lovely.
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Haha…well, that’s the way it has to be!!! Some things just have to be done…. 😉
Aww, thanks so much dear Jenny Jen Jen, so glad you enjoyed this poem, as you say, so much goes over my head too but it’s what is expressed from inside here and that’s all I know!!!!
Hope you are having a wonderful weekend my friend 🙂
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Oh my gosh-so very beautiful Sherri! You literally blow me away with your poignant words and glorious photos. I am actually sitting here stunned at my friend who has such depth, such talent. ❤
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Ahh…bless you my dearest friend, wow, I’m so happy you enjoyed it. You know me…is all…thank you so much but I’m very humbled by your kind, sweet comments, blown away myself actually by them…. 🙂 xoxoxox
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From that first beautiful image, of midnight’s curtains parting and letting in the blink of day, this is a beautiful poem Sherri. It evokes the joy of morning, but it also strongly evokes the bittersweet parting, which means that the end is very touching. You do have a talent for poetry Sherri, as well as your memoir writing.
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Oh Andrea, even in your comments you write so beautifully. Thank you so much, this means a great deal to me, you encourage me greatly and I consider it a wonderful compliment, so very humbled. Writing poetry is a very personal thing, as I shared with Irene, it is a deeper ‘piece of me’ which is why it’s so risky, to me, to share it. Even though memoir writing is the same ‘risk’ but different somehow…
So greatly blessed by what you share here, wow…thank you again…
and I hope you are enjoying a lovely weekend 🙂
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You are a very talented lady. What a lovely poem and I admire your motivation for getting up to take the sunrise photos – not my best time of day I admit, but one of the best for photography!
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Well Jude, this means that either you are back or you have broadband, either way, thanks so much for for your lovely comment, it means so much to me. I won’t be making a habit of getting up with the sunrise, believe me, but in a way I wish I did more often, think there is so much to had from it!
Hope you are having/had a wonderful time 🙂
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Back from the south-west for a day then off to London tomorrow for a few days! So I don’t know how much blogging I’ll get done! Coming to realise that we probably need a bigger budget to get what we want in Cornwall, although we did find a couple of nice houses, just not the right location! All we want is a small, lively market town close to the coast. How hard can that be? Any suggestions?
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Enjoy London, hope the weather cheers up for you…gloomy here in Somerset at the moment on this Monday just-about afternoon…
Hmmm…are you specific about Cornwall? I don’t know it that well. Have you considered Devon or even coming up as far as say Bridport or Lyme Regis in Dorset?
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Your wonderful poem is so inspired, Sherri. Love the sunrise images too. Kudos to your long-suffering hubby. 🙂 I must go across to visit Marylin. xx
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I’m so glad you enjoyed reading it and the pics too Sylvia, thank you so much! I wonder how many blogging-hubbies are out there… 😉 You will love Marylin’s blog… 🙂 xx
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Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! Well done Sherri! And great pictures of the sunrise!
I am a night owl and miss most sunrises. But I remember one time when I was on vacation in Bali with 4 of my girl-friends. One of us had to catch a very early flight at 5 am. So we all got up early to say bye to her. The others went back to bed, but I stayed up and watched the sunrise all alone at the beach. An experience I will never forget.
Thanks for the reminder, and for the beautiful Aubade 🙂
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Hello dear Ilka, I’ve missed you my dear friend and was just thinking about you so how lovely to see you here! Oh thank you so much, I’m really glad you enjoyed this post and what a beautiful memory you share, from one night owl to another! I’ve never been to Bali but to be on that beach, alone, watching the sunrise….well. I’m not surprised you’ve never forgotten it and never will. Thank you so much for sharing such a beautiful memory with me 🙂
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Thank you so much Sherri! Yes, I am so glad to be back! My blog and me have gone through lots of ups and downs. And I really missed blogging, you and the whole fabulous blogging community 🙂
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Oh Ilka, I’m so sorry to hear this, but I’m so glad you are on the ‘up’ now!! Not been the same without you around these parts dear friend. Hope all is well, always so wonderful to see your lovely, smiling face… 🙂
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Beautiful Aubade Sherri… you’re so talented! Your photos of “Morning’s Sweet Light” are spectacular. What a lovely view from your summerhouse! Thank you 🙂
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I’m privileged and blessed to have been able to share this view with you from my summerhouse Theresa, thank you so much for your lovely, kind words and I’m thrilled you enjoyed both the poem and the photos. You’ve made my day 🙂
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Oh my goodness, how beautiful! It was such a pleasure to read. Thanks for that shot of beauty and talent, Sherri! 🙂
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Thank you so very much Maria, I’m so encouraged and blessed by your response, wow! So glad you enjoyed this post, am very humbled… 🙂
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enjoyed this post – and now I know what an Aubade poem is – and I like yours – very cool – and extra fun for National Poetry Month! have a great day 🙂
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Thanks so much Y, really glad you enjoyed it and yes, you would think that as much as I love writing poetry I would have taken part in NPM but this is my one and only so far!! Still, let’s see what happens…you have a great day too 🙂
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Lovely! Thank you Sherri.
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Thank you so much Jane! I’m loving your poems… 🙂
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🙂
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A poet. I didn’t know you could write poetry like this. I’m envious. I never mastered this skill. but I’m not surprised. you always have such a way with words.
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Well thank you very much TB, gosh, I don’t know what to say…I always see my flaws and always will 😉
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This is beautiful, Sherri. I enjoyed your aubade and the photos add so much to it. You’ve been hiding this talent from us. You’re gifted, my friend. 🙂
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Thank you very much dear Pat, I’m humbled indeed that you enjoyed both the poem and the photos. Means so much to me this… 🙂
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You’re truly welcome, Sherri. I see you’re spreading your wings and flying with your gifts. Keep up the good work, my friend. The sky’s the limit. 🙂
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Bless you dear friend 🙂
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🙂
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It’s the other way up in our house, Sherri 🙂 Me sitting here at the crack of dawn, catching up on the laptop and sincerely hoping nothing pops! I’m woefully ignorant about poetry but I love to play with words. I think you gave your Aubade (such an evocative word!) a great shot, and the sunrises are bliss. Take care, hon. (sunrise was cancelled here this morning- thick fog!) 🙂
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Well I admire you Jo, I truly do. I feel I miss out by not getting up so early! Maybe I’ll change my ways, but I am a night owl by nature…which makes me and hubby complete opposites on that score 😉
Thanks so much for reading my first Aubade – like you, I do love playing with words. Glad you enjoyed the pics too, half hanging out of a window such as I was to take them, lol 🙂
You take care too and safe, happy travels 🙂
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