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Writings of Andrea W. LeDew
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Buy Now: Polemics: Political Poems & Prose
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This is the page to buy Polemics: Political Poems & Prose. The button will lead you to a universal link at Books2Read, from which you can choose your favorite vendor.
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Thank you for subscribing to the For Random Learning Comes newsletter!
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I have a few new poems from this two week period which I hope you will enjoy. As I mentioned, I am taking a short sabbatical from podcasting until I get back from my trip, and I am luxuriating in that free time. I even read a bit from a new book.
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In real life I had doctors appointments and a meeting of book club which is always fun. We all read our own books so it is a great way to learn about good reads. I am interested in looking into Dame Judi Dench's recent book on Shakespeare.
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I also look forward to Tia Levings' new book to follow A Well-Trained Wife, called I Belong to Me. I think of her as a kind of medium to assist in understanding the political/religious other side of the veil, so to speak. She is coming to speak on May 11 at one of my favorite bookish venues, Happy Medium Books Cafe.
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I also had the distinct pleasure of having my book put in the front window of The Bookmark, during National Poetry Month (April). The Bookmark is a bookstore in Neptune Beach. I am told that book and at least one other have sold, which is music to my ears. I have some good friends of me and my daughter to thank for their suggestions and introductions and for sharing with me a snapshot.
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I sent off an audiofile of one of my recent poems to WGOT which is a Gainesville radio station that now has a local Florida reading show on Mondays at 6 or 6:30, run by our local ruralgloom celebrity, Damon Thomas. It will likely be aired among other Florida writings in June sometime and some of the writings/audiofiles may end up on a recording eventually.
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Otherwise just prepping for travel and waiting for rain. Florida has been very dry but this weekend we should get a break.
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I added all my podcasts, so far, to my Events and Readings page. I stuck the page up top, below, for your listening pleasure. If the podcast is live, a link should be there, but it varies which service--Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Youtube. Some services require membership, but most podcasts try to be everywhere, so keep hunting if my link wont work for you. If you do have Spotify, my audiobook is there as well!
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My first poem below, Attempt, deals with the conflicting emotions that President Trump's latest assassination attempt brought up, on and offline. For the record, I believe the attempt was real. And of course violent crimes are always worse than non-violent ones, I am simply making a point, that both attempts are diabolical.
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The second poem Approaching May 1 refers to the dry weather we have been having lately in Florida which is usually resembles a steamy shower this time of year. The weather maps outlining where fires have cropped up in Florida have been particularly alarming. This is my poetic equivalent of a rain dance. Today (May 1) by the way is the anniversary of The Great Fire which consumed much of downtown Jacksonville in 1901 I believe. There is a low country boil downtown to "celebrate" which I will have to miss, but I hope to bone up on my history of the fire soon with Wayne Wood's book on the subject.
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The final poem is called Smiles and recalls a comment a European once made to me, that "You Americans smile too much!" Pairing this with our obsession with dental perfection and orthodontia, this poem wrote itself. The point of course is more serious, that our former allies no longer take us seriously, and we are on our own. It was so fun to see the new Banksy statue in London in the news this morning, proving my point that our country is no longer respected.
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Hope all is well with you and yours!
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Events and Readings by Andrea W LeDew
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This page has a list of past and future events and readings of Andrea W LeDew, Author of Polemics: Political Poems & Prose.
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So Close and Yet So Far
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This essay discusses the Semiquincentennial celebration and compares it with Fourths of Years gone by.
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Drawing
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A poem on redistricting, the drawing of new districts to serve the ruling party's political purposes, with the blessing of the Supreme Court and with enthusiasm unchecked by either the people's will nor the State's Constitutional provisions.
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Attempt
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A poem describing the swirling emotions on and offline provoked by the attempted assassination of President Trump at the dinner for the press. Caveat: I do not doubt the attempt on his life was real. P.S. The photo is an attempt at beauty.
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Approaching May 1st, 2026, Anniversary of The Great Fire, Jacksonville, FL
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A poem about a very dry spring in Florida which calls to mind the terrible fire which consumed Jacksonville early in the 20th century.
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Smiles
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This poem analyzes the loss of reputation of the US in the eyes of its closest allies, and the attitude it projects, about that loss.
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Bread and Butter
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This poem is a response to the claim by politicians, that "bread and butter" issues are the most important ones to the most people. It questions whether that is true, and whether fixing other issues might cause people to focus less on mere survival.
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Doubt & Definitions, 3 am, Ancient City
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A poem about doubt and definitions at 3 am in the Ancient City of St Augustine while mulling over a glorious day of PoetFest 2026. Written with the utmost affection for those, for whom poetry and writing in general, is not their first love, but who listen to us writers anyway.
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Hostages
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A poem describing two incidents where presidents were called upon to rescue "hostages" with very different outcomes.
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Raven
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A poem nearly as dire as Poe's own Raven, pointing out the attraction of such birds to shiny objects. By Andrea LeDew.
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Democracy is Slow
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A poem in which Technology is likened to mice and Democracy is likened to a slow, hibernating bear.
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