<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:googleplay="http://www.google.com/schemas/play-podcasts/1.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[ZAGOOSIE: Interactive Poems]]></title><description><![CDATA[Read all the interactive poems created by Geoff with the help of his audience]]></description><link>https://www.zagoosie.com/s/interactive-poems</link><image><url>https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vcil!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbf8eb51b-0722-47ed-ba54-99c081a8b2cf_1080x1080.png</url><title>ZAGOOSIE: Interactive Poems</title><link>https://www.zagoosie.com/s/interactive-poems</link></image><generator>Substack</generator><lastBuildDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 09:35:54 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.zagoosie.com/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><copyright><![CDATA[Geoff Talbot]]></copyright><language><![CDATA[en]]></language><webMaster><![CDATA[geoffwrites@substack.com]]></webMaster><itunes:owner><itunes:email><![CDATA[geoffwrites@substack.com]]></itunes:email><itunes:name><![CDATA[Geoff Talbot]]></itunes:name></itunes:owner><itunes:author><![CDATA[Geoff Talbot]]></itunes:author><googleplay:owner><![CDATA[geoffwrites@substack.com]]></googleplay:owner><googleplay:email><![CDATA[geoffwrites@substack.com]]></googleplay:email><googleplay:author><![CDATA[Geoff Talbot]]></googleplay:author><itunes:block><![CDATA[Yes]]></itunes:block><item><title><![CDATA[Annoying or Funny?]]></title><description><![CDATA[This week's Zagoosie will rub you the wrong way]]></description><link>https://www.zagoosie.com/p/annoying-or-funny</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.zagoosie.com/p/annoying-or-funny</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Geoff Talbot]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 05 Feb 2025 18:07:25 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!0M3C!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb00a6e62-b61a-47cf-9179-308cf326afdd_1456x1020.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This week&#8217;s poem is going to be a comedy because let&#8217;s all face it&#8230; we need to be laughing more. Put your answer to this question in the comments.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!0M3C!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb00a6e62-b61a-47cf-9179-308cf326afdd_1456x1020.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!0M3C!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb00a6e62-b61a-47cf-9179-308cf326afdd_1456x1020.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!0M3C!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb00a6e62-b61a-47cf-9179-308cf326afdd_1456x1020.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!0M3C!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb00a6e62-b61a-47cf-9179-308cf326afdd_1456x1020.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!0M3C!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb00a6e62-b61a-47cf-9179-308cf326afdd_1456x1020.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!0M3C!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb00a6e62-b61a-47cf-9179-308cf326afdd_1456x1020.png" width="1456" height="1020" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b00a6e62-b61a-47cf-9179-308cf326afdd_1456x1020.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:1020,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:107178,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!0M3C!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb00a6e62-b61a-47cf-9179-308cf326afdd_1456x1020.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!0M3C!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb00a6e62-b61a-47cf-9179-308cf326afdd_1456x1020.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!0M3C!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb00a6e62-b61a-47cf-9179-308cf326afdd_1456x1020.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!0M3C!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb00a6e62-b61a-47cf-9179-308cf326afdd_1456x1020.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3><strong>This is How Zagoosie Works. Every Week&#8230;</strong></h3><p><strong>Monday to Wednesday: </strong>I post an image like the one below, asking people to tell me how they are feeling in one word only. I collate the answers until Wednesday Midnight, Pacific Time.</p><p><strong>Thursday to Friday</strong>: I will write the poem, publishing Friday evening your time.</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.zagoosie.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">ZAGOOSIE is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Name one thing that gives you HOPE]]></title><description><![CDATA[This week's poem is 100% about hope. Help me out with this.]]></description><link>https://www.zagoosie.com/p/name-one-thing-that-gives-you-hope</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.zagoosie.com/p/name-one-thing-that-gives-you-hope</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Geoff Talbot]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 29 Jan 2025 17:12:59 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4iyn!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e015ab0-b63c-476b-ab2a-e69940666fd7_1456x1020.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4iyn!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e015ab0-b63c-476b-ab2a-e69940666fd7_1456x1020.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4iyn!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e015ab0-b63c-476b-ab2a-e69940666fd7_1456x1020.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4iyn!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e015ab0-b63c-476b-ab2a-e69940666fd7_1456x1020.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4iyn!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e015ab0-b63c-476b-ab2a-e69940666fd7_1456x1020.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4iyn!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e015ab0-b63c-476b-ab2a-e69940666fd7_1456x1020.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4iyn!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e015ab0-b63c-476b-ab2a-e69940666fd7_1456x1020.png" width="1456" height="1020" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4e015ab0-b63c-476b-ab2a-e69940666fd7_1456x1020.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:1020,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:97444,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4iyn!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e015ab0-b63c-476b-ab2a-e69940666fd7_1456x1020.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4iyn!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e015ab0-b63c-476b-ab2a-e69940666fd7_1456x1020.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4iyn!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e015ab0-b63c-476b-ab2a-e69940666fd7_1456x1020.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4iyn!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e015ab0-b63c-476b-ab2a-e69940666fd7_1456x1020.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>This week&#8217;s poem is about the hope. </p><p>Let&#8217;s create a powerful, possible poem that lifts people up and sets their eyes on something positive.</p><h3><strong>This is How Zagoosie Works. Every Week&#8230;</strong></h3><p><strong>Monday to Wednesday: </strong>I post an image like the one below, asking people to tell me how they are feeling in one-word only. I collate the answers until the Wednesday Midnight, Pacific Time.</p><p><strong>Thursday to Friday</strong>: I will write the poem, publishing Friday evening your time.</p><h3><strong>Thanks for getting involved.</strong></h3><p>Put your word below. Make it is honest, as visual and as compelling as you wish. I would love to put a piece of you into this week&#8217;s Zagoosie.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.zagoosie.com/p/name-one-thing-that-gives-you-hope/comments&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Leave a comment&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.zagoosie.com/p/name-one-thing-that-gives-you-hope/comments"><span>Leave a comment</span></a></p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[What do you need most?]]></title><description><![CDATA[I am asking people to nominate topics for this week's poem - 1/27/25 - 2/3/25]]></description><link>https://www.zagoosie.com/p/what-do-you-need-most</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.zagoosie.com/p/what-do-you-need-most</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Geoff Talbot]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 27 Jan 2025 20:20:27 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/0be800f6-0c6c-488e-b80c-65f98da50827_1456x1020.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>What do you need most right now?</p><ul><li><p>laughter</p></li><li><p>hope</p></li><li><p>a place to vent</p></li><li><p>something else</p></li><li><p>anything else</p></li></ul><p>I am asking all our readers on social and on substack to nominate a topic for this week&#8217;s poem. Put yours in the comments below.</p><p>The job of the poet is to speak into the hearts of people, and this is best done by first listening and really trying to understand?</p><p><strong>What would you like this week&#8217;s poem to be about?</strong></p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Highlights From Last Week:</strong></h3><p>Last week, we launched this site and it&#8217;s been such a great start. Here are some of the highlights.</p><ul><li><p>First Poem Published - <a href="https://www.zagoosie.com/p/it-will-turn-your-cold-sausage-blue">It will turn your cold sausage blue</a> (Read)</p></li><li><p>Over 200 people suggested words for the poem on social and substack - Just wow</p></li><li><p>Over 30 new subscribers.</p></li><li><p>522 site visits</p></li></ul><p>Some incredible old poems have been added to the archives. The most popular one, really resonates with today&#8217;s climate.</p><p>Read: <a href="https://www.zagoosie.com/p/this-land-runs-dry">This land runs dry</a></p><div><hr></div><p></p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.zagoosie.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">ZAGOOSIE is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p></p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Next Four Years- 1/20/25 - 1/27/25]]></title><description><![CDATA[Give me your word that best describes how you feel]]></description><link>https://www.zagoosie.com/p/the-next-four-years-12025-12725</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.zagoosie.com/p/the-next-four-years-12025-12725</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Geoff Talbot]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 22 Jan 2025 17:36:41 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ijq3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Faef53262-ef08-4d7b-84c5-ff9abd4af2b4_1456x1020.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This week&#8217;s poem is about the future. The next four years, which yes, correlate to this presidential cycle.</p><h3><strong>This is How Zagoosie Works. Every Week&#8230;</strong></h3><p><strong>Monday to Wednesday: </strong> I post an image like the one below, asking people to tell me how they are feeling in one-word only. I collate the answers until the Wednesday Midnight, Pacific Time.</p><p><strong>Thursday to Friday</strong>: I will write the poem, publishing Friday evening your time.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ijq3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Faef53262-ef08-4d7b-84c5-ff9abd4af2b4_1456x1020.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ijq3!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Faef53262-ef08-4d7b-84c5-ff9abd4af2b4_1456x1020.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ijq3!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Faef53262-ef08-4d7b-84c5-ff9abd4af2b4_1456x1020.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ijq3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Faef53262-ef08-4d7b-84c5-ff9abd4af2b4_1456x1020.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ijq3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Faef53262-ef08-4d7b-84c5-ff9abd4af2b4_1456x1020.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ijq3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Faef53262-ef08-4d7b-84c5-ff9abd4af2b4_1456x1020.png" width="1456" height="1020" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/aef53262-ef08-4d7b-84c5-ff9abd4af2b4_1456x1020.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:1020,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:219840,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ijq3!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Faef53262-ef08-4d7b-84c5-ff9abd4af2b4_1456x1020.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ijq3!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Faef53262-ef08-4d7b-84c5-ff9abd4af2b4_1456x1020.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ijq3!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Faef53262-ef08-4d7b-84c5-ff9abd4af2b4_1456x1020.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ijq3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Faef53262-ef08-4d7b-84c5-ff9abd4af2b4_1456x1020.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3><br>The Words so Far (Yikes) - Updated 1/22 -9:00 AM Pacific</h3><div class="preformatted-block" data-component-name="PreformattedTextBlockToDOM"><label class="hide-text" contenteditable="false">Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published</label><pre class="text">Transparent
Despair (3X)
Disgusted (2X)
Sick
Unburdened
Hopeful
Despondent
Wary
Reordering
Appalled
Sausage - from my mate Eric LOL
Apathetic
Turbulence
Powerful
Epoch-Making
Alliance
Lies
Scared (2X)
Anxious
Heartsick
Hope
Pray
Polarizing
Horrifying
Optimistic (3X)
Trepidation
Armageddon
Dyspnea
Incredulous
Despondent
Sad
Golden
Dread
Careless
Incompetence
Defence
Hope / Hopeful
Gaslit
Racism
Fucked
Resigned
Worried (2)
Self-Serving
Disheartened
Persnickety
Terror
Determined
Positive
Extinction
Suffocated
Unleash
Persecuted
Terrified
Spirituality
Devastated
Discombobulated
Concerned
Pissed
Happy
Anguish
</pre></div><h3>Where to Add Your Words</h3><p>Going forward words posted into the comments will be given priority. So post yours here.</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.zagoosie.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">ZAGOOSIE is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p></p><p></p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[On Kremlin Stones]]></title><description><![CDATA[The future is all red]]></description><link>https://www.zagoosie.com/p/on-kremlin-stones</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.zagoosie.com/p/on-kremlin-stones</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Geoff Talbot]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 22 Jan 2025 07:20:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/db999989-d91c-4630-80ca-402ba69eaa18_1456x1020.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Five years ago on the social media channel formerly known as Twitter. I asked people to give &#8220;one word&#8221; that best described the man some of you know as &#8220;President Donald J. Trump.</p><p>Over 100 words were submitted, some mentionable and others a little <em>more delicate. </em>At last count, I used 48 of the words.</p><p>My goal was to create an epic, a long poem that told a story, made people laugh, but also perhaps took the reader on a deeper trip to something more profound.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.zagoosie.com/p/on-kremlin-stones?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.zagoosie.com/p/on-kremlin-stones?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p><div class="preformatted-block" data-component-name="PreformattedTextBlockToDOM"><label class="hide-text" contenteditable="false">Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published</label><pre class="text"><strong>On Kremlin Stones:

</strong>last night the stardust bit me and I had the strangest dream,
the year was 2042, and the darkness ran supreme.
I found myself in Russia, in a dream that wasn&#8217;t Luther&#8217;s,
tyrants ruled this evil world, it was a cruel and capricious future.

it was winter there in Moscow, a call came through the din,
&#8220;could you please lend ME a dollar?&#8221; his voice rang, hollow and thin,
as I looked down to the ground, on the edge, of cold Red Square,
he sat there in sad squalor, bent broken with despair.

his face, now long forgotten, fought with surgeon&#8217;s knife in vain,
a nefandous human story, of a life inflicting pain,
his skin the taint of orange, his eyes, now laced with fear.
I was sure death was knocking, that the reaper&#8217;s breath was near.

yet inspite his state, there lingered something awful and so sinister,
an abhorrence reaking putrid, lying crookedly familiar,
now broken there before me, once a tower, tall and greedy,
lay an exiled former President, insecure and @realneedy.

the Good Samaritan in me&#8230; should&#8217;ve walked along my way,
but humanity beckoned, and I stopped and I prayed.
and I lifted him up, I put him back on his feet,
then he begged me for a cheeseburger, so we walked down cobbled streets

we sat down at the table under arches still there golden,
and as he ate there bigly, with each bite, HE became emboldened,
then the narcissist inside him reared its UGLY swollen head,
the beggar now forgotten,
for HE was GREATER than Lincoln, Jefferson or Johnson.

and HE talked,
and HE talked,
and HE talked,
and HE talked,
and I just sat there and I listened, as the bullshit became, uncorked,
such ground-breaking, mendacity, such combed-over ruthless treason,
my ears were exhausted, by HIS words, bankrupt from any reason.

HE should be on Rushmore? the Dotard LOUD insisted,
&#8220;HE, the GREATEST of all men, was so unfairly resisted,
by swindlers and swamp dwellers, boggarts and nitwits,
and a left leaning congress, who tried to impeach HIM; so anachronistic.

&#8220;but HE was not defeated because winning was his game,
HIS talent underestimated, HIS foes, HE put to shame,
no one thought HE&#8217;D win again, that HE&#8217;D make a second term
but this autocratic FUHRER was impossible to burn.&#8221;

HE stopped&#8230; just for a moment, and I caught my breath a little,
I put my feet FIRM on the ground, as HE wiped off all HIS spittle,
&#8220;Perhaps you won a second go,&#8221; my voice etched quiet with rage,
but you stole away a nation&#8217;s hope, with ugliness uncaged.&#8221;

&#8220;and now, with decades flown by, you lie and beg for food,
on Kremlin stones, your corrupt soul eats your vitriolic spew,
you claim your kleptolagniac wins, like you&#8217;re some Gold Star Vet
and yet, you walk on bony spurs, and our country won&#8217;t forget&#8221;

and then, HE looked at me, quite strangely, as if unsure&#8230; of time,
and for a second I saw right through HIM, perhaps, for the very first time,
HE was not a buffoon, nor the bravest kind of peep
just a vapid, twatwaffling, conman, with an addiction to HIS own, self-grandiosing TWEETS.

And then came that golden moment, that from my dream I shan&#8217;t forget,
perhaps HE found HIS conscience? Could HE hear the reapers breath?
&#8220;it was Vlad&#8221;, HE uttered softly, &#8220;we colluded, we did it
together,
two comrades purchased, the entire world, yeah, red brothers&#8230;now and forever.&#8221;

I sat there, speechless, frozen, at the beast that lay before,
the TRUTH, the horror of this life this awful schadenfraude,
a man, so EGO-CENTRIC, that HE would grab ahold of power,
a fool so madly maladroit, HE&#8217;D trade&#8230; country, for a golden shower.

I told HIM without sympathy, from this place of TRUTH within,
you partnered with the devil, choosing wealth over neighbor&#8217;s kin,
and now, your dying in the cold, without a friend who cares,
for every life a reckoning comes, and listen, yours is&#8230; near.

And HE got up from the table, disgust on HIS scrotum face,
&#8220;I&#8217;VE no need to hear this crap, I&#8217;VE gotta get out, of this place!&#8221;
And HE took three steps, towards the door, and on his fourth&#8230; HE fell,
the liar breathed his final breath, then tumbled into hell.

and even in this dream of mine, when the future came to call,
a realization, struck my gut, that there&#8217;s a message for us ALL
that this nightmare lives inside our hearts to prophesy, a TRUTH,
that leaders rise to serve us all outside the polling booth,

and if we choose to elevate a crooked kind of man,
who falsifies and always lies, then we reckon with God&#8217;s hand
for HE is us and we are HIM, HE&#8221;S a mirror we hold near,
and follow HIM, the nation will, to begging in Red Square.

So don&#8217;t see HIM as a villain but a symptom of all that&#8217;s wrong
that the racist and the greedy still sing our nation&#8217;s song
and we must fight so ruthlessly to rid ourselves of sin,
of hypocrisy and kakistocracy, or the TRUTH will never win.
<strong>

</strong></pre></div><p>If you like it, then please share it.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.zagoosie.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.zagoosie.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>