36 Comments
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Jenovia 🕸️'s avatar

“the myth we mistake for spine” !!!!! God, I love this. Adore that you’ve left the chalice half full so the reader can fill up the rest with their own experiences, their own heart. SORCERY!!!! ✨

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Caroline's avatar

Awww thank you, dear!! And because so much of this journey is what we make of it. It's both individual and collective... for the best and the worst!!!

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Jenovia 🕸️'s avatar

🎯🎯🎯🫂

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Emily Henderson's avatar

Absolutely enough! Beautiful words my friend. Thank you for sharing 💗

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Caroline's avatar

I’m so grateful for you!!! ☺️

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C. Elyse's avatar

yes it is!

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Caroline's avatar

🤍😊🤍

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The Alfalfa Mail's avatar

superb

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Caroline's avatar

I’m grateful 🤍

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Rachel Leeke Alexis's avatar

I loved this! I think of how the things that are make-believe shape our existence, and in that lived experience, they become truth. We animate any belief, making it reality. And because of that possibility, doesn't it then make it true? Aren't we literally giving it LIFE? I'll be chewing on this for a bit, thanks for the mindfuck. Thank you for this gorgeous poem.

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Caroline's avatar

It’s true! We animate so much. I’m so grateful for this comment ☺️🤍

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MC's avatar

Lovely poem. Btw I found your substack because I had searched for something re: Arlene Francis and it pulled up your thesis on her. What a great read! Thank you so much for writing it. Thank God those WML episodes are all online because I think they'll ensure that nobody ever forgets how unique she was. You watch enough of 'em and it becomes pretty clear that she was off the charts special. It's so cool that you got to speak with Peter Gabel about her. Anyway, sorry to be off-topic re: this post, but I was just so impressed with your paper that I had to say something!

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Caroline's avatar

Thank you so so so much for commenting!! I sometimes forget that my thesis is online 🤣

But Arlene appears in my writing here from time to time. She’s a hard topic to move on from. 🤍

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Arty Cweiber's avatar

Caroline, this is such a beautiful example of the best things about the way you write, the strength and the softness, the quiet power of firm truth tempered with perspective and openness… just wow. 🤯 I love how this can fit so well with personal stories as well as general history.

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Caroline's avatar

Oh wow!! What a compliment!! Thank you, Arty! Always 🤍

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Demian Elainé Yumei's avatar

Poetic artistry! Exquisite. ❤️

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Caroline's avatar

🫂🫂🫂

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Vince Roman's avatar

Beautiful

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Caroline's avatar

Thank you!!!

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Holly Starley's avatar

“ the myth we mistake for spine”! Beautiful.

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Caroline's avatar

Thank you so much!!

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Sri Juneja's avatar

Caroline, your words are haunting and true. Brava, friend!

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Caroline's avatar

Thank you so so much ☺️

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J just J's avatar

“Our minds are architects,

sketching blueprints

of the never-was,”. Love this line and the whole thing 👏

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Caroline's avatar

This means so much J!

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appleton king's avatar

truth and illusion make a hot-blooded if confounding pair 😎😚

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Caroline's avatar

Absolutely!!

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Donald Cheeseman's avatar

Good poem. Enjoyed reading. I write as well.

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Caroline's avatar

Thanks so much, Donald!

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Peaceful JAM's avatar

Freaking gorgeous writing & ideas here!

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Caroline's avatar

THANK YOU!!!!

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Peaceful JAM's avatar

Sent you a "coffee" and a video note. Love to hear your thoughts on me creating a companion video/reel (obviously with credit to you! ).

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Caroline's avatar

Jam, thanks for the coffee and nice note! I absolutely approve. I'm excited to see what you create!!

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Peaceful JAM's avatar

Sweet! That's very very generous of ya. What's your IG so I can add you as a collaborator or at least tag you for credit?

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Caroline's avatar

I’m on extra private lol. So I just followed you!

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Peaceful JAM's avatar

Ah yes, I think I listened to one of your pieces explaining that extra extra private mode. Well, let's chat in the private mode dms!

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