Transition #4. Friday June 11, 2010

Divorce Bard's Blog

...Iambic pentameter is for the ear. Read it out loud.

Divorce Bard

Location: pretty how town, USA
Birthday: February 13

Bio: While the ashes of marriage #2 were cooling, I began a journal here in verse, to keep myself out of trouble. So far so good, and one day at a time. I took a hiatus this past January, and I missed it terribly. Writing daily had changed the way I think - not my opinions, but the process of thinking itself. So here I am back again, and hungry. I began with three rules: (1) Iambic pentameter, (2) Perfect rhyme, and (3) It had to be true (no hyperbole). I hereby amend rule number 3: If I'm writing about myself, yes, it has to be true. But it doesn't, if I want to tell a story.

MY RECENT POSTS

In My Kitchen
April 08, 2012 01:08AM
A Faded Drawing
March 31, 2012 09:33PM
An Incident.
February 26, 2012 05:13PM
Hands
February 18, 2012 09:26PM
A Valentine to My Two Kids. Tuesday Feb 14, 2012
February 14, 2012 01:56AM

MY RECENT COMMENTS

“Man, what does a guy have to write in this town to get some attention like this?”
May 25, 2012 01:14AM
“Brass - on lessons learned, and your note "we have a better feel for the con…”
May 10, 2012 12:40AM
“...and there was a little period, a couple of years ago, when it was really touch…”
May 02, 2012 01:32AM
“42? I can't remember anything special about that year at all. 56: I only just fig…”
May 02, 2012 01:31AM
“I have to agree with Chicken Maaan. I don't know what it is, exactly, about seei…”
May 02, 2012 01:25AM

Divorce Bard's Links

December: 12/31/10 A Very Small Thing; 12/30/10 Anonymous #11 (A Villanelle); 12/29/10 Block; 12/28/10 Coffee #6 (A Triloet); 12/27/10 Anonymous #10; 12/26/10 12" Predicted; 12/25/10 Anonymous #9; 12/24/10 Rant #2; 12/23/10 Personal Ad; 12/22/10 After Moore: VIII (Goodnight #38); 12/21/10 After Moore: VII; 12/20/10 After Moore: VI; 12/19/10 After Moore: V; 12/18/10 After Moore: IV; 12/17/10 After Moore: III; 12/16/10 After Moore: II; 12/15/10 After Moore: I; 12/14/10 -7 c.; 12/13/10 Tannenbaum; 12/12/10 A Walk; 12/11/10 Anonymous #8 (Rain Predicted); 12/10/10 Diphthong; 12/9/10 December Drive; 12/8/10 Recounting #2; 12/7/10 Driving Home; 12/6/10 Goodnight #37; 12/5/10 Mask; 12/4/10 Anonymous #7; 12/3/10 First #2; 12/2/10 Missed; 12/1/10 Goodnight #36
November: 11/30/10 Goodnight #35; 11/29/10 5 Syllables; 11/28/10 Sanctuary; 11/27/10 Solomon Moment; 11/26/10 Goodnight #34; 11/25/10 Gratitude; 11/24/10 Macy's; 11/23/10 First; 11/22/10 Dear Old; 11/21/10 I Um...; 11/20/10 Their Absence; 11/19/10 Anonymous #6; 11/18/10 So There; 11/17/10 Late Autumn; 11/16/10 Rescue; 11/15/10 Award; 11/14/10 Fantasia; 11/13/10 Support Network; 11/12/10 Listen; 11/11/10 Parts of Speech; 11/10/10 Errant; 11/9/10 Curiosity; 11/8/10 Memoirs; 11/7/10 Hunter; 11/6/10 Cusp; 11/5/10 Balance Due #2; 11/4/10 Carmen; 11/3/10 Coffee #5; 11/2/10 Easy Now; 11/1/10 On/Off
October: 10/31/10 Treat; 10/30/10 Goodnight #33; 10/29/10 Goodnight #32; 10/28/10 Two Thousand; 10/27/10 Spanish Prisoner; 10/26/10 Doohickey; 10/25/10 Deadline Met; 10/24/10 Goodnight #31; 10/23/10 App #2; 10/22/10 App; 10/21/10 Goodnight #30; 10/20/10 Homework; 10/19/10 Goodnight #29; 10/18/10 Cat Lady; 10/17/10 Cosmology; 10/16/10 Where I Sleep; 10/15/10 At Last (Goodnight #28); 10/14/10 Beginner Band; 10/13/10 Coffee #4; 10/12/10 Divorce Papers (Goodnight #27); 10/11/10 To a Sprite; 10/10/10 Poetry Fu; 10/9/10 Speechless; 10/8/10 Porch Light #2; 10/7/10 Anonymous #5; 10/6/10 Anonymous #4; 10/5/10 Anonymous #3; 10/4/10 Goodnight #26; 10/3/10 Next Door: 408; 10/2/10 Next Door: 412; 10/1/10 Oops
September: 9/30/10 Weather Report #2; 9/29/10 Shared Custody #3; 9/28/10 Seuss Story #2; 9/27/10 Reason; 9/26/10 Shared Custody #2; 9/25/10 Globalisation; 9/24/10 AL 288-1; 9/23/10 Equinox; 9/22/10 Temptation; 9/21/10 Seuss Story; 9/20/10 Goodnight #25; 9/19/10 Left Brain; 9/18/10 Present Company Excepted; 9/17/10 Flu; 9/16/10 Goodnight #24; 9/15/10 Goodnight #23; 9/14/10 Homework Question; 9/13/10 Bustle; 9/12/10 Security; 9/11/10 Antiphonal; 9/10/10 Quiet Muse; 9/9/10 Anonymous #2; 9/8/10 Fable; 9/7/10 Anonymous; 9/6/10 Dinner With the Kids; 9/5/10 Pets #4; 9/4/10 Pets #3; 9/3/10 Sunflowers #3; 9/2/10 Balance Due; 9/1/10 Agreement #2
August: 8/31/10 Berceuse; 8/30/10 Goodnight #22; 8/29/10 To My Daughter; 8/28/10 Flash; 8/27/10 Happy Birthday; 8/26/10 Pets #2; 8/25/10 Caption; 8/24/10 After Apoapsis; 8/23/10 The Envelope Said Grrr; 8/22/10 Rain; 8/21/10 Pets; 8/20/10 Atmospherics; 8/19/10 I Miss You; 8/18/10 Goodnight #21; 8/17/10 Walnuts; 8/16/10 Letter; 8/15/10 Returnables; 8/14/10 Goodnight #20; 8/13/10 Goodnight #19 (A Palindrome); 8/12/10 Ready for School (A Triolet); 8/11/10 Office (A Triolet); 8/10/10 Shared Custody (A Triolet); 8/9/10 Thinking (A Triolet); 8/8/10 Proofread THIS.; 8/7/10 What is a Wife?; 8/6/10 Awakening; 8/5/10 Goodnight #18; 8/4/10 Creeped Out; 8/3/10 Messenger; 8/2/10 Fingers Crossed; 8/1/10 Diner
July: 7/31/10 Basketball (A Triolet); 7/30/10 Nursery Rhyme; 7/29/10 Impermanence; 7/28/10 Goodnight #17; 7/27/10 Genesis I:1-3; 7/26/10 Maybe Just by Holding Still; 7/25/10 Roughing It; 7/24/10 Super Swing Golf; 7/23/10 FIFA; 7/22/10 Agreement; 7/21/10 Yes, Virginia; 7/20/10 Pssst; 7/19/10 Playdate; 7/18/10 Verano por la Tarde; 7/17/10 Sleeping Giant; 7/16/10 Circus Camp; 7/15/10 Pocket Change; 7/14/10 A Rattling; 7/13/10 Goodnight #16; 7/12/10 Wood Thrush; 7/11/10 Dickens Sketch; 7/10/10 Tangaria; 7/9/10 Distance #2; 7/8/10 Weather Report; 7/7/10 Seeing; 7/6/10 Goodnight #15; 7/5/10 Heat Wave; 7/4/10 Home; 7/3/10 Geology; 7/2/10 Star Light Star Bright; 7/1/10 Porch Light
June: 6/30/10 High Beams; 6/29/10 Travel Game; 6/28/10 Finished Packing; 6/27/10 Midnight; 6/26/10 Work/Play; 6/25/10 CPU 100%; 6/24/10 Fledgling; 6/23/10 Acuity; 6/22/10 Solstice #2; 6/21/10 Solstice; 6/20/10 Father's Day; 6/20/10 Repost for Father's Day; 6/19/10 Late Evening; 6/18/10 Preoccupation; 6/17/10 Goodnight #14; 6/16/10 Inquiry; 6/15/10 Accent; 6/14/10 Goodnight #13; 6/13/10 Chess #2; 6/12/10 Literacy; 6/11/10 Transition #4; 6/10/10 Wealth; 6/9/10 Goodnight #12; 6/8/10 Soon; 6/7/10 Talisman; 6/6/10 Reentry; 6/5/10 Late Spring; 6/4/10 Placeholder; 6/3/10 Goodnight #11; 6/2/10 Superman; 6/1/10 Rant
May: 5/31/10 Quick Visit; 5/30/10 Homecoming; 5/29/10 Maybe #2; 5/28/10 Goodnight #10; 5/27/10 Wish; 5/26/10 Blue Period; 5/25/10 Courage; 5/24/10 Poof; 5/23/10 Concert; 5/22/10 Quotidian #2; 5/21/10 Pine; 5/20/10 Anthem; 5/19/10 Goodnight #9; 5/18/10 Homework #2; 5/17/10 Baseball; 5/16/10 Late; 5/15/10 Sunflowers #2; 5/14/10 Injury; 5/13/10 Maybe; 5/12/10 Sick Day; 5/11/10 Jewelry; 5/10/10 Fixit; 5/9/10 Step; 5/8/10 Greeting Card; 5/7/10 Recounting; 5/6/10 Forward; 5/5/10 Sunflowers; 5/4/10 Goodnight #8; 5/3/10 Hunger; 5/2/10 Daydream; 5/1/10 Distance
April: 4/30/10 Friday Soccer; 4/29/10 Proximity; 4/28/10 Laundry #2; 4/27/10 Journal; 4/26/10 Kirlian Images; 4/25/10 Girl Scout Cookies; 4/24/10 Physics; 4/23/10 Peregrinations; 4/22/10 Ache; 4/21/10 Gamble Gambol; 4/20/10 Cartographer; 4/20/10 Ho ho ho; 4/18/10 Looming; 4/17/10 Activites; 4/16/10 Sleepover #2; 4/15/10 Revolution; 4/14/10 Great Circle; 4/13/10 Goodnight #7; 4/12/10 Bicycling; 4/11/10 Jitney; 4/10/10 Landscaping; 4/9/10 Goodnight #6; 4/8/10 Ex-smoker; 4/7/10 Busy; 4/6/10 Sleepover; 4/5/10 Spring #2; 4/4/10 Hello?; 4/3/10 Divination; 4/2/10 Later; 4/1/10 Beautiful Day
March: 3/31/10 1775; 3/30/10 Neighbors; 3/29/10 Testament; 3/28/10 Prisoner; 3/27/10 Chess; 3/26/10 Showtime; 3/25/10 Internal Debate; 3/24/10 Traveling South; 3/23/10 Rain; 3/22/10 Une Belle Journee; 3/21/10 Traveling North; 3/20/10 Goodnight #5; 3/19/10 Bystander; 3/18/10 Sun; 3/17/10 Wooden Spoon; 3/16/10 Solo; 3/15/10 Goodnight #4; 3/14/10 List; 3/13/10 Weather Watch; 3/12/10 Tacos; 3/11/10 Hands; 3/10/10 Viola #2; 3/9/10 Spring; 3/8/10 Viola #1; 3/7/10 Birthday; 3/6/10 Conceit; 3/5/10 Improvement #2; 3/4/10 EMail; 3/3/10 Basketball; 3/2/10 Goodnight #3; 3/1/10 Light
February: 2/28/10 Improvement; 2/27/10 Transition #3; 2/26/10 End of Day; 2/25/10 Transition #2; 2/24/10 Goodnight #2; 2/23/10 License; 2/22/10 Coffee #3; 2/21/10 After Periapsis; 2/20/10 Ikea #3; 2/19/10 Goodnight; 2/18/10 Dental Work; 2/17/10 Snow #3; 2/16/10 Snow #2; 2/15/10 Conversation; 2/14/10 Valentine; 2/13/10 Coffee #2; 2/12/10 Chin Up; 2/11/10 Dream #2; 2/10/10 Snow #1; 2/9/10 Parking Ticket; 2/8/10 Yellow; 2/7/10 Habit; 2/6/10 Ikea #2; 2/5/10 Homecoming; 2/4/10 Coffee #1; 2/3/10 Fever; 2/2/10 Forgot (again); 2/1/10 Quotidian
January: 1/31/10 Empty Seat; 1/30/10 Pinewood Derby; 1/29/10 Movie Night; 1/28/10 Quatrain 2; 1/27/10 Debts and Taxes; 1/26/10 Quatrain +1; 1/25/10 Therapy; 1/24/10 The Spelling is Important; 1/23/10 Jackie Chan; 1/22/10 Transition #1; 1/21/10 Dream #1; 1/20/10 Confession; 1/19/10 Something New; 1/18/10 No Answer; 1/17/10 Adjusting; 1/16/10 Ikea #1; 1/15/10 Routine; 1/14/10 Late Night; 1/13/10 Homework; 1/12/10 Not in the Kitchen!; 1/11/10 Blank; 1/10/10 Day's End; 1/9/10 HMO; 1/8/10 Forgot; 1/7/10 Distraction; 1/6/10 Ticket; 1/5/10 Target; 1/4/10 Holiday Memories; 1/3/10 Stumbling; 1/2/10 Morning; 1/1/10 Laundry

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JUNE 12, 2010 12:27AM

Rate: 6 Flag

My son was here today, with several friends.
Just two at first. Then five. Then him and me.
He always tries to linger when it ends,
As though there's something else he'll want to see
Or do, before the Changing Of The Guard.
So after basketball all afternoon,
And monkey-in-the-middle in the yard,
And friends all gone to dinner way too soon,
We waited for his sister, and his mother,
And played a game of cards, and then another,
And then a game of chess. Yes, chess. I know.
He begged me. And he knew he'd have to go.

Author tags:

poetry, family, separation, divorce, children, recovery

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Comments

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Basketball? Monkey in the Middle? I envy your fitness. Your poems never run out of charm. There is always a little heart tug.

dlvstudent

June 12, 2010 12:54 AM

Do you know that our comments passed within five minutes of each other? (Dang. You were there first.) Sweetpea will be along pretty soon.

dlvstudent

June 12, 2010 12:56 AM

Sweetpea Here!!!
So heartening to hear how he wants more.....

trilogy

June 12, 2010 01:51 AM

And through it all, there is the love.

anna1liese

June 12, 2010 06:21 AM

The Changing of the Guard?
Honestly, probably the most fitting adjective, sweet and sad at the same time.
A game of chess. Yes, I get that.
Thank you for posting this.

vanessa seijo

June 12, 2010 07:25 AM

You're so good at always capturing the "knowing he'd have to go" that is always in the background somewhere.

Caroline Hagood

June 12, 2010 02:35 PM

Keeping chess to the end was a poignant strategy. I felt for your son - and you Bard. ~R

FusunA

June 12, 2010 05:05 PM

DB, beautiful as usual. You have a gift for the understated little words that give such a lovely picture. Thanks.

froggy

June 12, 2010 10:03 PM

Hi everyone. Man, just look at the time. tsk, tsk.

dlv, I guess I should make it clear that it was his friends playing all those games, not me. Sadly, his basketball skills have passed mine. (I never played,) And yes, you and I were haunting each others' sites last night at about the same time. Sorry we missed each other.

Hi trilogy. It IS heartening, after the fact.

Hi anna1. yes and plenty. I hope he feels it.

Hi vanessa. More on the sad side, really. But we all get through it.

Caroline, thank you. I don't take daily credit; that thing lurking in the background is in my premise. But yes, it does lurk, constantly.

Fusun, yes, it was a tactically brilliant move. Like this was a chess game or something.

froggy, you are very kind.

And everyone is very kind. And I am very tired. Thank you as always.

Goodnight.