Porch Light. Thursday July 1, 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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JULY 5, 2010 12:34AM

Rate: 2 Flag

An outside porch, a glass of wine at night,
At ten o'clock, and children both asleep.
And insects, there -- around the outdoor light,
Illuminated pollywogs, that keep
An airborne chaos choreography,
Just visible along a single plane,
Too fast to follow: all the eye can see
Is squiggles, snapping in and out again,
Encountering the grades of dark and light,
Each swirling point a single mindless dancer,
Each particle a wiggling sweet to sight.
Cicadas chafe a desp'rate call and answer,
And one point leaves the light, and drifts to me.
A firefly. Expanding past the view,
And breaking from the past with something new.

Author tags:

poetry, family, separation, divorce, children, recovery

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This is the third of a set of five, that I wrote while on vacation with the kids several states away, with nearly no internet access. Here are the titles in the set (it is 12:35am, and I'm too tired to do links, very sorry):

Travel Game. Tuesday June 29, 2010
High Beams. Wednesday June 30, 2010
Porch Light. Thursday Jul 1, 2010
Star Light Star Bright. Friday Jul 2, 2010
Geology. Saturday Jul 3, 2010

Divorce Bard

July 05, 2010 12:35 AM

I can see the firefly finding its way to you. "Expanding past the view,/ And breaking from the past with something new." I hope this week away has been as peaceful and restful for you as your poems clearly sound. Love this image of the porch light.