Present Company Excepted. Saturday Sep 18, 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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SEPTEMBER 18, 2010 9:46PM

Rate: 15 Flag

My flu is on the wane! I'm doing stuff!
Deliv'ring kids to soccer was enough,
For just today. I'd take them to their game,
Unfold my camping chair's collapsing frame,
And go to sleep. They played like mad, and won!
...And woke me up when ev'rything was done.

The run-up to today had lots of tips,
Advice regarding dietary slips;
"No cheese, no yogurt, ice cream, milk... don't DRINK it!
No dairy! Holy cow! Don't even THINK it!"
For years now, I have heard the warning sung:
Somehow it's making mucus in my lung?

Okay, okay. Then come ho-me-o-path-ics,
As understood, I swear, by telepathics.
With Latin names! "Ego no is sursum?"
No TELLING what foul thing that might consume!

And then of course, there's this or that infusion,
Some herbal remedy, to add confusion.
My memory of what they're called is scant...
"Extracted oil of leaf of berry plant?"

Today I saw a neighbor. She's a nurse.
And she was quick to turn it in reverse:
"Some scientifical anti-biotics!"

I think they all could use anti-psychotics.

I like to sit it out, sometimes with tea.
Thanks SO much for your wishes. It's just me.
My body has this system, called "immune."
And it, and I, will both recover soon.
Go buy your choice of fancy cures. I'm not.
Don't even THINK of saying "neti pot."

Author tags:

family, recovery, children, divorce, separation, poetry

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Comments

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Funny. So glad you are on the mend. I just said" Neti pot" yesterday but it was to answer a question on "Cash Cab." Yes, I watch the show, no I wouldn't go near one.~r

Joan H.

September 18, 2010 09:55 PM

I really cheated on the Latin. I'm trying to flush out readers who can spot it -- and if so, let me know how bad the internet translation gizmo was.

Divorce Bard

September 18, 2010 09:57 PM

Great poem of misery and recovery. I refuse to get a Neti Pot, the whole idea gives me the chills. I don't know latin but I like the words you chose.
rated with chicken soup

RomanticPoetess

September 18, 2010 10:21 PM

I have chronic allergies and sinus problems. The joke in my house comes around November, when I start using Vick's Vaporub. My husband has said it is my Chanel #5! Glad you are feeling better! By the way, the neti pot does work! R

Jane Brogan

September 18, 2010 10:22 PM

Glad you are feeling better. I love my neti pot, but am I also a strong believer in time and rest. :)

sweetfeet

September 18, 2010 10:29 PM

Copious amounts of ginger lemon tea, rest, and a sweat. I understand latin rhythms can be healing, but also overheating, if they are applied below the umbilicus. Elderberry stew is more than witches' brew.

Oryoki Bowl

September 19, 2010 12:12 AM

I think everyone has their own remedies. Mine are sleep, orange juice, and stupid movies. To each his own. Glad you're feeling better!

froggy

September 19, 2010 01:57 AM

Smiling here. Glad you are feeling better and understand about all the "remedies". Tea and rest sound just the ticket to me.

anna1liese

September 19, 2010 06:45 AM

I am the famous Sleeping Soccer Mom. Other parents just walk by and right me if I am tipping out of my chair, or cover me with a beach towel. I awake refreshed with my patented utterance at the ready: "Who won?"

Get well dude! xo

Linnnn

September 19, 2010 06:48 AM

A verbal stew
Makes end of flu,
And a dictionary
Makes writers merry.
Give up dairy
But stick with diary.

Leon Freilich

September 19, 2010 09:13 AM

I'm glad to see you're feeling a bit better, DB. Great poem!

And "Neti pot"! I had to look that one up! I had no idea what it was!

Little Kate

September 19, 2010 10:10 AM

no, no neti pots. I will keep my home spun remedies to myself, thank you. Hope you are better soon DB.

rita shibr

September 19, 2010 12:06 PM

I didn't know what a Neti Pot was either without looking it up. Doesn't sound appealing! I am glad you are feeling a bit better and were able to at least take the kids to soccer.

pastvoices

September 19, 2010 05:25 PM

if you Google ego no is sursum your post is on the first page of hits
now, are you sure you didn't take some Proventil?
this poem feels light and frantic and seussical...consonatsandvowels comes to mind

vanessa seijo

September 19, 2010 09:32 PM

I considered the neti pot for five seconds this morning
then decided it was better to live with the pain

vanessa seijo

September 19, 2010 09:32 PM

It's great to feel better after feelin' not great. 3 cheers for soccer and for playing like mad.

catch-22

September 19, 2010 09:49 PM

Okay, I'll fess up first thing: I'm following Oryoki Bowl's Rx for ginger tea. I was going to go there anyway, but that would have made the poem too complicated.

Good evening everyone, and thank you for coming by.

Joan... Cash Cab? I don't have a TV. I'm gonna have to Google that one.

RomanticPoetess: thank you for all the chicken soup you've been handing out the last few days. You know, I think I actually have tried one once? I've sortof blocked it out.

Libmomrn: now you're talking. The #1 cure for the kids' coughs at night is local honey and Vicks. Works like a charm.

seetfeet: I hope you and your N.P. are very happy. But yes, I do love rest.

Oryoki: ginger tea and lemon, check. Did you say a Sweet?

froggy: I could go for those stupid movies. I did wind up watching really stupid movie clips on YouTube.

anna1: isn't tea just wonderful?

Linnnn: the trickiest part was the kid -- whichever one was not playing at the time. I gotta say, they were great.

Leon: yes, I was frustrated for a couple of days that my verbal stew was just plain drying up. Concentration is a real gift -- I missed it.

Little Kate: well, in one day I introduced the neti pot to Australia and you introduced the Aussie Mean Pie to the U.S. Now that's cultural exchange!

rita: home spun? Aha! Yes I'll bet you'd better keep them to yourself, we wouldn't want out m.d.s giving out grandma's traditional cures. (Our 70-year old pediatrician used to get scrubbed with vinegar by his, to avoid head lice.)

pastvoices: well this is just remarkable. Here I don't even use a neti pot, and I've got people learning about them.

vanessa: I confess. It means "I made this up." At least I think it does. I went to a translation site, and typed in "I made this up" and that's what I got back. I don't have any idea how true it is. I just hope it's not the sort of thing our president Ford said to Poland, by accident of translation.

catch-22: hip hip hooray. Now I gotta go to bed.

Thanks all. Still not there, but steadily improving.

Divorce Bard

September 20, 2010 12:36 AM

A GREAT cultural exchange indeed!

Actually the exchange gets even better ... with a little Freudian slip! Aussie MEAN Pie is a very good exchange for Aussie MEAT Pie!!! LOL!!! : )

Little Kate

September 20, 2010 02:12 AM