Their Absence (Kate's Open Call). Saturday Nov 20, 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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NOVEMBER 20, 2010 11:46PM

Rate: 13 Flag

Some days are slower. Quiet, not withdrawn,
Not wishing things had gone some other way,
Just slower really, when the kids are gone.
Like yesterday, tomorrow, and today.
The times I stay up late to work or write,
I might forget, and think they're both asleep.
I tiptoe in the kitchen late at night,
But nothing from their bedrooms. Not a peep.
They're with their mother. I have things around
To help me think of them: school pictures, toys,
A necklace left to fix, one other found
While vacuuming. But absent all the noise,
The days are long. Not pained, just slow somehow.
It used to hurt so much. It's better now.

Author tags:

open+call, family, children, separation, divorce, recovery, poetry

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Comments

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I'm so glad I saw the "its better now" at the end.

trilogy

November 20, 2010 11:54 PM

It must be hard to be alone yet wanting them. I am glad it is better now, but there will always be just a niggle of the missing. This was good.

pastvoices

November 21, 2010 12:12 AM

Ow. I can feel the ache. :(
R

Unbreakable

November 21, 2010 12:21 AM

Nice job, DB. I remember how that feels, and yes, it does slowly get better. I'm glad you feel that way, too.

Lezlie

L in the Southeast

November 21, 2010 12:23 AM

I'd say something well-intentioned but trite ...
No, DB. It sucks.

Kim Gamble

November 21, 2010 12:47 AM

A lovely poem of longing and love.
Beautiful
rated with love

RomanticPoetess

November 21, 2010 01:22 AM

felt here. another type of gone now, when looking at pictures or wandering the house late at night. ..

rita shibr

November 21, 2010 03:18 AM

How do you manage to make such longing and yearning to have your children with you more often sound so beautiful, DB? I think only you could do this.

You are a very special dad, my friend ... very special.

Little Kate

November 21, 2010 03:21 AM

And ... thank you for joining in on this Open Call, DB. Can I tell you how very much I hoped you might? From the bottom of my heart ... thank you.

Little Kate

November 21, 2010 03:35 AM

Yes, what trilogy said. Still...

sophieh

November 21, 2010 06:00 AM

So tenderly you share the ache of their absence even as you momentarily forget that they are not there. Such tenderness can only be informed by love. It is a gift to know you through your words.

anna1liese

November 21, 2010 06:52 AM

I am glad you are finding some peace; they are so present in your marking their absence because they remain inside of you always. Lucky, lucky kids. R

Antoinette Errante

November 21, 2010 08:10 AM

I can hear the quiet.

Lea Lane

November 21, 2010 08:59 AM

the silence is deafening
whether you don't see them for a few hours or a few days

vanessa seijo

November 21, 2010 04:47 PM

you make me grateful for what I have...nice to "hear" you again :)

Heidi Herron

November 21, 2010 07:48 PM

Hi everyone. Thanks for coming by, each and every one of you: trilogy, pastvoices, Unbreakable, Lezlie, Kim, RomanticPoetess, rita, Kate, Kate (yes, twice), sophieh, anna1, Antoinette, Lea, vanessa and Y. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your coming around so faithfully.

Goodnight!