The kids are with their mom. I think of you.
I know I have a thousand things to do,
But starry nights, when suddenly they're gone,
And I can't face the stuff I'm working on,
I might just call you up, to come outside
To see Orion. Ev'rything I've tried
To help me focus when they drive away
Has failed. And if I number ev'ry day
The kids are young, the stars are numbered too.
And while I'm here on earth, I think of you.
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

Salon.com
Comments
To help me focus when they drive away
Has failed. And if I number ev'ry day
The kids are young, the stars are numbered too.
And while I'm here on earth, I think of you.
... the aloneness of this touches my heart, deeply. Please call her. I hope it can be that simple ...
By the way, DB, from the Southern Hemisphere, our view of the Orion constellation is a little different I understand to yours in the Northern Hemisphere. The belt and sword of the 'Hunter' we often call the 'saucepan' or 'pot' ... but nonetheless Orion is visible Down Under.
scupper is right, that they go back to their mother, and my company is all internal. For now, this works well for me; but it's hard for me to settle in without some decompression.
Orion has been my favorite constellation since I was about 12. I'm not sure why, other than its immediate recognizability. Last night it was very dramatic, in the west/southwest, towering above the houses and the streetlights. It was crystal clear out, and the stars were unusually bright. And sort of like a newly hatched duckling imprinting on the first animal it sees, I got out of the car after dropping off the kids' things, and saw Orion. That's how it found its way into the poem.
I can't call yet. I may be begging questions, but I can't call yet. Thank you all for your very straightforward advice on that matter.
And Kate, thanks for the description of Orion Down Under. I did a quick search on Google to find an image, but it's a mess. Can you send a link?
Thanks everyone, for your continued reading. It is a great pleasure to see you all, always.
Goodnight!
Constellations Belt and Sword Stars from Down Under