Howdy Casual Ramblers! I appreciate your patience as I worked on some poetry for this month. I am trying to write a poem a day now, and it’s going well, despite my issues with routine.

And confidence. And a crippling fear that if I bear my soul I will be judged for it. And that’s why I did not publish anything for a fortnight.

It wasn’t until yesterday, while spending time with an old friend at Mount Tabor Park, that I reclaimed what self-expression means: it’s not a matter of good or bad, it’s a matter of expressing myself. So now I’m here, on Friday, working to publish two poems that I had written two weeks ago but had cold feet about.

The poem “Bubbles Popping in Slow Motion” in particular was something I had to imbue with a certain importance; it’s still not totally finished, but I feel like this version is approaching something I would deign publish. When I read it out, I actually improvise some of the lines, removing certain instances of “in slow motion.”

For example “blowing bubbles long and large/ in slow motion; We watch the way these orbs wrap and warble/ in slow motion” transforms into “blowing bubbles long and large; we watch the way these orbs wrap and warble/ in slow motion.”

In addition, I also have taken multiple views of the ending. I originally ended wrote fifteen pops but in the Patreon post there were only six. In each reading, however, the amount pops changes before the last line “in slow motion.” In some readings I don’t even say the last line.

Lastly, I moved the “ley lines” stanza to the middle of the poem after conferring with friends Cheshire and Hannibal, both of them excellent writers with opinions that I trust without fault.

I guess this is what it means to be done and published, but not finished.

I hope you enjoy them both, and as always, a big shout out for the support from Patrons, Jenny, Julie, Doji, Zero, Roshi, Michael and Phil! Your stalwart support continues to amaze and inspire me.

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Howdy there! These poems were posted last Thursday on my Patreon page. Patrons receive early access to my monthly photography, poetry and short story posts as well as exclusive quarterly short stories. By choosing to support the Casual Ramble on Patreon, you are helping me on my path to become a published author.

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Bubbles Popping In Slow Motion

And there’s something holy in this moment,
something wild we placed in this potion,
something soft and strange in this incantation
that makes it all happen, happening, happened
in slow motion;

The way she rests upon wicker wood, cushion, me
in slow motion; two lemurs caught in a cradle
in slow motion; watching soap strings catch air
in slow motion; blowing bubbles long and large
in slow motion;

We watch the way these orbs wrap and warble
in slow motion; we watch the sun kiss the stone crag
whiskers of them there mountains, towering
over hinterlands; watching river crest, crash, recede
in slow motion;

This is the way she licked ley lines on my limbs
in slow motion; the way hands, fingers, toes
turned to paws, pupils became diamonds and
we prowled before a crowd on the forest floor
in slow motion;

They watch the way we ponder, posture, count seconds
in slow motion; the way fans push and pull them
in slow motion; the way words fall sideways and circular
in slow motion; the way our eyes say it all
in slow motion;

As we watch the way bubbles burst and fall
in slow motion; the way they tatter in silken
translucence, a fabric fluttering wet upon grass,
the way marshmallows melt over flames
in slow motion;

This the way enchantments, like dreams, etch and end
in slow motion; the way the spell coaxes colors
out of us like last words to fill last moments
as the photographer paints the way bubbles

pop pop
pop pop
pop pop
pop pop
pop
in slow motion.

Handmade

“This quilt was made to be used,”
my grandmother said, then handed
the great mass of cloth to me.

Its calico collection of patchwork
perfection purposed for the long
nights, as well as the short.

Each panel a window into who I was.

“Nicks, knocks and pockmarks may steal
colors, and the pictures may fade”
She said, voice a-tremble,

“But the quilt will never change.”

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Thank you to my Patreon subscribers, including Jenny, Michael, Roshi, Zero and Phil for being such patient and supportive persons. Your support makes this enterprise possible and for that I am eternally grateful. If you would like to join our awesome group of Casual Ramblers, click on the button below! Patrons receive exclusive access to quarterly short stories, and early access to my monthly poetry and photography posts.