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I’m trying a little experiment. Last night I made a recording of my most recent poetry entry for the site. I’ve always thought poems were made to be read aloud. They always have greater impact when you hear the cadence and the music of the meter coupled with the intended emphasis. I added a little music to make it feel more professional, and posted the MP3 below the text of the poem. You can hit the little play button below and have a listen. I’d love to know what you think. Oh, and don’t forget the poetry RSS feed on the lower right hand side of the page if you want to keep up that way.  I’ll try to get to the older poem posts as I have time, so check back occasionally to hear my older stuff.  Enjoy!

I cast my ballot yesterday in early voting here in Texas, and it reminded me of how lucky and blessed I am to stand in line with no question or coercion and participate in representative democracy.  I don’t want to get preachy, but go vote.  We get to decide who our leaders are, and we should not take that for granted.

May the best man win.

I’ve been updating (finally!) a short story I wrote a couple of years ago to submit to a fiction contest.  It’s reinvigorated me to keep churning away at my novel because I’ve been paralyzed by my inner editor. Editing is my favorite part of the writing process, but I can’t edit a novel that hasn’t even been written yet! The first draft of this current short story was utter crap, and now that I’m on the sixth draft of it, it is finally being honed into something I’m proud of.  I won’t post it here until I hear back from the contest, and even then I might still submit it to other publications for consideration.  The original draft was some 15,000 words.  I’ve sliced it down to 8,500, making for a leaner and more concise yarn.  Here’s hoping.

This weekend I head to Abilene, Texas for my five year college reunion.  I can’t believe it’s already been that long.  It’ll be a great time to rekindle relationships with the friends I haven’t really spoken too in a while other than the occasional blurb on Facebook or via e-mail.  Plus, I get to show of my new daughter to them!  She’s learned how to smile, and she’s beginning to understand that she’s the one making all those cute noises. It’ll be great!

One final note: My wife is a beautiful woman whom I adore for her love and support and everything she does!  Just wanted to get that out there.  I love you, baby!

I see the boy first.
He scampers in the
lot behind the taco stand
like an unguided skiff,
buffeting the halcyon asphalt sea.
His blond tresses are the sails,
neck the mizzenmast,
arms outstretched the stanchions.
The faded superhero tee comprises
the figurehead zooming
in unhampered journey.

He jibes as Father
Dances behind him, spinning too
with arms out. And I realize
I’m not witnessing sailing.
Father and son are flying.

They twist and dive
around cloud cars for
in this moment they are
high above the city. Not here.
Their lips flap and noise the
PSHB-PSHB-PSHB-PSHB
of imagined propellers.
Laughing and talking her
flyboys to a smooth
landing in the minivan,
Mother watches clapping,
for this flight was brilliant.
Showing me in my daily haste
I have forgotten to fly.