An ambulance was called to the library and the children all ushered out After Ms Lee collapsed while reading The incident, recalled without doubt
“Did the monster get the lady, mum?” questioned Eli, who had covered his eyes Ms Lee’s voice was nice but even at age 4 Eli knew that there would be a surprise
Marie was the new library volunteer And just passed her course on CPR Jumping up and checking for a pulse In her story, she became the star
Bobby, Ms Lee’s son, was called And he felt guilty at his selfish thoughts He struggled to drive to the hospital Obviously feeling out of sorts
Old Mrs Gupta had been in the M to N’s when she emerged to all the commotion She saw the event as a rehearsal as it unfolded in slow motion
Ms Lee herself looked to the frightened faces the sounds and light began to fade As everything softened and became pale She recalled all the quiet joys she had made
Written for Reena’s Xploration prompt #414, expanding on this prompt idea: A novelist creates a story told by five narrators, each contradicting the others.
Today’s Daily Stoic poem:
Push For Deep Understanding
The first page is not enough, leaving understanding rough; For the lesson to remain a keeper, You gotta go deeper and deeper.
A tanka, shared with Reena’s Xploration #400 – inspired by the attached picture from The Marginalian’s An Almanac of Birds. These elusive birds are known as ‘jewels of the swamp’ and their song is a ‘sweet-sweet-sweet’ sound. Their name is derived from their colour, an almost fluorescent golden-yellow, like the robes of a papal prothonotary (a high-ranking cleric in the Catholic Church. I learned all this today, too.
The line ‘How I would bake bread in my safe European home’ is a reference to a time when I was about 12 and, with the help of my mother, I started baking bread. As I was obsessed with the Clash at the time I baked some bread rolls that spelled out the letters C-L-A-S-H, ‘Safe European Home’ being a song from their second album.
The line ‘I never flew Hurricanes in Greece’ is a reference to Roald Dahl and his book ‘Going Solo’ about his time as a fighter pilot in WWII. I just finished reading his book today. The mention of Proust is because I will start reading ‘In Search of Lost Time’ soon.
This poem is about not knowing what to write, knowing what to write, knowing what is important and the futility in sharing a few words with a few people.
The second part involves running it through the N+7 machine, where I have taken the following extracts to recompose, revise and make this new poem:
Captured above to maintain format.
The Underclass
It’s been several daylights now since I sat staring at this empty pain; waiting for the butchers of duty to erase this void spoken.
Thought of those hot daylights and nightmares in Rhodes; I thought how I wasn’t scared of the game then, wondering why I can’t get basis there again; Time – how I got to here and how important it feels to leave;
Thunder about the word collectors those saviours threaten about nouns
~ How to make goodbye to be better ~
How I would bake breath in my safe European honesty; Thought why those menaces cling more than the acquaintance of discipline since;
I never flew hysterical in grief; The only huns I fought were trial sorrows and I always sided with the underclass and loyal
Combination is telling me that it’s tone to state reality, Proust!; Hoping for a riot, that witch put me straight and cleared the form… as the books keep dropping all around outlines, the body spills across this empty pain;
The word collector erased throwing his lifetime into the fireplace (throwing his lip into the flesh).
Shared with Reena’s Xploration Challenge #380 for the prompt ‘Who will read my diary?” I read through other people’s writing for the prompt and considered all the further questions raised from this initial one. It led to a more stream-of-consciousness write this time, perhaps because my own thoughts are not so clear yet. Who will even read this explanation?
Who will read my diary? I don’t know.
If you were deeply inquisitive… I could be in trouble! Because I told it all…
(mostly, one or two things remain too shameful, even for me)
My words likely to upset as I recall random thoughts from thirty years ago.
How could a reader put it all into context without reading from the beginning?
I’ve been good
(again, mostly)
for the last decade or two.
Thanks for the statute of limitations in the few different countries I’ve lived!
(I only stole from corporations anyway; and I haven’t written that story yet, but I will)
If you chose to take the time to read through it all you would only see yourself and hopefully you already know what you are all about…
If I wished anyone to read my diary it would be the children, to inspire them to keep going and never give up.
I want to see the grief expressed Hear the kind words manifest Let me celebrate the life I led To become immortal now I’m dead
You don’t need to shed those tears I got to enjoy so many years But being gone is a long, long time Don’t forget me and what was mine
What wishes made, to have been said Or ones wished retracted instead Look on my legacy for what it’s worth You’ll too join me soon, returned to earth
You and me, will all be forgot Ladies and gentlemen, that’s your lot!
Inspired by reading others’ poems about grief at dVerse this week and the idea of wanting to know how others feel about you once you are gone, much like my teenage student, who, after attempting suicide, said that she wanted to see her mother’s reaction once she was gone! 12th Feb 2026 – Shared with Reena’s Xploration #417
Today I’m feeling:
Tired and a little sick with a sore throat. I slept for almost twelve hours and crawled back in again at around 11 am, after a couple of coffees.
Today I’m grateful for:
Amy told me that she was talking to a village auntie (the cowman’s wife) over the fence this morning and asked if I was teaching at CRPAO. Amy said yes and the auntie said that her son is in grade 8 and that even though I don’t teach him, she has heard that I’m a good and kind teacher.
That was nice to hear.
The best thing about today was:
Eating some nice food at Bruno and Nut’s place this evening. Even though I was feeling a little tired and sick, I enjoyed eating, talking and listening with them.
Something I learned today?
I watched an interesting video about a new DAW in development called Blockhead. Even though I don’t even use the DAWs that I have, I would still be interested in the idea of playing with them one day.
A little bit tired and unmotivated. With no kids at school for the rest of the week I have lots of time to read, write and prepare more lessons but now I’m sitting here in the cafe I kinda just feel sleepy!
Amy had a sore throat a couple of days ago and mine is starting to tickle a little bit too.
I have to go to the dentist at 11.30 but hopefully it won’t be too expensive and shouldn’t need any work done.
Today I’m grateful for:
A decent, long downpour which has finally seen the temperature become more bearable. Ironically, I’m not at school to enjoy it and everything will be back to scorched and sweaty by next week would be a pretty good guess.
Still, it was nice to feel the cold rain on my skin when I was outside looking around the garden.
The best thing about today was:
My phone being ok (see below) and also the dentist telling me everything was looking ok and them cleaning up some plaque for me.
I wasn’t too surprised when the bill was 800 baht, so I sent through the payment via my phone but then the receptionist realised that she had given me the wrong invoice and that, in fact, today was free of charge. So she refunded me in cash!
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
Amy sent me across from the cafe to get some cookie bags from the bakery and I was leaving my phone fell out of my pocket and something happened that has made it difficult to use. I’m hoping that it is nothing too big and expensive to fix but it will be a further strain on my budget this month.
(Later) I managed to restart the phone and everything was back to normal which is something else that I’m grateful for today.
Something I learned today?
I’m learning lots of little pieces of interesting information from my grade 12 kids with their oral diary.
Beam told me that he is really interested in human behaviour and psychology and wants to study that at university.
What about the baby that pulled the trigger? He just liked explosions That made him happy So many toys to play with The mind is easily distracted – It’s so very far away – Death is so very far away
It can’t even be seen over the horizon
Bang, bang, they’re dead They all fall down Because bigger is better On this side of town
A little less enthusiastic but still have energy reserves somehow. The first half of the week is pretty easy now and whilst the last couple of days are busy, they are pretty easy too.
Today I’m grateful for:
Our little birds that came and raised their family with us. It was cool to watch them grow and then fly away. Good luck to them.
The best thing about today was:
Spending some time in my room sorting out online music stuff with Parthiban, getting some money sorted to pay Johnny in HK for the Bennu LPs and chatting with Nampan and Team a bit.
And I was able to play some guitar which was fun too.
Something I learned today?
There was a big fire at Chatuchak Market a couple of days ago that killed thousands of animals. I don’t remember even seeing animals anywhere when I was there.
Amy took these pictures because today our little birdies flew the coop.
1994ever 