diaric, poetry, sonic bullion

’25 come to the river

photograph of the carp river, with wooden deck chairs in the river for you to soak your feet, nestled in the tree line on the riverbanks

sonic bullion

after “The Song of Amergin” • I am aranciata soda, the taste of summer • I am ice, summer and winter • I am the raven on your shoulder • i am the brain drain giving way, determined, into generation into joy • i am the recommendation, a pixie for your lashes • i am the edits, deep into the wedding scene • i am the astrology of death, the head injury mapped into her birth chart • i am wondering, could this be avoided? • i am the reminder, «chop wood, carry water» • I am Gaia filling the void green • I am packing • I leave again • I rejoice in her jewels, her tongue • «plumsy» and «wormaids» • I am the prayer card falling from the visor • I am the lip-plumping goodness and the mirror • I am her namesake • i am the freckle • I am the sultry air refusing to storm, stewing the chaos of too many cooks, threatening your sleep • i am the quiet camp morning after • I find Taliesin once more • I am the hike, unraveled • I find Taliesin once more • What is this frenzy? • Why are you all talking at once? • What but fear? • Would it kill you to remember your wallet? your keys? • Would it kill you to get out of my way? • Who but the wife asking him, «Then, why are you telling me what to do?» • I am the sphinx in the cave of desire, on the roof before the sage • I am the repose the following day • at home, alone, bliss • I am the song of the river eddying me

a full wall of firewood chopped for your campfire
cratered from impact, our only natural satellite • only place beyond earth where we have stepped foot • even if staged, our steps tickled with her magic dust • who else but the Moon? • explaining condensation; it’s the humidity’ll getcha • Mommy, can you clean this up? • Who else? • the film of beading water • Who else, but Midsummer?

what if it’s right to want what I want? • Revolutionary!

i need to learn the wolf’s language • Reading the dog-training manual • The Story of the Lost Child • Quilting • An Immense World • and of course, Mr. Putter & Tabby at storytime

before and after the river • and the lake • in praise of Kwik Trip, my nouveau White Hen •  my indulgences: chasing good time, gas station cappuccino after noon • malts and mother meltdowns • what can I say? it’s vacation • and then I realized, watching you • putter and poke the flame • our last campfire • Drunking drunkenness drunkerie • I’ve watched your dance for years • Thank you for showing me how to build a fire • like swimming, bettering my chances of survival

the necessary resurgence of the guillotine • the people’s tool, whistling • it’s Mars in Virgo, we gotta organize, folks. • parties won’t save us • «No conteste nada no firme nada» • racial terror, starring sharks and gators • you were such a shit yesterday • all the yesterdays since you were born • you expect me to come to your birthday party today? • serving denaturalization and day old meat • Video from Associated Press showing American contractors as they cheer after shooting Palestinians desperate for food. “Hell yeah boy” • “American contractors” aka mercenaries • puzzling crickets and mold from the ruling class • the ill forecast, the flood carrying camp, the mystic, our children away • “budget cuts” • the net is cut • frayed into legend

today, a mentor mused we are all living in the past, time flows from that future back to us • waves from the future complete • her takeaway? Hallelujah • long-distance tantra • my high school crush debuted in my dreams • 20 years later • hanging a suit nice and tall; no chin, though • requiring my attention • being of service, I let my towel fall • I no longer desired • my shapely allure his cross to bear • tired, pressing on, drying myself off, worrying where the children are, are they hungry? are they ready for their nap? are their blankets soft enough? are their sheets cool enough? drink something

and now, pressing sugar into lemon oil • baby learns to muddle • learning the differences between fleur de sel, sel gris • makes sense. lessons during oceantime

erratum

there’s weasels at this ball • flagrant monocles, furry suits, squeakin • a symbol of breakdown

i was born just in time, the last summer of the ‘80s • if i had the chance I would • not go back there to live, to relive • the old mistakes and crises I survived once already • the present holds advantage • hope • building something

from the archives

June-July diaries out of the past for the curious:

WKDC Radio, THE BARD

Cancer radio waves; ‘25 time capsule, for your listening pleasure:

coffee break

I’m one of those people who could and has drank coffee all day long. I attribute this to my upbringing, my blood; my Italian relatives who took an endless cup with sweets and sauce after dinner, and my beloved aunt who always had a pot brewing. Because you never know. The taste, the scent of coffee grinding, brewing, steeping are all soothing to me. Even decaf! Coffee is a loving anchor for me.

If you love coffee like I do, please drop your favorite spots and roasters in the comments. I love learning about and supporting coffee emporiums everywhere.

Recently, I tootled to the U.P., the Queen City, and had delicious coffee from these fine folks:

Snowbound Books on 3rd Street is an excellent place to bring your coffee and spend hours and good money on fantastic books.

If you’d like to materially support my writing and me (thank you!), please consider treating me to a cup of coffee.

Thank you, kind soul! and cheers ❤

community and collective care

  • Mahmoud Basem and his family in Gaza. Mahmoud is 20 years old, a university student. His home was bombed by the Israeli occupying forces, destroying his belongings including his laptop and clothes, and his family has been displaced several times. Along with his sister and brothers, Mahmoud is caring for his mother who is ill and his nieces and nephews. Tasneem is suffering through a skin condition due to life in the tent and Ibrahim suffered a mouth injury after an Israeli missile strike while he was searching for water for his family. Mahmoud and his family need food, water, formula and diapers, clothing, and our support.
  • Abood & Lucy. Abood is a young man and student in Gaza, Palestine. He and his family, including his beloved cat Lucy, need support for food, water, medical supplies, and continuing education.
  • The Sameer Project, a donation-based aid initiative for Gaza led by Palestinians, working to supply emergency shelter and aid to displaced families in Gaza.
  • Animal Friends Shelter is a safe Gazan haven for stray & abandoned cats. Our mission is to provide love, care, & shelter to these furry friends until they find their forever homes
  • Dr. Mohammed Hamad in Beit Hanoun, Gaza, Palestine. He has been arrested by the Zionist occupying force, and they destroyed his house. “My family and I have been displaced 10 times, fleeing bombing and killing, and each time I have lost everything I own. Now I have no money to buy food or drink. I am now trying to evacuate my family from the Gaza Strip. This is my story, not a figment of my imagination; it is the harsh reality of life in the Gaza Strip.”
  • The Little Miss Flint Clean Water Fund. Mari Copeny has been fighting the good fight to provide clean water and water filtration systems to the good people of Flint, Michigan, in their community’s ongoing clean water crisis. No child should be saddled with such responsibility, yet she’s taken on the fight anyway. (Shame on power for a) creating this crisis and b) not fixing it immediately. Everyone deserves clean water.) Copeny has many projects serving her community, including Operation Snack to provide food to local kids.
  • The Hind Rajab Foundation. The Hind Rajab Foundation is devoted to ending Israeli impunity and achieving justice for Hind Rajab and all the victims of the Gaza Genocide… Our core mission is to actively pursue legal action against those responsible for these atrocities, including perpetrators, accomplices, and inciters of violence against Palestinians. Through offensive litigation, we aim to hold these actors accountable in both international and national courts, challenging the culture of impunity that has allowed such crimes to persist.
  • Tiny Chef of The Tiny Chef Show, which was unceremoniously and wrongly cancelled (shame on you Nickelodeon and your corporate mergers!! Cmon!), but can live on with our support
view of the starry sky in Marquette Michigan from camp. deep navy sky with twinkling stars visible to the naked eye, tree leaves washed in fiery orange from the firelight

Thank you all

Thank you readers and subscribers (!!!), for spending your time and attention here. Without you, my writing would be incomplete.

I pray ease and joy and love find you each day, along with whimsy and wonder.

Stay wavy. Love,

Kate

p.s. I have not used affiliate links in this piece.

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