Unsold Poems for the July 4, 2023 Poetry Fishbowl

[ysabetwordsmith]

The following poems from the July 4, 2023 Poetry Fishbowl are currently available. Poems may be sponsored via PayPal -- there's a permanent donation button on my Dreamwidth profile page -- or you can write to me and discuss other methods. There are still verses left in the linkback poems "Let the Children Lead Us," "Pumpkin Spice Prosperity," "Delight in Another," "A Sense of Weather Changes," "Ouroboros Insects," "The Loving Embrace of Night," "Generations of Cooks Past," "Begin to Understand Ourselves," "Homefree and Clear, " "One Bite at a Time," "Stars and Diamonds," "Mishpocha," "There's an Art to It," "The Glass Cat," "Changing Your Nature," and "Besa."


"The Basis for the Joy of Love"
story Date: Sunday, July 31, 2016
Summary: A Finn family visit reveals an unexpected but welcome surprise.
339 lines, Buy It Now = $170

Heron puttered around the living room,
grateful for a chance to visit family,
since the whole year had been hectic
at best and disastrous at worst.

He had, in fact, come out to
California with a relief team for
San Francisco, where he had
gotten to meet the Deep Old One
along with Bridger-between-Minds.


"Different, Not Less"
Summary: Tink001 and Cruiser Ravenskull L057 make a rescue run to Epizygis.
336 lines, Buy It Now = $168

It was just a ping, an older form of
communication not used as much now,
but easier to hide than more modern ones,
thus still popular with spies and smugglers.


Note: If you're following the Foster Fiasco storyline by dialecticdreamer, below is the poem that launched that.

"That Light Bulb in Your House with a Short in It"
Story Date: Monday, September 14, 2015
Summary: Shiv does a favor for the Iron Horses, but it dredges up past issues with the foster system.
853 lines, Buy It Now = $427

Shiv had gone out to the Omaha Reservation,
carrying some messages -- ever since he had
straightened things out with the Iron Horses,
everyone had been trying to communicate
better so they didn't tangle like that again.


"Thaw With Her Gentle Persuasion"
Story Date: November 2014
Summary: Dr. Infanta helps the survivors of the Skadi.
587 lines, Buy It Now = $294

Oskar Esser moved
as carefully as he could,
but he felt like every joint
had been filled with sand.


"Waste That Nature Can't Digest"
Story Date: Monday, June 13, 2016
Summary: Underwater hazards have been shaken loose, and that's not something the ocean dwellers can fix themselves.
182 lines, Buy It Now = $91

It was the sense of worry that
drove Officer Sandra Wu toward
the beach -- worry, unease, and
a sickening sense of dread which
reminded her of the moments
right before the Big One hit.


These two poems belong to the Rutledge thread, but much earlier than the main body of that thread with the Syrian refugees. This is the story of how Kshanti (here going by his birth name Kevin) came to Emerald Mountain Glen, in two parts. These really need to get posted in order.

"Not Until We Are Lost"
Story Date: Saturday, July 14, 2007
Summary: Kevin's parents picked his college major for him, it doesn't suit him at all, and now he's breaking down during a Peace Trail summer trip.
330 lines, Buy It Now = $165

Kevin Stiller pedaled slowly
up the dusty, sloping road.

The day was early yet, and
he had plenty of time, but
it was already turning hot.


"Come to a New Point of View"
Story Date: Saturday, July 14, 2007
Summary: Kevin arrives at Emerald Mountain Glen, where people take care of him and help him consider a different path.
664 lines, Buy It Now = $332

As they rolled into the parking lot
at Emerald Mountain Glen, Daniel
tapped on the horn of his truck,
rousing Kevin from his doze.

Several people popped out of
the buildings and bushes around
the parking lot, bright hippie clothes
standing out in the summer sun.