Hey, someone got the setup done. notes white hairs on the counter, glances over

It's James! Hello there, amigo! I'm wrestling a bit. Have two poems on the go and neither is really doing it for me even though both are quite on point for the comp. Will keep at it.

takes an Earl and joins the Bear

Oo, another fine female singer I follow dropped a new single. Swiss singer Melissa Bonny has been in four bands so far in her career (five if you count a local cover band where she got started). She also does guest appearances with other bands on a fairly regular basis. This is, however, one of her less common solo releases and leans more into a pop sound vs. the metal that is her usual. Nice song, though, and I wonder if this means we'll be hearing more solo work from Melissa.

St. Vincent is one of those artists who manages to be good a so many things. Singer, songwriter, guitarist and now producer of her latest album, All Born Screaming. This song is from All Born Screaming.

Was out working in the yard this morning. Mowed the lawn, did some weeding and other cleanup, packed up yard waste for pickup later in the week. Now sweaty as all heck. Not too hot today yet but quite muggy still. There's a lingering chance of showers today but nothing yet. Given that we are having water problems in my office (not just the building, my actual office), less rain would be welcome for now. We are certainly getting more than enough to keep things green.

I'll throw on a pot of Deathwish Dark Roast. For tea, let's try Darjeeling and Raspberry Royale.

Later, alligators.

Good morning/afternoon depending on where you are! How's things?

Belated pot of dark roast Costa Rican is on. There's Earl Grey and Buddha's Blend in the teapots. Pitchers are washed and filled up with unsweet iced tea and lemonade.

Working on my comp entry. Poetry can be incredibly easy or like pulling teeth for me. There does not seem to be a middle ground.

Quote by OpheliaTusk

Woo Poetry! I have written two poems already for this theme, the trouble will be deciding which poem will be the contest candidate and which will not.

I have a couple, too, but I think the first one is out. The second one feels better to me. May hold on to the first for a post-comp release.

Lint - Link

Tongue is where we taste.

Hmmm. Probably Poe, though I am fond of both. May be a mood thing, really, Sometimes I want drama in iambic pentameter, sometimes something a bit spooky.

Poe's stories or Poe's poems?

I am waiting for my muse to strike, but maybe this weekend. We're on a long weekend in Canada so I have three days without work interrupting.

(And now I have this weird image of a woman walking into my home office and slapping me, which then results in me bashing out a prize-winning poem. 🤣)

Hughes is a poet I know of moreso than I am familiar with. Very nice piece.

And from Wacken's opening day, here's one of my current faves, Mexican power trio/sister act The Warning. The Villareal sisters are going great guns this year between a new album and a world tour. Dany (guitar, vocals), Pau (drums, vocals) and Ale (bass and backing vocals) are all on fire here.

Anyone else here remember this oldie but goodie? From the 2024 edition of Wacken Open Air, a premier festival for rock and metal, here's The Sweet with their one and only (at least on my side of the planet) hit.

Quote by Cora

Thank you for sharing another poet, Mendalla, as well as providing a couple links to her poems. I have heard of Mary Oliver but only by name. Thank you for sharing info about her writing style and how she impacted your life.

It's a great thread, actually. I think I tried the same concept (favourite poets) years ago but without the poll and not during a poetry comp. Hopefully, yours gets more traction with those.😊

Quote by verbal
I’m sure they are on the internet somewhere.

Here in Canada, CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) holds the rights and they are putting everything through their Gem streaming service as well as broadcasting it. Perhaps NBC (do they still have the US rights??) is doing similar? I remember when I did have cable, I would often flip back and forth between CBC and NBC since they were often showing different events.

Mary Oliver, truth be told. She was still alive and publishing when I discovered her and her blending of natural imagery and spiritual themes really drew me in. Helps that Beacon Press, the publishing arm of the Unitarian Universalist Association, was her publisher so that her poems were widely used in UU services when I was active in that faith. A Pulitzer doesn't hurt either.

Poetry Friday: Wild Geese | Mary Oliver – Live Love Simple

“The Summer Day” by Mary Oliver – Words for the Year

Out of that list, though? Need to meditate on it a bit. I like most of them, really.

Quote by verbal
And one for the poets, this time.

Come on, man, give it a whirl. I mean, it's not like you're up against Walt Whitman and Edgar Allen Poe or something.😊

Ghosting could be fun, actually, if the person I was writing for had some good ideas. But generally the latter, since I prefer to write with my own agenda and ideas.

Write a bunch of stories or a novel?

"Beyond the Veil" sounds like a wonderful theme. Already stewing it over. Let's get cracking, poets!!

And to help with that, here's some Jamaican Blue Mountain dark roast coffee. Teas are Assam and Mukujima Sencha (green). Cold beverages are looking good.

Yay! Poetry comp!

And I love the theme. Should get some interesting poems coming in.

Quote by verbal
not even the much-maligned opening ceremonies. Heard the backlash though.

It's overblown. I only recognized that tableau because of the controversy. Absent that, I would not even have associated it with the Last Supper. Tempest in a Christian teapot, IMHO. And we got a top heavy metal band playing in an Olympics, so we metalheads (most of whom enjoy a good parody of Christianity to start with) aren't too fussed about it.

The controversy I'm hearing about is that Joe Duplantier, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of Gojira, was using a different brand of guitar at the Olympics than the one he has a longstanding relationship with. Is he changing brands? Going dual brand? Inquiring headbangers are demanding to know. 😊

And from the sublime to the loud and heavy, here's a new single from Japanese all-female power metal act Lovebites.

Continuing my exploration of pianist-composer Tigran Hamasyan. This album-length piece was composed by Hamasyan and performed by his ensemble with the Yerevan State Chamber Choir in memory of the Armenian genocide. It's an incredble album, bringing his American jazz background together with his Armenian cultural background in a beautful way.

Sardinia

Quote by Cora
This year I am not watching the Olympics.

I'm following it but not really watching much, just the highlights reels that CBC (Canada's national public broadcaster) posts on their YouTube channel.

Pine - Pint

Now, it is too hot.

Good morning, y'all!

After a rather wet, stormy day yesterday, seems nice here today. Less muggy, though still too hot and steamy for my taste.

Putting on some Ethiopian Yirgacheffe in the coffee pot. In the teapots we have Irish Breakfast and Buddha's Blend. Cleaned up the pitchers and made fresh iced tea and lemonade. Soda stock looks good.

Good day at the Olympics, with Canada's women's rugby 7s picking up silver and US picking up bronze. Cool to see North Americans having some success at a sport that has largely been replaced by American football here. And, of course, the US women's gymnastics squad put on a stellar show to get the gold in the team event, with Simone Biles' return after her problems in Tokyo being the highlight.

Quote by verbal
I got a late birthday present - a drone! - that I may try to put together this week. It’s a little complicated. Looks like Big Fun though.

Just don't fly it near any opposing teams' practice fields (Olympic stuff that I'm a bit salty about).

Quote by verbal
Has anyone heard from Red lately?

I was thinking the same thing.

Good day. I'll put on a late pot of Colombian dark roast coffee along with some Raspberry Royale and Ginger Peach White teas.