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A man's got to take a lot of punishment to write a really funny book



Today's image features (yet again) the new man in my life, dear little Ezra. To my eye, he evokes Caligula at his indulgent, spoiled best, draped across his mothers’ forearm. All that I can really say to this image is, “I wish I could do that”.

That said, I wouldn’t want anyone to think that Ezra resembled Caligula in other ways, of course, unlike another certain mini-Mussolini that I can think of. Ezra is the most laid-back dude that I think I’ve ever met.

As Blackie (of The Ruth Spoon) noted in an earlier comments thread, the second biennial Tasmanian Living Writers' Week is coming up (from August 15 to 24). Canny readers will note that the week will last ten days, but remember, it is a writers week, not mathematicians week. I would speculate that they might be emulating the decades of the French Republican Calendar, but c’mon, we’re talking Tasmanian writers here!

Anyway, I figured that it wasn't fair to keep putting up other people's poems without offering something up myself. Thus, I have dipped into my grab bag of prose and poetry collecting dust on the shelf, and tried to find something that was not too embarrassing.

In my defence, I have (on the clusterflock wall of shame), already exposed some of my bad poetry to the world. I figure against that one, anything that I post here simply has to be an improvement.

It is odd that I have chosen to quote Hemingway (a literary hero of mine) in today's title, given that I have chosen something from my 'e.e. cummings phase'. But there you go, I'm a mass of contradictions! This one is from October 1998.

bouquet

taking fits extremely well

(like last summer

heavy air

hot sand

lovely girls


smile

smile back

hello sweety

sweety! you’re mine

now)


like an old coat

in winter

keep me warm

comfortable safe

Comments

Virginia said…
Beautiful family. You are so blessed.
blackie said…
I like it! Great title and first line especially.

I can't believe how small little E is. And to think Phoebe was even smaller blows my mind. I hope he continues to be a laid back calming member of your family.
 gmirage said…
Congratulations! (Sorry to be so late!) Now Little Henry would surely be sweeter than ever! Best regards!
Anonymous said…
I love that laid back photo.
Bill said…
Yea, that seems like the way to spend the day!
Isadora said…
The look could definitely be a Caligula :) I would like to see the proud Mommy too! You know, the lady attached to the forearms in the photo.
Julie said…
Takes courage doesn't it - to put it out there for scrutiny?

You have reflected the mindset of a young man who sees the world as his oyster. The structure is made complex with the brackets which asks much of the reader - I like that. The options at the end are intruiging - what you have crossed off and what you have settled upon. To me it is intruiging that you have left them there. Adds to the overall feel.

So now ... back I go to eec to read more and check out his devices.

For mine, you can post more any time you like ...
Anonymous said…
Always love your sons like you do now.
magiceye said…
congratulations on the arrival of ezra! Heres wishing all of you a great many happy years ahead! cheers!!
Anonymous said…
Kris, thanks for leaving your Ctrl C and Ctrl P comments on Jakarta Daily Photo :-)
we appreciate it!

Ezra is precious!!

Best wishes for your family :-)
Anonymous said…
What a perfectly perfect baby! Just precious!
Kris McCracken said…
Virginia, I am indeed a lucky man!

Uselaine, the link didn't take me to a painting. Now I'm left wondering if it was The Scream, or Botticelli's Venus! ;)

Blackie, now you just need to crack out some old poems on your blog. I think that Ezra is a lock for "calmest member of the family". It is is small field of runners.
Kris McCracken said…
Mirage2g, re. Henry and being sweeter. Would you like to have a word to him about that please...?

Abe, SG, Bill, Magic Eye and Santy, I do appreciate the kind words.

Isadora, I would post lots more of Jen, but let's just say she has 'artistic control' in her contract, Henry and Ezra don't! I'm lucky to have been able to post the few that I have.
Kris McCracken said…
Julie, it was initially hard to get around to posting some. That said, I get to pick which ones! I have quite a few more in the basket (at least three full, thick notebooks), I am working up the courage to post some of the more 'traditionally-structured' ones. For whatever reason, I don't mind the 'playful' ones.

Mo, I intend to!

And Lessie, he is MAGNIFICENT!

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