Hello Friends,
Here’s a recent piece for your enjoyment. As far as color goes, this is a bit of a departure from other works in this series. Still, there’s something that calls to me. I hope you hear it too.
Love,
Brandon
A Recent Abstraction: #8
Tag: artist
A Recent Abstraction: #7 by Brandon White
Hello Friends,
Here’s another piece from my new Recent Abstraction series. I hope you enjoy it.
-Brandon
A Recent Abstraction: #6 by Brandon White
Hello Friends,
Here’s the 6th installment in my Recent Abstractions series. This isn’t the most recent piece – but it spoke loudest when deciding what to share. I hope you enjoy.
-Brandon White
A Recent Abstraction: #2 by Brandon White
Hello Friends,
Here is the second piece in my new Recent Abstractions series of digital art.
I hope you enjoy.
-Brandon
New Digital Art – A Recent Abstraction: #1 by Brandon White
I’ll be sharing a new series of abstract digital works that have been helpful and healing. I hope that some of you might appreciate them.
All My Love,
Brandon
The Musings of a Future Yelper – A Poem by Brandon White
I hadn’t thought about this free verse poem in a while. Before the pandemic, one of my favorite places to write was a restaurant booth or in a coffeehouse somewhere- surrounded by lives being lived and the hustle of the day. The electric air thick with poetry.
Please, come back.
The Musings of a Future Yelper:
They’ve never been able to
maintain a restaurant at this location,
and many have tried.
It’s not a bad spot, either.
Downtown, right on the avenue,
the best bars within walking distance.
I’ve sampled every establishment
that attempts to put roots down here.
They’ve all been decent enough.
For whatever reason,
the people won’t come.
Sushi, Burgers, Piano Bar, it makes no difference.
I’ve sampled cuisine
from four different countries
and sat in the same shitty booth each time.
Outside, the rain falls steadily.
It’ll be this way for the next several days, and I’m sad
my daughter might not get her last train ride of the season.
Three men enter the restaurant
and sit directly
in my line of sight.
Above me, a TV plays sports highlights
and when they watch, it feels like
they’re staring.
Maybe they are?
I’ve reached that elusive point in life
where it makes no difference.
The burger and fries
are too salty—
what a shame.
My waitress asks how everything tastes,
and I lie to make her feel better.
She smiles her crooked smile and fixes her peroxide-blonde hair.
I ask for my ticket
and she’s out of sight again.
I begin to review my latest poem.
I’m writing about food a lot lately.
I’ll be yelping before
you know it.
Outside, the rain pours on,
gathering into puddles
and flowing down the drain.
Like all the wasted minutes
in a life.
-Brandon White
Promises – A Poem by Brandon White
Promises:
Remember this moment
when the old life
calls to you again.
Remember your brokenness,
and the promises
you made in the dark.
Remember the final breath
and the frantic heartbeat
under your hand.
Remember how quickly
a life, with all its complexity,
can vanish.
-Brandon White
Nature – A Poem by Brandon White
Nature:
My feet touch forbidden blacktop
about 30 feet from the crosswalk
they prefer you use.
Behold my only
act of rebellion today.
My small way of setting fire
to the world.
Really, I'm just impatient.
The roasted duck soup
left a strange taste in my mouth
like cruel words.
The cold air feels electric
and helps to push me forward.
Up and down the avenue I go,
resisting the pull of each passing bar
and warm thoughts of good rye.
Hear me now;
I long for nothing.
Not for love or understanding.
Not for pity or prayer.
I have accepted my nature.
Born to wander.
Born to wonder.
Born to sit in the burning room
unblinking.
-Brandon White
Dare – A Poem by Brandon White
A free verse poem for all those looking to take the first step toward their goals in 2021.
Dare:
As much as my inbox wants me
to believe,
no,
my Tumblr dashboard
does not miss me.
What is the point
of wading through it all?
I think it’s to
stare across the empty field
along Highway 64,
hoping somewhere
beyond the trees,
mystery still waits.
That there's more
than grinding down the days.
I'm thinking of this
when a guy that works a floor
above stops by to remind me
that Christ wasn't some
hippie socialist.
I smile through our exchange,
reminding myself that I'm speaking
to years of programming.
I refuse
to hate him for this.
I miss cigarettes,
or maybe I just miss
not worrying about
something
killing me.
Tonight, my television
will scream about
conmen, conspiracy,
coronavirus,
and cock pills.
I’ll sip Earl Grey,
wish it was whiskey,
pat myself on the back
for stacking sober days,
and watch the death toll rise.
But in my mind, I'm standing
in that field staring
at the treeline,
daring myself
to take the first step.
-Brandon White
A Bit About Me
As I’m new to the WordPress platform, I thought it appropriate not only to begin posting some of my work but to introduce myself properly. My name is Brandon White; I’m a poet, songwriter, and digital artist from the Fort Smith, Arkansas area. I’m a husband, father of twin girls, dog daddy, and a bit of an obsessive creative.
I began my work at the age of 14 (I’m 34 now) after falling in love with the craft of songwriting. I would spend the next eleven years of my life pursuing my musical goals, meeting and working with some amazing people, playing a ton of shows, and raging against the unfair practices of the music business while also wishing for my turn in the spotlight.
After marrying my lovely wife, Kenzie, in 2012, I would continue to pursue my musical dreams until 2016, when tragic circumstances befell my family. My father, my best friend, was diagnosed with cancer for a second time. His first brush with lymphoma came around the time that Kenzie and I were married. He made his way to MD Anderson in Houston, Texas, began treatment, and breezed through it as if cancer were nothing more than a common cold. He would walk the halls with Black Sabbath blaring on his iPhone and never missed an opportunity to remind someone that he was, in fact, the real Iron Man.
After his cancer returned in 2016, he approached treatment with the same confidence. Sadly, his situation became increasingly more complicated, which resulted in his fight lasting months on end and his body and mind suffering the devastating effects of both the disease and treatment. It was also during this challenging time that Kenzie and I discovered we were parents-to-be, to which my Father said, “It’s sure going to be funny when it’s twins!”
I still don’t know how he knew, and I’m sure there’s plenty of you who’re thinking “coincidence,” but I feel relatively confident that somehow he knew more than we did. When I called him to confirm that his “joke” had been established as our reality, he rallied himself once more to meet his newest grandbabies. We would have two more years together.
When Dad’s cancer recurred a third time, he chose not to seek treatment. His mind, his body, his spirit, were worn down, and he knew his fight was over. My Mother, Mother-In-Law, and I became his end-of-life care team, and we worked around-the-clock to ensure his comfort and that he was surrounded by love. It was during this challenging period that poetry came into my life. I began writing at a furious pace to make sense of my emotions and cope.
My father died on February 27th, 2019. I sat by his side, holding his hand as he took his final breath. If it weren’t for my wife, children, and my poetry, I’m not sure what would’ve become of me after such a devastating loss. I began to throw myself into my writing even more, and as the year passed, it became apparent that a body of work was taking shape—a tribute to my father and my journey through the grieving process. I wanted to send these poems into the world in hopes that they would reach all the faraway places he never saw and hopefully provide some comfort to those who’d inevitably find themselves in my position.
I began to make it known that I was seeking a publisher for the collection, and not long after, the universe sent me the perfect partner in tara caribou and Raw Earth Ink. tara worked tirelessly to help bring the project together. She listened patiently to my concerns and hopes for the work, never stopping short of achieving my vision. With tara’s expertise and my poetry, May of 2020 saw the release of my debut, The Year that Stole the Light Away.
Born from my greatest heartbreak, the feedback I’ve gotten from the book has been so wonderful. I’ve achieved my goal of seeing my poetry reach some of the world’s most beautiful places, and I am grateful that it’s found a home in the lives of others. I hope it remains a sturdy companion for years to come.
So, after spending the majority of 2020 promoting the book as much as this crazy year would allow, I now near the publication of my second collection, which I’m excited to share more about when appropriate. I hope to carve a place out for myself on this platform and look forward to connecting with you. On my page, you’ll find several poems for your enjoyment, along with a gallery of some of my digital art. I also plan to discuss other works I’ve enjoyed along with music that inspires me; who knows what else?
Talk Soon,
Brandon
Brandon White 