Hello Friends,
Here’s another piece from my new Recent Abstraction series. I hope you enjoy it.
-Brandon
A Recent Abstraction: #7 by Brandon White
Tag: Poems
New Poem and Recent Abstraction: #5 by Brandon White
The Borders:
In the grand scheme
you were
momentary
and now
I keep you
like a proper poet
at the borders
of the mind,
in flashes
of cold
memory
-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
At the End of the Day – A Poem by Brandon White
At the End of the Day
It might be a heart attack
in the liquor store parking lot
because it feels like more
than anxiety this time
I downloaded an app
to test my heart rate
and it tells me
I'm in the green
What does it say about me
that I would allow my phone
to determine the seriousness
of this or any situation?
My job requires me
to face the world
so I chew little white footballs
to avoid coming apart
I don't write about
what I do for money,
because it has nothing
to do with anything
other than my heart
-Brandon White
The Hurt – A Poem by Brandon White
The Hurt
If anyone asks,
It was cold turkey
I exorcised my pain,
spoke the words,
sent it into the world
and out of me
I haven't touched
the stuff since
I wanted to quit
hot turkey
but apparently
that's not a thing
The world is coming
into focus now
Color stops me
in my tracks
Steady rain
is overwhelming
I don't remember
how to do this,
how to get out
of the way
It all feels new
and terrifying
My inner critic
is louder than ever
I'm just trying to find
my footing again,
to get steady,
to remember
a version of myself
before the hurt
-Brandon White
Real Big American Zen – 1 Month
Hello Friends,
It’s been a month since the release of Real Big American Zen, and I’ve done a terrible job of staying in touch as life and work have conspired to keep us apart.
The truth is my indecision in how to best spread the word about the book has left me at a stand-still, and some life changes have taken the rest of my mental energy. Whatever I have left at the end of the day belongs to these two future leaders of the world, and that’s non-negotiable.
I’ve managed to jot down a few new pieces in the last couple of weeks, and the third collection continues to progress. I’m hopeful that life will soon slow down enough that my spirit can catch up with the rest of me, and the path forward will reveal itself.
I miss hearing from you. I hope wherever you are; you’re happy, healthy, and hopeful.
If you’ve finished the new collection, please consider leaving an Amazon or Goodreads review (or both if feeling generous) as it’s a big help.
Love,
Brandon
Reassurance – A Poem by Brandon White
Reassurance
Oh this,
the blessing
of little bodies
that beg to be held
of little hands
that reach
in the night
for reassurance
Oh this,
our legs
entwined beneath
blankets and stress
our heads
resting
on opposite ends
of the couch
Oh this,
the twitching of toes
says I'm needed,
and you don't know
how dark it gets
in this living room
when you go to bed early
and it's just me
and that little voice
that turns every
shadow into a
noose
-Brandon White
For Tony, Wherever You Are
Hello Friends,
It’s 10:10 pm as I begin to write this. It was a busy day, my usual responsibilities dragging me away from the page, the words, the work I prefer.
The day was as I expected – heavy.
Today marks three years since the passing of Anthony Bourdain, who I (like so many) considered a personal hero. The day still reverberates from the quaking of so many diaphragms, bodies physically rejecting the shocking and painful news that a man of such an enviable life had decided he’d had enough.
Anthony was a rebel chef, a silver-tongued bad boy with a checkered past that spent years living on the fringe before slowing down long enough to show the rest of us what an amazing world we inhabit and just how little there is that separates us all. A recovering addict, a father, and a true citizen of the world.
I’m not sure what I’m trying to say here. Perhaps I just wanted to say something to mark the day. Maybe that’s enough? The idea that a person I never met had such a profound impact on me by doing nothing more than sharing their spirit in the name of bringing us closer together.
Thank you, Tony, wherever you are.
Real Big American Zen – The Road Forward
Hello Friends,
As I turn the page on the release week of Real Big American Zen, I’m reflecting on a time of high, swinging emotion that I’m glad to put behind me. I’m incredibly proud of the new collection, the poetry, being able to include a few visual pieces that complimented the written works, the presentation as a whole exceeded my expectations.
Unfortunately, the release has not been without a few hiccups. There have been issues with the availability of the paperback edition through Amazon that’s responsible for a growing number of headaches. My publisher and I continue to monitor the situation and are hopeful for a resolution. I just checked a moment ago, and the paperback version is again available, so don’t wait!
I feel a bit directionless at the moment, which isn’t unusual. There’s a kind of grief that has accompanied the completion and release of each project. The definitive ending of a chapter. A jarring realization of time passing.
I read a piece recently that said writing a poem and hoping to change the world is like dropping rose petals into a well and waiting for a splash. I have no such expectations for my work. I’m driven only by the need to create, to connect. Hoping these words of mine resonate and find a home beyond the one beating in my chest.
There’s work to be done. Talk soon.
