Wonderful but for
the in-between
where so many
of us live and
breathe.

Volume.
Pressure.
Gas. Brake.
Temperature.

On a scale of
one to ten
million how
close are we
to one and
zero?

…

© David L White
July 19, 2026
11:23 AM
Poem

I will not go on and on about the concept or practice of peace. The debate itself seems less than peaceful to me. Thank you. Carry on. I’ll be in the back near the exits. Doodling maybe. Autographs? Absolutely.

It seems to me that it might be helpful to present ideas of the world as if they were an orchestral dance sculpture with still slides.

Anyway … the world. As if .. Not now. Not here.

As for me .. I’ve been getting out. Fishin’.

PS … I am about to swap out the bell diver for
the yellow submarine. Help. I need somebody!

Not only do I
talk to myself,
out loud, alone,
but often enough
I hear me whispering
room to room. It may be
a navigational tool I use when
I don’t want to get caught being lost.

…

© David L White
July 19, 2026
10:46 AM
Poem

///

Unspeakable Reality

I will die before I’m finished,
trying, really trying, and not
so much feeling succeeded.

I am hereby relieved at not
having to create a plan
of succession.

On a scale of one to ten
million describe your
alignment phrases.

One: Do Not Judge,
Two: Let It Be,
Three: Wu Wei / la vie

…

© David L White
July 19, 2026
11:01 AM
Poem

///

Recently it occurred to me that I had not done a book since 2018. I queried the word ‘poem’ in my notes and copied 162 pages into a two column document.

A question that followed soon was: why do I not paste these sons-of-bitches into a pages layout document?

The next question seems more difficult.

Who cares?

And then ….

I do NOT need to … do that whole freaking thing.

I do not need to.

Free at last Free at last.
Thank God Almighty,
I’m free at last.

……

Anyway … it’s only 1 pm CST - Sunday. The Brewer’s baseball is about to start.

The air quality is dangerous.

The afternoon, barely after noon, wine is fine. Life is good.

Hey hi. Glad yr here.

While trying to jam the recent jazz under one headline, I discovered that, as with the model of summertime carnivals, it’s good to walk the Midway.

A few words

Scrappy Art Appreciation

Gone Fishin’

I find it surprising that MiddleNowhere.com is still available.

…

This little ditty gets printed on a plain paper easel that holds a piece of art that I might leave in a random location.

“This could be
a gift for you,
or someone that
you give it to,
or if you like
just leave it here.
Either way,
is fine, my dear.”

…

Not every wow needs a waterfall

There is more
than plenty wow
at the water’s edge
lapping at the lakeshore
moving grains of sand back
and forth like breathing in and out

The usual, unseen, glossed over,
normal amount of wow, in a
spectrum that includes
volcanoes, lightening,
backyard fire pits
and candles

may do wow like a steady drip,
or stream, like the difference
between a mist and drizzle.

…

© David L White
July 11, 2026 7:02 AM
Poem

……

WELCOME Nexus Exits

From nowhere to
a little bit more
nowhere.

Someday I may reach
the middle. I hope there’s
a sign.

Middle Nowhere . Next 6 Exits
Food . Fuel . Lodging . UMN
Hospital . Camping . Airport

…

© David L White
July 17. 2026
Poem

P.S. As of 9:35 AM on this date the domain name MiddleNowhere.com is still available.

And I continue to resist working on better paper at the start.

The green tree still surprises me. The back side is … used … and we will not look at it. It pretends to be a bookmark.

I have not yet, will I ever, LET IT GO? I mean, dispose of it?

It still surprises me. And the Pink Flower/Dauber Sheet, I don’t know what is ‘better’, the art or the brush wipe.

It may be that the ‘not-knowing’ is the spark that starts the engine.

While flowers make a lovely gift, a fish could be a new friend. You may exchange names, usual pleasantries, build trust, feel some acceptance you might have been missing. Who knows?

Even so, I’ve had a lovely day puttering around. July 10, 2026. Happy Friday.

Here, in no particular order, are today’s named images.

____________

It seems that ‘trading’ may also mean collecting; a thing that holds little interest for me. In the interest of getting rid of things I have lately attached folding money to a piece of art in addition to a cash gratuity for a restaurant server.

Given that we don’t go out to eat that often, I recently folded some plain paper as a substitute. Lovely. I am considering a one-sided laser print trimmed to 2” x 8.5”.

Now, what kind of propaganda should I attach? Maybe a QR code to my Substack? Or, not. I am a bit attracted to anonymous.

At the very least I will leave room for their name, (as part of the server exchange) and maybe my nearly illegible signature.

And, I would like to print a panel with this little ditty.

“This could be a gift for you,
or someone that you give it to,
or you could leave it here.
It’s perfectly alright, my dear.”

There are several ways to paperclip the ‘easel’ to the back of the card. You could fuss with it a little and see what works for you.

Re: the pic with headshots …

We were in a medical waiting room recently. I left something there.

Finally, to wrap it up, I ‘discovered’ this plain paper breakthrough which allows me to extend my reach. Fun for me, at least.

Ha! Here it is … I M M E D I A T E L Y
plenty of recipes, down to the
half teaspoon at 350 degrees.

I remember having to chop trees,
boil pigs, hand crank
the sluice gate, and …

Oh, them days when I had a
more active part.

Excuse me now, I have to
mash the potatoes.

Someone has to mash
the potatoes.

Thank God for
something.

Sweet.

…

© David L White
June 24, 2026
Poem

And, as soon as I shared it, this John Cleese quote popped up on my screen.

“Creativity is not the possession of some special talent.
It’s about the willingness to play.”
~ John Cleese

I like to think that some of what I share is simply a demo that you also might be able to entertain yourself.

I do not need AI to make a fish to show you.

The point of this exercise for me is to get better at fish so that I can leave aquarium art with my servers along with appropriate cash gratuity.

Willing to play. Also … able. It’s a thing I do not always remember.

Pencils and crayola sketchbook.

Yes. So many most folks.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Portable Labyrinth

That one cannot tickle oneself
is among the things we
have been told

Lightly trace your hand
with your finger and
see for yourself

Top
Bottom
In between

Take
Your
Time

…

© David L White
May 30, 2026
Saturday Poem

Poems Late May 2026

Richard popped to mind. Brautigan. 
The poet to whom I dedicate my poem titled:
Suicide as Mentor, which I had trouble writing and spoke aloud to George one day, and he said: “There it is.” while no one was recording.


Loading mercury with a pitchfork.
your truck is almost full. The neighbors
take a certain pride in you. They
stand around watching. 

Loading Mercury With a Pitchfork 
by Richard Brautigan

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Need I Mention the Clouds?

Sun beams dappling in light breeze 
between the limbs of the ornamental crab 
and folds of the living room drapery 

moving gently, too. 
It’s Wisconsin, nearly June, 
and the forced air furnace still runs.

It’s a reflective moment where 
I may see myself blinking 
in the light.

Twinkling sometimes I
like to say. Need I 
mention the clouds?

…

© David L White
May 21, 2026
6:14 am


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sequined Thermometer Tuxedo 

The title of this poem
was the line that got 
me out of bed 
after midnight. 

I knew it would not 
keep until sunrise. 

I was thinking about the suicide poem 
and you asked me was I that. And 
I said no. 

And what I envisioned was the 
pot of water and the stove top frog.

Not yet might be a more honest estimation. 

And then the line: sequined thermometer tuxedo. 

That’s why I got out of bed. 

Funny, what wakes us up.

…

© David L White
May 22, 2026
12:23 am
Poem

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Sandwiches Afterwards

I was killed to death once 
and my spirit left very hungry.

I flew off to the Limbo Bakery 
to pick up two cake donuts with 
chocolate icing, a still warm 
loaf of ghost, and a half pound each
of America Cheese and shaved ham.

I came right back with this impromptu 
picnic and helped the woman trying 
to hide my body. We tried. Really.

“Wipe that smile off the dead man’s face. 
He’s got chocolate frosting on his lips.”

I forgot to get the ghost loaf sliced.
So much for sandwiches afterwards.

…
Copyright David White
May 22, 2026 
1:07 AM
Poem

We might think to work some toast in here. 
Back to the slicer we go.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


The Special Occasions

Dear Judy, I wanted to thank you for that rhubarb kuchen. I say kuchen because I may not know better, but it was very good. 

Also, I do remember seeing your name on a bottle of homemade blackberry liqueur at Tom’s picnic the other night. 

That reminded me to thank you for the two bottles of wine that you and your husband gave us years and years ago. Sorry we didn’t return the bottles. They still sit upright in the pantry uncorked, unopened, and … probably spoiled from poor storage.

We are waiting for a special occasion. Sorry.
And  lest you feel uniquely slighted, yours are not the only unopened gifts. 

One of our wedding gifts, nearing 38 years ago now, was a couple of lovely margarita glasses with a bag of mix and perhaps a bottle. Who remembers now? I could go check … almost mint in box. I did peek and …

I can almost see it from here. 
Still unopened.  Waiting for 
that special occasion.

…

Copyright David L White
May 22, 2026
1:36 AM
Poem

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


What Washes Up 

What washes up on shore but endless 
pockets of pearlescent sea glass and
a tiki . doll . head . necklace . made of 

sycamore driftwood, drifted so long
that the nose is flattened and nearly

indistinguishable. The eye holes 
are still there. Sort of. Faint.

There are these moments 
sometimes washing up.

…

© David L White
May 22, 2026.
1:16 AM
Poem

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Notice

I’m resigning. Before 
resignation fully sets in.

I’m giving notice. 
It’s been swell.

Sincerely,
Name & emp #

cc: Honored Guests 
HR, Nobel Committee


…

© David L White
May 21, 2026
Poem

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Hot Asphalt 

Apparently, Robert Frost was 
having a mid-death crisis and 
showed up in a flashy little 
sportster with a young and 
supple show-piece roadway.

That’s the spirit, Bob.
Make another difference.

…

Copyright David L White
May 22, 2026
1:23 AM
Poem


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


ADHD 

All 
Due 
Haste, 
Darling 

Now Available 
in Roll On and
Room Atomizer


…

DLW

Anyway … mostly images. And yes, a bigger backup perhaps.

Images, or a picture is worth a thousand words, as we may have heard.

Not all of them, of course. And who is paying attention?

Anyway, this turns into play time for me.

I had thought that I would share more of them with you. And, I have been noting the time and energy that goes into sharing. Audio. Visual. Straight text.

I changed my mind.

And, in the interest of not cluttering the AI Cloud Farms (resource hogs) with images that already exist, I find that I have already started a list of links to writers that have spoken to me.

Love and Hugs,

Verandananda,
You too will be the Swami of the Front Porch Swing
when you sit yourself down and think on these things.

https://www.davidlwhite.org/search?q=verandananda

P.S. As I may have written … I always thought that my Deserted Island Book(s) would be a Big Fat Dictionary/Thesaurus. And, while I am used to talking to myself, it might be a relief to read some perspective. A Big Fat Book of Quotes seems more in order.

Thanks to Rob Brezsny for gathering these quotes that seemed to bring this into focus this morning.

_______________________

Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.
—George Bernard Shaw

Sometimes, being true to yourself means changing your mind. Self changes, and you follow.
—Vera Nazarian

The person who never alters their opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.
—William Blake

The interesting thing is always to see if you can find a fact that will change your mind about something, to test and see if you can.
—Diane Sawyer

Like all weak men he laid an exaggerated stress on not changing one’s mind.
—W. Somerset Maugham

Almost all of my many passionate interests, and my many changes of mind, came through books.
—Annie Dillard

The snake that can’t cast its skin has to die. As well the minds which are prevented from changing their opinions; they cease to be mind.
—Friedrich Nietzsche

I wanted to be a ballerina. I changed my mind.
—Beverly Cleary

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson

Only the strongest people have the pluck to change their minds, and say so, if they see they have been wrong in their ideas.
—Enid Blyton

Do I contradict myself? Very well, then, I contradict myself; I am large — I contain multitudes.
—Walt Whitman

I came from a different mind-set growing up, and my mind has changed.
—Katy Perry

Total loyalty is possible only when fidelity is emptied of all concrete content, from which changes of mind might naturally arise.
—Hannah Arendt

The willingness to change one’s mind in the light of new evidence is a sign of rationality not weakness.
―Stuart Sutherland

…

Thank you!

the sunrise where I live

In the season when my sleep and wake
better matches the sunrise, I may take
pictures of the peekaboo over Tim’s roof.

This morning the flowering crab in the front lawn,
gentle in the breeze, dances through the
still closed, living room drapes

My wife Pat‘s birthday balloon rests on the
back of the love seat, losing helium.

The dancing sun flicks a sheet of rainbow foil
that wrapped the weight of that balloon.

The wall and ceiling dance, like the glass
sculptures of Jack Storms and
gives some of us ideas.

© David L White

May 9, 2026

______________________

______________

Saturday May 9th

This message, again this morning, on another device.

Software Update Available

To install this update, you’ll need to free up more storage space.

What do I do? Create more images.

. Morning Light . Rainbow Foil . Jack Storms Glass Sculpture

. Focus . Distraction . ADHD & Hyper Curiosity

. Zettelkasten . Organization .
Naming . Numbering . Links . Tags

. Strengths Finder 2.0

After the test they give you the top five.
I wonder how to get the full ranking.

My top five are: Ideation . Input . Intellection . Learner . Strategic
And after Strategic is Woo and I am some of that, too.

Table of Contents

_____________ RFD ______________

Happy Saturday.

Cinco de Mayo on Taco Tuesday

And, yes, we had a couple of soft corns
from the Gorditas truck just a block over.

Cinco de Mayo
Five Poems near May
___________________

Hobo Heaven

Wandering at nearly
the speed of the breeze,
simultaneously lost and found,
everything exquisitely placed
and well within reach

How does it get any better?

________

© David L White .
April 11, 2026
Poem

__________

Sandwich

It’s not that
I don’t know. I do.
And I don’t.

It just seems
better than
saying I am
not going to
tell you because
you will not stay
to hear the end.

I might wouldn’t.
Might.
Not.

I do know. Some.
Let’s get a sandwich.
Extra mayo on mine.

…

Monday morning poem
© David L White
April 27, 2026

…

Cashton Westby

Twenty Hundred Twenty and Six
The Very End of March Almost

My Dearest Cashton Westby,

I see you writing
about packing
and moving.

This alerts me a little more than a little. And,
telling you this might indicate that I may not
actually watch the weather … every … day.

Now, I think about lofting a note to your street
… simply to give you something else you could
pack in to your packing, and that seems ….
Well, how can I miss you any more anyway?

Here? As if. Elsewhere?
Always mostly.
Please take me with you.
God. Please.

Before I can even gather my colored pencils,
I realize it’s a month end already and time
to shovel bucket this piece into the box.

Love,
West,
of Mitchell

…

© David L White
March 30, 2026 4:17 PM
Poem

…

Kite Reeling

I practice reeling the leash.
(The kite peoples may have
a technical term.)

All I know is I feel like
skin and bone aloft
in the breeze

grinning, grateful, and
hanging on, with my
hair in slow motion

like a (formerly) very
popular shampoo
commercial.

Oh my look
at those
clouds.

…

Poem
April 29, 2026
Copyright © David L White

…

Alterations

While I have little
reputation or cash
I am willing to wager
that Robert Frost would

come back to us and, maybe
privately perhaps, edit
some of his Road Not Taken

For myself I have noticed
that the thing remains
open to alterations

…

Poem
May 3, 2026
© David L White

Back to the Recent Posts
Scroll down for:
Galleria - a place for some of my images besides your inbox.
Hello Goodbye - an ongoing meditation on death.
Front Porch Swing - random quotations

Hello Goodbye - an ongoing meditation on death.

Front Porch Swing - random quotations

Update: Spring 2026
Here are links to links on some of my favorites.
ShushMouth, our most recent Advisor to the Board showed us some numbers. Scary.

Coming Soon

Poetry Corner

All your identities at the body-mind level have been changing continuously, and none of them has been constant and faithful to you. Why then are you attracted to any of these identities by stating, ‘I am like this’ or ‘I am like that’?

— Nisargadatta Maharaj

…

“Look. Me. Here.”

In answer to the question “why then …”
It is not unlike song bird lyrics, or
the lighthouse keeper noting

clouds, moons, and waves, that
I am also like this … and that.
“Look. Me. Here.”

…

David L White
Monday, April 27, 2026
Birdsong audiovisual arithmetic

…

Change yourself in ways you want others to change
Brainwash yourself before someone nasty beats you to it
Dream up wilder, wetter, more interesting problems
Exaggerate your flaws till they turn into virtues
Brag about what you can’t do and don’t have
Bow down to the greatest mystery you know
Pretend your wounds are exotic tattoos
.
Rob Brezsny

…

“Because the relationship between Self and World is reciprocal, it is not a matter of first getting enlightened or saved and then acting.

As we work to heal the Earth, the Earth heals us.

No one need wait.”

- Joanna Macy

…

“A creative life is a life where you routinely choose the path of curiosity over the path of fear.

Not twice or three times, but daily. Systematically.

It becomes your habit and practice to say, I don’t even know why I’m interested in this, but I’m interested in it, and I’m going to look into it.“

- Elizabeth Gilbert

…

Thinking improves your writing.

Writing improves your thinking.

It’s a feedback loop that compounds over time.

The more you write, the clearer you think.

The clearer you think, the better you write.

AI breaks this loop.

Don’t stop writing.

- Steven Bartlett

…

Sandwich

It’s not that
I don’t know. I do.
And I don’t.

It just seems
better than
saying I am
not going to
tell you because
you will not stay
to hear the end.

I might wouldn’t.
Might.
Not.

I do know. Some.
Let’s get a sandwich.
Extra mayo on mine.

…

Monday morning poem
© David L White
April 27, 2026

I hope you get some mileage out of it - out and back.

______________