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@nelson@tech.lgbt
2025-06-24 13:41:56

Calamus 43 O you whom I often
A short and sweet love poem, Whitman at his most writerly. The spare and simple words have a light musicality that's often missing from his more didactic blank verse.
The literal meaning is Whitman telling someone how his very presence inspires feelings of love. It's so short and precise I'm just going to quote the whole poem.
O you whom I often and silently come where you are, that I may be with you,
As I walk by your side, or sit near, or remain in the same room with you,
Little you know the subtle electric fire that for your sake is playing within me.
I love the lack of action. Whitman simply wants to sit in the same room as his beloved, a quiet devotion I appreciate. And that phrase "subtle electric fire". Electric had a different meaning in pre-Edison America but it works both ways.
Mostly this poem is just a lovely mood.
(The linked video and commentary are more than usually good.)

@bammerlaan@mastodon.nl
2025-06-11 15:00:12

My favourite hammock for on our balcony broke and landed me on my ass, last month. Just got around to fixing it with parts of a new lashing strap that's rated for much more weight than me. The hammock itself is still in good shape, so this should last me some more years, now.
(I got the hammock from Kickstarter years ago, in a time when I was still fascinated by that website...

A bright green fabric hammock suspended on a balcony. The hammock is attached to a metal frame at the top, which is then secured to the balcony structure with straps. A black cat is visible lying on the balcony floor near the hammock, and various outdoor furniture and household items are in the background.
Close-up of two white fabric straps with purple stitching where they are looped and attached to carabiners, with a brown strap hanging down in the center. In the background, out of focus, is a light-colored outdoor shade and a glimpse of green trees.
The old strap, with a fix I attempted earlier. Of course, the strap was too short and resulted in a lopsided hammock. A coiled grey or tan strap with a small, dark fabric loop at one end, resting on a pillow with a red and grey plaid pattern.