In which asking for help is difficult, who knew

[kaberett]

I have just received a quotation of £500 for repairs to and return shipping of one of my wheels. This is particularly frustrating because the problem started when I was wheeling on a level, even indoor surface (rather than being obviously related to any of the kerb-hopping I do), and consequently is being treated as a mechanical/electrical fault not covered by my insurance. Plus the wretched thing is out of warranty.

This is something I can do out of my savings, with a great deal of stress and a trip to Cambridge and eroding my buffer. Or it's a term's worth of teaching, but I'm not certain I'm going to even get teaching (pay rates increased by a whole 30p/hr, which means that the number of graduate demonstrators has been dramatically reduced, with undergrad TAs taking up some but not all of the slack). And, yeah, I feel pretty dreadful asking for help given that I could cover it, but--

-- if you like my art & essays, and only if you have anything to spare without making things harder for yourself, I would be enormously grateful if you could chuck some money my way. My paypal is kaberett@gmail.com; if you don't like Paypal (entirely understandable!) I can also provide my details for bank transfer (or, you know, work something else out). Currently at approximately £500 - thank you so, so much <3

Regardless of whether you want or are able to chip in on this (really, I mean it <3), comments are open for prompts for poems. They'll likely be shortish and a kissing cousin to flash fiction, but this is true of most of the stuff I write, so.


eta aaaaaaaaaaaah ;____; <333

Comments

[content note: domestic violence, abuse] Love as praxis

[kaberett]

My Urgroßvater left
his wife & children to the war.
My best-beloved Papa hit
his best-beloved spouse
(but only lightly, only sometimes,
and he stopped when she got ill).
My mother suffers silences
and squalor and his sulks.

And I -- oh, I hope to do yet better
and (I will) to learn from all this pain;
decaying leaves leave autumn ghosts
on pavements slick with rain.

Re: [content note: domestic violence, abuse] Love as praxis

[birke]

:like:

Re: [content note: domestic violence, abuse] Love as praxis

[alexseanchai]

I would second the like but content notes. It's a very good poem, and the final image is beautiful.

Re: [content note: domestic violence, abuse] Love as praxis

[davidgillon]

Oh, wow, unexpected and powerful. The first stanza is disturbing in multiple ways, language and imagery both, while the final stanza is just gorgeously beautiful.