Monday, April 13, 2026

And When There are No Breaks...No Down Time...You Carry On Anyway. Bring on the Bonanza of a Crazy Week After a Weekend with Little Personal Time

Well, I lost Sunday to service obligations on campus and welcoming admitted students. That, and I was on a grading marathon, as well as planning hoopla, so another week can go as it will. Welcome to week 11 of a Spring semester, where the obligations pile on, the students are frazzled with the work expected of them, and we must carry the torch to guide them to personal success. 

Wipe sweat from brow. It's easy to be fried at this time of year, and for someone who taught two sections in the winter session - one with zero to no holiday time off - and, well, you have Bryan. I'm trying and I think that was on my mind when working through yesterday's love letter, #VerseLove, day-12 prompt. I wanted to write Sisyphus a letter, but ended up simply writing a poem, trying to find humor in the crazy that is my life right now. 

I'm trying.

And this week is trying.

And this semesters has been trying, but I'm doing my best. 

Well, I Tried 

b.r. crandall


For a while Sisyphus

was my wingman, 

but he moved to Boulder last year

to pick seeds from his teeth.

Lives on Strawberry Mountain now 

& left all the absurdity to me. 


There are only so many costumes 

a guy can wear to make 

the hill more interesting

(& Lin-Manuel Miranda’s advice

grew old real fast). Not everything

can be a musical. 


I knew I probably should call Job 

(well, J.B., he’s been J.B. 

since childhood when he, 

like the others, didn’t show up to

my 3rd grade birthday party), 

& I listened carefully, as

all his options had changed. 


(We all know how that goes).


That’s when, I immediately pressed 0.

For a second, thought I got God

& my faith would be restored, 

but it turned out to be a joke. 


It was Odin & his crows. again.

“An eye for eye,” he said laughing.

“I'll transfer you”


“Hi, this is Loki,” the new voice said.

“How can I help you?” (oh, brother).


I told him about my day, my week,

my work, my life, & how I was

in need for a little more meaning.


The stupid bastard hung up on me. 


& of course I called back. 


I’ve been waiting on hold ever since.

A Cascade Poem from a Tuesday Event (Written on Tax Day) Which I Wrote About Yesterday. Putting a Bow on Another Grant for Now. Now to the Next One.

I’m always thankful to learn a new poetic forms, and remain delighted to see how the formalities actually tighten language, structuring new ...