Mark Martin Poet Free verse

Detergent Dreams

Surface tension
Third dimension
Imperfect sphere
Rays interfere
Spectral contours
Numbers ensure
Hydroxide base
Light interface

Occam's cutlass
Logic's numbness
Can not destroy
Our childish joy
Ever humble
Soap sud bubble

Magical wide eyed wonder
Capturing a father's heart
Blowing bubbles
Soapy sorcery
Daughter's delight
Laughing
Must hold
Must keep
Must treasure

He stayed her tiny hands
These are our dreams
You cannot destroy them
Look how hope carries them high
The large ones wobble
Then pop under their own weight
The small ones float longer
Simple and sensible
None last forever
Don't cry
There are always more bubbles
Look how they touch 
Some pull apart
They burst
Some pull together
They grow
See the rainbow colours?
There's a pot of gold at the end
And all the bubbles float upwards
To make a castle in the sky
Out of our dreams

But daddy
Soap bubbles are spheres
And have no ends
And no pots of gold
And castles belong on the ground
And they're made of stone
And not of dreams
Silly daddy

He looked at his daughter
And wondered where the years went
Her childhood an ephemeral existence
Of a bubble
The soap had run out
And she had grown up
As we all must


Entry to "utopia and the soap bubble" contest

Written 6th March 2017


Notes:

Soap typically contains either sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) or potassium hydroxide

"Occam's cutlass" is a reference to Occam's razor - the principle that the simplest explanation is often the correct one

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Debbie Duncan June 14, 2017 at 5:23 PM congrats on your win :) Mark Martin June 15, 2017 at 2:21 PM Thanks Debbie! :-)

Kai Michael Neumann April 8, 2017 at 2:48 AM Congratulations Mark, this is marvellous and a 'different' take on the theme. I like your poem. Many wishes, Kai Mark Martin April 10, 2017 at 9:29 AM Thanks Kai! All the best! Mark :-)

Meenakshi Raina April 3, 2017 at 2:33 PM Congratulations on your win!! Mark Martin April 4, 2017 at 2:05 PM Thanks Meenakshi! :-)

Janice Canerdy April 3, 2017 at 8:50 AM This one really touched me--Beautiful! Congrats on your win! Janice Mark Martin April 4, 2017 at 2:04 PM Thanks Janice - glad you enjoyed! :-)

Joanna Daniel March 13, 2017 at 9:21 AM This reads like a winner, Mark:) awesome, a 7:) I don't even know what to write.. Mark Martin March 13, 2017 at 1:44 PM Thanks Jo! :-)

Joseph May March 9, 2017 at 4:54 PM Capturing so many emotions within a bubble..Great write Mark..A7 Mark Martin March 10, 2017 at 3:13 PM Thanks Joseph! :-)

Janice Canerdy March 9, 2017 at 4:04 PM A touching write, Mark--reminds me of "Cat's in the Cradle" by Harry Chapin. Janice Mark Martin March 10, 2017 at 3:12 PM Thanks Janice - just listened to the song on YouTube - haven't heard it for years. All the best! Mark :-)

James Inman March 9, 2017 at 6:27 AM A wonderful write Mark, life in a soap bubble. A great concept. Mark Martin March 9, 2017 at 10:54 AM Thanks James! :-)

Deborah Burch March 7, 2017 at 11:35 AM Brilliant!! Mark this says so much... I especially liked your ref to Occam's Razor ("Occam's cutlas"). Clever ;) well done and best wishes for the contest. Big Hugggs deb Mark Martin March 7, 2017 at 1:46 PM Thanks Deb! Quite enjoyed writing this one. All the best! Mark :-)

Jeanie Bennett March 6, 2017 at 5:48 PM I see bubbles floating out of your words--Precious Mark !! ~~ Jeanie ~~ Mark Martin March 7, 2017 at 1:41 PM Thanks Jeanie! :-)

Andrea Dietrich March 6, 2017 at 3:40 PM gosh, I had no CLUE how to do this challenge, but you took off with it and ran to make a touchdown. The last half for me just got better and better until that awesome last line. I just know this one should SCORE. (me - I won't even try) Mark Martin March 7, 2017 at 1:39 PM Thanks Andrea! Bit of a strange mix "utopia" and "soap bubbles", but still enjoyed the challenge. All the best! Mark :-)