Cecil Vortex https://www.cecilvortex.com "...something like the supervisor of an entire team of political agents..." Mon, 16 Feb 2026 06:48:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 She gave me a car https://www.cecilvortex.com/2026/02/she-gave-me-a-car/ https://www.cecilvortex.com/2026/02/she-gave-me-a-car/#respond Mon, 16 Feb 2026 06:48:02 +0000 https://www.cecilvortex.com/?p=2343 She gave me a car and I turned it
into an ashtray. Tapping one hand out

the window the white flakes
floating off onto my pants.
“I saw Dan. He was smoking in the car.”

And I don’t blame anyone. … Read on Macduff...

]]> She gave me a car and I turned it
into an ashtray. Tapping one hand out

the window the white flakes
floating off onto my pants.
“I saw Dan. He was smoking in the car.”

And I don’t blame anyone. … Read on Macduff...

]]> https://www.cecilvortex.com/2026/02/she-gave-me-a-car/feed/ 0 Confession examined https://www.cecilvortex.com/2026/02/confession-examined/ https://www.cecilvortex.com/2026/02/confession-examined/#respond Tue, 03 Feb 2026 14:26:51 +0000 https://www.cecilvortex.com/?p=2335 The trout-spread gluten-free bread 
toast was good
but I’ll be honest with you. 

I experienced it as great. 
And I’m trying to figure out why.

Previously, it had been spectacular. 
The kind of trout-spread gluten-free bread

toast you tell people … Read on Macduff...

]]> The trout-spread gluten-free bread 
toast was good
but I’ll be honest with you. 

I experienced it as great. 
And I’m trying to figure out why.

Previously, it had been spectacular. 
The kind of trout-spread gluten-free bread

toast you tell people … Read on Macduff...

]]> https://www.cecilvortex.com/2026/02/confession-examined/feed/ 0 The Crying of Lot 49, Week 5 https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/11/the-crying-of-lot-49-week-5/ https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/11/the-crying-of-lot-49-week-5/#comments Mon, 03 Nov 2025 03:39:20 +0000 https://www.cecilvortex.com/?p=2328 Here we go, friends!

A mighty showing, one and all! Well done careening collectively toward the finish!

And yes, this is a wee book. But the language is thorny, scenes swirl into each other, the comedy is mixed with some … Read on Macduff...

]]> Here we go, friends!

A mighty showing, one and all! Well done careening collectively toward the finish!

And yes, this is a wee book. But the language is thorny, scenes swirl into each other, the comedy is mixed with some … Read on Macduff...

]]> https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/11/the-crying-of-lot-49-week-5/feed/ 34 Enjoy your day! https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/10/enjoy-your-day/ https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/10/enjoy-your-day/#comments Sat, 01 Nov 2025 00:52:37 +0000 https://www.cecilvortex.com/?p=2323 In Holland back in the 70s
most of the houses didn't do Halloween 
so my mom would drive us around town
looking for lit lanterns in windows.

There might be three or four blocks of driving
before we spotted a … Read on Macduff... ]]> In Holland back in the 70s
most of the houses didn't do Halloween 
so my mom would drive us around town
looking for lit lanterns in windows.

There might be three or four blocks of driving
before we spotted a … Read on Macduff... ]]> https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/10/enjoy-your-day/feed/ 1 The Sea Is Awash with Roses https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/10/the-sea-is-awash-with-roses/ https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/10/the-sea-is-awash-with-roses/#comments Thu, 30 Oct 2025 19:21:32 +0000 https://www.cecilvortex.com/?p=2318 There’s this lovely poem by Kenneth Patchen that I sent out a while back on my lil poem-of-the-day mailing list (aka “The Richard Brautigan poem of the day”).

I sent it out and, you know, sometimes someone writes back, and … Read on Macduff...

]]> There’s this lovely poem by Kenneth Patchen that I sent out a while back on my lil poem-of-the-day mailing list (aka “The Richard Brautigan poem of the day”).

I sent it out and, you know, sometimes someone writes back, and … Read on Macduff...

]]> https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/10/the-sea-is-awash-with-roses/feed/ 1 The Crying of Lot 49 Meander, Week 4 https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/10/the-crying-of-lot-49-meander-week-4/ https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/10/the-crying-of-lot-49-meander-week-4/#comments Mon, 27 Oct 2025 05:29:20 +0000 https://www.cecilvortex.com/?p=2311 Happy Sunday Meanders — we are well and into the home stretch. Just two more tiny weeks to wrap. And yet, and yet: plenty of roadway for anyone who’s behind to catch up and make the lunge to the back … Read on Macduff...

]]> Happy Sunday Meanders — we are well and into the home stretch. Just two more tiny weeks to wrap. And yet, and yet: plenty of roadway for anyone who’s behind to catch up and make the lunge to the back … Read on Macduff...

]]> https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/10/the-crying-of-lot-49-meander-week-4/feed/ 31 Scene from No Kings Day https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/10/scene-from-no-kings-day/ https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/10/scene-from-no-kings-day/#respond Wed, 22 Oct 2025 18:16:12 +0000 https://www.cecilvortex.com/?p=2307 We marched with 20,000 powerful and peaceful protesters last Saturday, through the streets of my favorite town, down over to a space by the lake shore where the crowd could gather.

There was lady leading a great chant near us … Read on Macduff...

]]> We marched with 20,000 powerful and peaceful protesters last Saturday, through the streets of my favorite town, down over to a space by the lake shore where the crowd could gather.

There was lady leading a great chant near us … Read on Macduff...

]]> https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/10/scene-from-no-kings-day/feed/ 0 Man of Action https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/10/the-man-of-action/ https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/10/the-man-of-action/#comments Mon, 20 Oct 2025 22:19:36 +0000 https://www.cecilvortex.com/?p=2293 If I order an egg bite I get
my own little fork
a disposable hand that fits my right hand.

Reading its palm I see a short life. But a good one.

Focus. Focus.

I'm telling you, I'm not sitting … Read on Macduff... ]]> If I order an egg bite I get
my own little fork
a disposable hand that fits my right hand.

Reading its palm I see a short life. But a good one.

Focus. Focus.

I'm telling you, I'm not sitting … Read on Macduff... ]]> https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/10/the-man-of-action/feed/ 1 The Crying of Lot 49 Meander, Week 3 https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/10/the-crying-of-lot-49-meander-week-3/ https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/10/the-crying-of-lot-49-meander-week-3/#comments Mon, 20 Oct 2025 05:18:55 +0000 https://www.cecilvortex.com/?p=2284 I’ve been reading the comments right after I finish each section and that is such a rich dang experience. Thanks for the hellos, for the nuanced takes, for the fact checking and the flights of fancy. And thanks to Pynchon … Read on Macduff...

]]> I’ve been reading the comments right after I finish each section and that is such a rich dang experience. Thanks for the hellos, for the nuanced takes, for the fact checking and the flights of fancy. And thanks to Pynchon … Read on Macduff...

]]> https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/10/the-crying-of-lot-49-meander-week-3/feed/ 47 The Crying of Lot 49 Meander, Week 2 https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/10/the-crying-of-lot-49-meander-week-2/ https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/10/the-crying-of-lot-49-meander-week-2/#comments Mon, 13 Oct 2025 02:22:48 +0000 https://www.cecilvortex.com/?p=2272 When I was a kid there was a TV movie called A Circle of Children, starring tons of ’70s folks, and most especially featuring Albert from Little House on the Prairie, aka Matthew Labyorteaux as Brian O’Connell.

Brian was … Read on Macduff...

]]> When I was a kid there was a TV movie called A Circle of Children, starring tons of ’70s folks, and most especially featuring Albert from Little House on the Prairie, aka Matthew Labyorteaux as Brian O’Connell.

Brian was … Read on Macduff...

]]> https://www.cecilvortex.com/2025/10/the-crying-of-lot-49-meander-week-2/feed/ 51