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This week, the poetry of Polychrome Heroics is on sale for half price from Monday, April 20 through Sunday, April 26. This series is superhero fantasy. It features themes of heroism, coming of age, diversity, identity kink, family of choice, friendship, and cultural engineering. Sale prices range from $5 to $319, so hopefully there will be something for everyone.

Prices on open epics are locked at the time of opening; however, if anyone wants to donate to open epics and buy poetry, spending $100 will get you the quarter-price rate on the new poems, regardless of the rate on the open epic(s) you support. There are no open epics at present, so you may open one if you wish.

We are repeating the special discount for purchases of $100 or more, in which you get poetry at 25% of its original price instead of 50%. (Note that this increases the amount of poetry you get, rather than reducing the amount of money spent; the point is to get this stuff off of my desk. Yes, I can afford it.) That size of donation also makes you a k-fan which comes with some other perks, like a year-end collection of a poetic series. If several folks want to bundle their orders to make the $100 threshold and have one person send it all, that's okay; you'll get the discount and I'll list all your names as donors, but you'll have to decide amongst you who gets the k-fan credit. If you host a pool, please close it the day before the sale closes, so you have time to collect funds and turn them in on time.

Some of the poems are in sequence of related action, so in places there are prerequisites before a poem can be published. They can be sponsored at any time, just might have to wait for publication until something else gets posted first. Those are marked accordingly. I have also made lists of poems which unlock sequels, and poems which have prerequisites.


Linkback perk: The following poems have verses left to reveal. Boost the signal for this half-price sale and tell me which poem you want to extend.
"A Sense of Weather Changes"
"The Loving Embrace of Night"
"Generations of Cooks Past"
"Homefree and Clear "
"One Bite at a Time"
"Mishpocha"
"Changing Your Nature"
"Besa"





About characters and storylines: The storylines feature multiple characters, so if you want poems about ONE specific character, look closely. The thumbnail descriptions here give some indication who features in each poem. The storyline pages are adding precise, complete information about which characters appear in each poem. If you need more than what's already visible, you can ask me.

About timing: If you want maximum choice, shop early. We usually send a batch of things to my father near the end of a sale, and those poems will be posted as I have time.

About pools: Yes, you can combine your funds with other prompters to get the quarter-price rate. Yes, you can combine your funds with other prompters to buy a bigger poem. Yes, you can offer to match donations by other people. However, the wordsmith is not also a math whiz! After several attempts to find a way that I can work with pools and matches, I have concluded that this is over my head. (I did figure out how to avoid generating fractional pennies, though: all initial prices are now whole dollars, which means they cut evenly into halves and quarters.) So if you want to host a pool or a match, make a post for that in your blog or other venue, then comment here with what you're doing and include a link to wherever the discussion will be. You figure out the poems, you collect the funds, and when stuff is fully funded, you send me the money and the list of what it's for. Then I'll post the goodies. Please close the pool in time to collect donations by the end of the sale, so I can start posting pool poems no later than the day after the sale.

Before placing your order, please check this sale page to see what is still unsold! I will try to update the page as things sell, and it's likely to be the case that some poems will be marked SOLD before appearing in posts. People often buy things in batches, which means that selling gets ahead of posting. Also sometimes people ask for the same thing at the same time, so that not all overlaps are preventable. If you have alternate instructions in case you request something that has just sold, please include that in your message; otherwise I'll email you back and ask what you want to do.


Poems that unlock sequels: "Where You Find Light," "When You Learn to Read," "Your Emotional Abilities"

Poems that have prerequisites: "When You Learn to Read," "No Faster or Firmer Friendships," "A Beautiful Paradox"
 

FOR SALE
25 poems, $3,109 ÷ 2 = $1,554.50
prices from $5 to $319


THE BIG ONE (4 poems, was $794, sale price $397)

"Our Homemade Safety Nets"
Story Date: 2016-2017
Summary: Blainn never intended to stay in Mercedes -- or anywhere -- but it has turned out better than he expected.
364 lines, was $182, sale price $91

These poems form a triptych, to be posted in order:

"Where You Find Light"
Story Date: Early June, 2016
Summary: Josué and Aidan set up a house for earthquake refugees, complete with books.
422 lines, was $211, sale price $105.50

"When You Learn to Read"
Story Date: Monday, June 13, 2016
Summary: Josué reads aloud to refugee children.
286 lines, was $143, sale price $71.50

"No Faster or Firmer Friendships"
Story Date: Monday, June 13, 2016
Summary: Josué and Maria-Vera read together.
515 lines, was $258, sale price $129


KRAKEN (3 poems, was $154, sale price $77)

"The Frequent Passage from Hand to Hand"
Story Date: April 2002
Summary: Kraken appreciates BookCrossing.
56 lines, was $20, sale price $10

"Filled with Things You Don't Know"
Story Date: Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Summary: Marjane works on library decor and gets a new assistant.
98 lines, was $49, sale price $24.50

"Lágrimas da Floresta Tropical"
Story Date: Monday, November 17, 2014
Summary: Pinion and Camberhawk team up with Kayapó forest guardians to stop a logging incursion.
170 lines, was $85, sale price $42.50


RUTLEDGE (5 poems, was $867, sale price $433.50)

"Nothing Like Looking"
Story Date: Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Summary: Aria visits Rutledge as part of Many Paths Up the Mountain.
466 lines, was $233, sale price $116.50

"Your Emotional Abilities"
Story Date: Saturday, May 30, 2015
Summary: Amethyst gives Johan some ideas about accommodations that might help cope with his current challenges.
366 lines, was $183, sale price $91.50

"Shag Carpet Cuddles"
Story Date: June 2015
Summary: The Vermont Shag Carpet Cats love snuggling with people.
19 lines, was $10, sale price $5

"A Beautiful Paradox"
Story Date: Friday, June 5, 2015
Summary: Johan loses his temper
259 lines, was $130, sale price $65
Available for posting after "Your Emotional Abilities" has been sponsored and published.

"Learning New Skills"
Story Date: Sunday, June 12, 2016
Summary: Wrenley Immen teaches her new neighbor about gardening.
311 lines, was $311, sale price $155.50
Double price for research.


SHIV (5 poems, was $264, sale price $132)

"The Graffiti of the Rich"
Story Date: Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Summary: When someone paints over a graffit wall, Shiv leaves a pointed message.
28 lines, was $15, sale price $7.50

"Let the Glass Make Itself"
Story Date: Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Summary: Dale Chihuly rebuilds after the Big One.
45 lines, was $20, sale price $10

"An Expression That Crosses Boundaries"
Story Date: Saturday, July 9, 2016
Summary: Shiv and Pain's Gray make treats to celebrate Rutledge setting up a teleport hub, and they visit Kardal at the Syrian Foods truck.
236 lines, was $118, sale price $59

"Always Guided by Passion"
[Morning of Saturday, September 17, 2016]
Summary: Shiv discusses graffiti with Bo-Art and Creamjeans.
51 lines, was $20, sale price $10

"Never Turn Your Back"
Story Date: Thursday, October 6, 2016
Summary: An incident at college leaves Shiv striving to rescue a classmate.
182 lines, was $91, sale price $45.50


OTHER POLYCHROME POEMS (8 poems, was $1978, sale price $989)

"The Four Marks of True Repentance"
Story Date: Monday, August 13, 2013
Summary: Three former child soldiers move to America.
953 lines, was $477, sale price $238.50

"When Everyone Around You Has Theirs Bowed"
Story Date: Sunday, April 6, 2014
Summary: Therapy for men's genital injury tends to focus on loss, but Marvis Willing knows the proud history of eunuchs.
304 lines, was $152, sale price $76

"Let's Go on This Journey Together"
Story Date: Monday, September 29, 2014
Summary: After breaking his arm, Linus gets a lot of support from his friends.
638 lines, was $638, sale price $319
Double price for research.

"Hear a Thousand Stars Singing"
Story Date: Night of Sunday, October 25, 2015
Summary: Fascinated by the idea of becoming a robonaut, Quain takes up stargazing.
28 lines, was $15, sale price $7.50

"Far Stronger Links"
Story Date: Friday, September 4, 2015
Summary: A coworker's loss inspires support at work.
515 lines, was $258, sale price $129

"Aim a Little Above It"
Nagi deals with a young man who tries to rob her.
260 lines, was $130, sale price $65

"Formidable Tasks of Adaptation"
Story Date: Sunday, March 20, 2016
Summary: Denim has had enough of her parents' shit.
359 lines, was $180, sale price $90

"Upholding It, Wherever Found"
Story Date: Thursday, November 3, 2016
Summary: Gail Somerville works for Interpol, but feels increasingly uncomfortable with it.
256 lines, was $128, sale price $64

Today is mostly sunny and cool.

I fed the birds. I've seen several house finches and a fox squirrel.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 4/20/26 -- I planted a flat parsley and a curly parsley in a trough pot, then sowed both kinds of parsley seeds around them.

EDIT 4/20/26 -- I planted two million bells in the barrel garden, one solid red and the other streaked in shades of yellow and orange.

I planted the solid black petunia and the black-and-yellow pom-pom petunia in one pot of black pansies, and the burgundy oxalis in another pot of black pansies.

EDIT 4/20/26 -- In one white pot, I planted two portulaca, one yellow and the other orange streaked. In another white pot, I planted two more portulaca, one pink-and-white striped and the other solid white.

EDIT 4/20/26 -- I planted two pots, each with four dianthus pinks around a dusty miller artemesia. One set of dianthus is white with pink streaks, the other pink with a darker center.

EDIT 4/20/26 -- I planted the two white owl pots. One has two dark purple torenia and a dusty miller artemesia. The other has a purple-and-yellow million bells, a purple-and-white nemesia, and a dusty miller artemesia.

EDIT 4/20/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 4/20/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 4/20/26 -- I watered all the newly planted things.

I finished planting the older flat of flowers. I did not finish the newer flat, but I'm down to clusters for two pots: one yellow and white flowers, one shades of pink, red-violet, and burgundy. Not bad for a day's work.

Spring is a perfect time to start a nature journal. I've been talking about it with some friends so I wanted to share some resources here. It doesn't have to be fancy. It can have text, art, photos, pressed leaves, whatever you want to include. There are different approaches; all of them are good. Grab a blank book with plain or lined pages as you prefer, something to write or draw with, and head out to your yard, garden, or a nearby park.

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Today is partly sunny, breezy, and cool. There is a frost warning for tonight, so I'm doing non-planting tasks today.

I set out my flats of plants to get some sun.

EDIT 4/19/26 -- I fed the birds. I've seen a few house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 4/19/26 -- I wanted to waterseal the solid-top pallet today. But while I was trying to lay out the dropcloth for that, the wind picked up so much that it wouldn't lay still no matter how I weighted the edges or middle. I had to give up and undo everything. >_< Frustrating.

EDIT 4/19/26 -- I started finishing the apothecary cabinet that I plan to use as a spice cabinet. It has doors over the shelves to block light. We set up the worktable in the garden shed and covered it with a garbage bag, then set the cabinet on top. I used an old hand towel to spread the finish, which is made of orange oil and beeswax, very pleasant to work with. I wanted something reasonably natural for a spice cabinet, although it doesn't need a finish meant for food preparation like butcher block wax. I spread on a very thin coat over the top and sides, and that will need some time to dry before I do another section. I still need to coat the inside and the back. While I don't have the woodworking skills of my parents and grandparents, I did pick up the "assistant" level skills, so I'm very pleased that I still know how to finish a piece of furniture that someone else constructed. :D

EDIT 4/19/26 -- I did more work on the apothecary cabinet, covering the inside with the door open. It turns out there will be very little work to do on the back, as much of that space is covered by a thin fiberboard to minimize weight, which doesn't need to be waxed. Progress!

EDIT 4/19/26 -- We did some stick pickup in the south lot. We filled the wagon, mostly with big dead stems from field weeds. We're about halfway down the south lot now, just past the apricot tree.

I've seen more house finches, a few sparrows, a pair of cardinals, a brown-headed cowbird, and a fox squirrel.

EDIT 4/19/26 -- I finished the back of the cabinet. The waxing is done. \o/ I'll let that dry overnight. Tomorrow I'll buff it with a dry cloth, and then it should be ready to hang.

EDIT 4/19/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 4/19/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 4/19/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

As it is now dark, I am done for the night.

This is the freebie for the April 2026 crowdfunding Creative Jam. It was inspired by fan art from gs_silva, plus comments on "Walnut Park" from chanter1944, wispfox, and readera. It also fills the "match" square in my 4-1-26 card for the Flower Fest Bingo. This poem belongs to the Broken Angels thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.

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