The Artist as Lefthander
Stephen Dunn
i noticed that the first line of hte poem is long compared to the others. He talks about sleep, maybe the form of the sentence is refecting his perception of time as a 'dreamer'/ artist?
Following the second sentence, the rest of the stanza is composed of short, choppy sentences. All of these short sentences seem to be mundane, plane things that he doesn't find imporant. i believe that the formation of these sentences, short and choppy, are also a reflection and expression of the mundane characteristics of the thigns he describes.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Calisthenics -- Week 5
Another Erika Meitner Exercise: Finding new vocabulary about a topic you know nothing about
wine tasting vocabulary
wine tasting vocabulary
Aroma or bouquet: The smell of a wine. Bouquet applies particularly to the aroma of older wines.
Body: The apparent weight of a wine in your mouth (light, medium, or full)
Crisp: A wine with refreshing acidity
Dry: Not sweet
Finish: The impression a wine leaves as you swallow it
Flavor intensity: How strong or weak a wine’s flavors are
Fruity: A wine whose aromas and flavors suggest fruit; does not imply sweetness
Oaky: A wine that has oak flavors (smoky, toasty)
Soft: A wine has a smooth rather than crisp mouthfeel
Tannic: A red wine that is firm and leaves the mouth feeling dry
junkyard -- week 5
All of these are coming from free writes that i've done in my paperback journal.
1) Not a sound byt my shoes
asking themselves over and over
where have you been?
where are you going?
slipknot
chain two
shoes laces knoted and footsteps toungtied
old coverses weathered and written.
Reminders of where we've been and a fuzzy reflectino of where we're going.
Its all a reflection
right, wrong. left right.
but regardless, it's all nsynch
2) At the Lab, Eve picks muschedines.
She sucks the goop from the middle
of the fruit for morning snacks and leaves
the skin on the concret to be walked upon
by freshly woken barefeet.
At the Lab Jesus wears a soiled face and thick glasses
he spits falloc insinuations
and curses you for ruining the, Lab.
It's been saged, but there are still hints of sex that linger
in the air. Cramed int he cracks of the warped front door.
3) At the Lab, Mary dances with wiled hair
and an Ameican flag foled three times
and tied around here head
Third Eye covered, and eyes closed.
Soiled hands flailing in the air soiled with Mother's residue.
4) Pride is a new sweater made from old couch tapestires.
Couch skeletons made play stages for latenight imporv shows.
The spot light is on the ones who stumble on stage
and stutter on the megaphone.
1) Not a sound byt my shoes
asking themselves over and over
where have you been?
where are you going?
slipknot
chain two
shoes laces knoted and footsteps toungtied
old coverses weathered and written.
Reminders of where we've been and a fuzzy reflectino of where we're going.
Its all a reflection
right, wrong. left right.
but regardless, it's all nsynch
2) At the Lab, Eve picks muschedines.
She sucks the goop from the middle
of the fruit for morning snacks and leaves
the skin on the concret to be walked upon
by freshly woken barefeet.
At the Lab Jesus wears a soiled face and thick glasses
he spits falloc insinuations
and curses you for ruining the, Lab.
It's been saged, but there are still hints of sex that linger
in the air. Cramed int he cracks of the warped front door.
3) At the Lab, Mary dances with wiled hair
and an Ameican flag foled three times
and tied around here head
Third Eye covered, and eyes closed.
Soiled hands flailing in the air soiled with Mother's residue.
4) Pride is a new sweater made from old couch tapestires.
Couch skeletons made play stages for latenight imporv shows.
The spot light is on the ones who stumble on stage
and stutter on the megaphone.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Free Entry -- Week 5
White paper bags steamed stiff for suffercating.
Collections of the same black cobra hung neatly in you walk-in
waiting to be knotted around your neck parallel
to backbone
squeezing everything closed because the information you choose to swallow goes down
like sand, heating in your throat. React to discomfort
pull the cobra tighter around your neck
because sand heats under pressure turing to glass.
Transparent.
Spit up the shards of glass decorating those around you. Sparkling with truth for the devil to see. He's been waiting to feast.
Collections of the same black cobra hung neatly in you walk-in
waiting to be knotted around your neck parallel
to backbone
squeezing everything closed because the information you choose to swallow goes down
like sand, heating in your throat. React to discomfort
pull the cobra tighter around your neck
because sand heats under pressure turing to glass.
Transparent.
Spit up the shards of glass decorating those around you. Sparkling with truth for the devil to see. He's been waiting to feast.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Improv-ing -- Week 4
Helen of Troy Does Countertop Dancing
I actually really enjoyed this poem. It's an interesting perspective. I never thought that anyone could convince me that countertop dancing could be justified or empowering. It's a new way of looking at freedom. She almost makes it a holy thing. " like preachers, i sell a vision". She also calls out the people who look down upon her. Her response to the women who tell her that she is trashy and needs to gain self respect was pretty awesome. From the poet's perspective, the people who follow the popular idea of self respect are the ones selling themselves out and living boring flat lives. Very interesting perspective. Atwood dehumanizes the women who attempt to dehumanize her, but her argument seems to have a little bit more backbone behind it and it's not a robotic expression of disagreement.
I actually really enjoyed this poem. It's an interesting perspective. I never thought that anyone could convince me that countertop dancing could be justified or empowering. It's a new way of looking at freedom. She almost makes it a holy thing. " like preachers, i sell a vision". She also calls out the people who look down upon her. Her response to the women who tell her that she is trashy and needs to gain self respect was pretty awesome. From the poet's perspective, the people who follow the popular idea of self respect are the ones selling themselves out and living boring flat lives. Very interesting perspective. Atwood dehumanizes the women who attempt to dehumanize her, but her argument seems to have a little bit more backbone behind it and it's not a robotic expression of disagreement.
free entry week 4
the door oof the donjon is old
weathered and warped, and there is a drop six feet below sea level when open.
Be careful.
Inside there is a flat screen TV, HD, or disney movie nights. Movies are always in black and white and
Covered in snow.
Hazy.
Snow white lectures about my Knight in shining armor.
He's coming to save you, she says.
But i stare blank at the TV
lost in my own wonderland scheming of ways to escape Pandora's Box
I could shrink down to the size of a pin needle and ride my matress down to the bottom and land in the ocean with the fish. I could chop my locs off and shine my head clean. I'll make my own rope
Slipknot.
Chain thirteen.
Yarn over, and half-double crochet in third chain from hook
repeat. and that makes twelve
weathered and warped, and there is a drop six feet below sea level when open.
Be careful.
Inside there is a flat screen TV, HD, or disney movie nights. Movies are always in black and white and
Covered in snow.
Hazy.
Snow white lectures about my Knight in shining armor.
He's coming to save you, she says.
But i stare blank at the TV
lost in my own wonderland scheming of ways to escape Pandora's Box
I could shrink down to the size of a pin needle and ride my matress down to the bottom and land in the ocean with the fish. I could chop my locs off and shine my head clean. I'll make my own rope
Slipknot.
Chain thirteen.
Yarn over, and half-double crochet in third chain from hook
repeat. and that makes twelve
Junkyard -- week 4
" i don't have a friend who feels at ease"
-- An American Tune Paul Simon (referenced in an essay written by my Art and Therapy professor Larry Schor)
" ... for me it is still living and dying and shaped and shaping every day." Larry Schor on his experience at ground zero in 2001
"There's an unceasing wind that blows through this night
There's dust in my eyes that blinds my sight
There's a silence that speaks so much louder than words
Of promises broken"
-- Pink Floyd
"Every nerve in my body is so vacant and numb
i can't even remember what it was
I came here to ge away from
Don't even hear a murmur of prayer
It's not dark yet, but it's getting there".
--Bob Dylan
All of these quotes came from the essay that my professor, Dr. Larry Schor wrote about his experience during and after his time at ground zero in 2001 entitled What help have I to Give? A therapist's journey to Ground Zero. It's stuck with me and i'm still trying to find a way to use his experiences to write a poem because he paints such an elaborate picture of his experience and his observations of others. I was thinking that i could use the terminology from the carpentry that i found as well as some of the terminology that i know form crocheting to write something about 9/11.
-- An American Tune Paul Simon (referenced in an essay written by my Art and Therapy professor Larry Schor)
" ... for me it is still living and dying and shaped and shaping every day." Larry Schor on his experience at ground zero in 2001
"There's an unceasing wind that blows through this night
There's dust in my eyes that blinds my sight
There's a silence that speaks so much louder than words
Of promises broken"
-- Pink Floyd
"Every nerve in my body is so vacant and numb
i can't even remember what it was
I came here to ge away from
Don't even hear a murmur of prayer
It's not dark yet, but it's getting there".
--Bob Dylan
All of these quotes came from the essay that my professor, Dr. Larry Schor wrote about his experience during and after his time at ground zero in 2001 entitled What help have I to Give? A therapist's journey to Ground Zero. It's stuck with me and i'm still trying to find a way to use his experiences to write a poem because he paints such an elaborate picture of his experience and his observations of others. I was thinking that i could use the terminology from the carpentry that i found as well as some of the terminology that i know form crocheting to write something about 9/11.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Improv-ing -- week 3
Going Down.
We talked about Quisiera Declarar this week in class. I noticed that it's thirteen senentence poem broken up into lines that take up three pages of the book. On the other hand, Going Down in made up of eleven lines and takes up a little more than half the page. The poem is a little more choppy. I noticed that the senetences towards the beginning of the chapter are a lot shorter (especially the first three lines). As the poem moves down the page the sentences get longer, but they're still broken up with commas.
We talked about Quisiera Declarar this week in class. I noticed that it's thirteen senentence poem broken up into lines that take up three pages of the book. On the other hand, Going Down in made up of eleven lines and takes up a little more than half the page. The poem is a little more choppy. I noticed that the senetences towards the beginning of the chapter are a lot shorter (especially the first three lines). As the poem moves down the page the sentences get longer, but they're still broken up with commas.
calisthenics -- Week 3
One of Erika's suggestions during class was to choose a topic that you konw nothing about, do some research and find new, interesting vocabulary to use for poetry.
I chose carpentry.
Two basic types of tools: Hand-guided and Power Based
hand guided tools: chisels, hand saws, framing hammer
Power based tools: circularr saws, electric drills and framing nailers
These tools are used to shape sheet and blocks of wood to correct dimensions for the structure you are ceating.
The function is to cut, thin width and create holes and crooves in the structure.
Some historical tools: The Auger – hand tool with threaded shank and cross handle used for oring holes in wood or ice; a drill bit. The were used for making wagon wheels and musical instruments
Spokeshaves and drawknives were used to shape wooded bowls and wooden chair seats.
Saftey precautions: make sure blades are sharp and guards are in place. Wear saftey glasses and make sure chords are out of the way.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Junkyard -- Week 3
1) White paper bags steamed stiff for suffercating.
2) Collections of the same black cobra hung neatly in your walk-in waiting to be knotted around your neck parallel to your backbone ready to attack.
3) Like a bagworm that's lost its bag
I made an attept to find my host
as soon as i arrived
to guess at the construction of body politics.
The elementary strucutre of the symbolic process.
Focusing as if by a will of its own. It's a process.
The so-called internal
makes a request for the dream oracle.
We've got something for you to sit in Lady Oracle.
4) The Bag Lady lost Chanel and made an attempt to find another host.
Walking hard like she's hacking away the concrete with her
red peg leg shoes and roach killing toes;
The construction of body politics
2) Collections of the same black cobra hung neatly in your walk-in waiting to be knotted around your neck parallel to your backbone ready to attack.
3) Like a bagworm that's lost its bag
I made an attept to find my host
as soon as i arrived
to guess at the construction of body politics.
The elementary strucutre of the symbolic process.
Focusing as if by a will of its own. It's a process.
The so-called internal
makes a request for the dream oracle.
We've got something for you to sit in Lady Oracle.
4) The Bag Lady lost Chanel and made an attempt to find another host.
Walking hard like she's hacking away the concrete with her
red peg leg shoes and roach killing toes;
The construction of body politics
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Calisthenics -- Week 2
Class room exercise: Sonnet
There are those who say that the sky is bluer on the other side. There are those who say that we all have our own unique, DNA. But i know that the pebbles drown in the grass and never see the muck and the mire and not the baby blue sky.
There are those who say that the sky is bluer on the other side. There are those who say that we all have our own unique, DNA. But i know that the pebbles drown in the grass and never see the muck and the mire and not the baby blue sky.
Improv-ing -- Week 2
The Lesson
Maya Angelou
I keep on dying again.
Veins collapse, opening like the
Small fists of sleeping
Children.
Memory of old tombs,
rotting flesh and worms do
not convince me against the challenge. The years
And cold defeat live deep in
Lines across my face.
They dull my eyes, yet i keep on dying
Because i love to live.
----------
Snapshots woven deep in
the matted coils that reside on my crown.
All 98 of them.
Chest stinging with the anxiety
I am only human
commonly overlooked like the
Right Answer.
Shave my head and shine it clean
Crocheting courage from the dreaded
coils that fall to the ground.
Recycle, reuse
It'll grow anew.
Maya Angelou
I keep on dying again.
Veins collapse, opening like the
Small fists of sleeping
Children.
Memory of old tombs,
rotting flesh and worms do
not convince me against the challenge. The years
And cold defeat live deep in
Lines across my face.
They dull my eyes, yet i keep on dying
Because i love to live.
----------
Snapshots woven deep in
the matted coils that reside on my crown.
All 98 of them.
Chest stinging with the anxiety
I am only human
commonly overlooked like the
Right Answer.
Shave my head and shine it clean
Crocheting courage from the dreaded
coils that fall to the ground.
Recycle, reuse
It'll grow anew.
Free Entry -- Week 2
Toss it over your shoulder and
lick the salt off your fingers.
Criss-cross. Good Luck.
Forced air mixed with purkulating lips.
Expression.
Lips purkulating with mixed air.
Forced Freedom.
Slosh the salt water behind your lips
Radioactive isotopes for inactive thyroids.
Open your throught.
Thought.
Magic grounds for easy consompution.
Digest.
Mixed with the magic fluid.
gargle
spit.
Speak.
lick the salt off your fingers.
Criss-cross. Good Luck.
Forced air mixed with purkulating lips.
Expression.
Lips purkulating with mixed air.
Forced Freedom.
Slosh the salt water behind your lips
Radioactive isotopes for inactive thyroids.
Open your throught.
Thought.
Magic grounds for easy consompution.
Digest.
Mixed with the magic fluid.
gargle
spit.
Speak.
Junkyard -- Week 2
"It's not hard to fall when you float like a cannonball." -- Damien Rice
" Battered Bleak of brain all drained of brillance in the dear light of the zoo." -- Howl
" Understand that the body is the foam of the wave"
"Like the dinosour he had the power witout the ability to change, strength without the capacity to learn."
"Conformity, it would seem, is being elevated into something akin to a religion."
"Existence VIP"
" Battered Bleak of brain all drained of brillance in the dear light of the zoo." -- Howl
" Understand that the body is the foam of the wave"
"Like the dinosour he had the power witout the ability to change, strength without the capacity to learn."
"Conformity, it would seem, is being elevated into something akin to a religion."
"Existence VIP"