I’m continuing to find inspiration in Six Memos for the Next Millennium by Italo Calvino. This week I’m looking at Exactitude and Vagueness as contradictory abstractions. Let’s start with some definitions: exactitude: precision, accuracy, meticulousness vagueness: unspecific, imprecise; obscure, hazy, shadowy Calvino uses the symbols of crystal and flame, so I decided to start there.Continue reading “Calvino’s 3rd Memo: Exactitude – Crystal & Flame”
Tag Archives: new poem
Quickly Capturing Lingering Light
It’s amazing how energizing one cool, cloudy day was. Today, was back to hot and sweaty, but it didn’t feel as oppressive. I finally set up my new mobile mirrorworld to my satisfaction, and played with an interesting purple and green light palette. I find it amusing that these random globs of dried hot glueContinue reading “Quickly Capturing Lingering Light”
The Values of Literature
Last week I stumbled upon Italo Calvino’s Six Memos for the Next Millennium which are a series of planned lectures about literary values he was working on when he died. He died before he finished writing the sixth. His six values of literature are: Lightness, Quickness, Exactitude, Visibility, Multiplicity, and Consistency. In each of hisContinue reading “The Values of Literature”
Calm in Agitation and Agitation in Calm
Heron Tree published my poem “Repent” as part of a series of poems created from materials published before 1927. Their call for submissions inspired me to explore a book of fairy tales I’ve had for a long time that was published in 1907. I talked about it in my post A Fun Found Poetry ProjectContinue reading “Calm in Agitation and Agitation in Calm”
THE ANSWER
The Prompt For yesterday’s poetics prompt at the dVerse Poets Pub, Laura challenged us to think about last words and choose some famous last words to inspire our poem. The Poem The Answer “Go on, get out! Last words are for fools who haven’t said enough.” ~ Karl Marx How cruel and yet deliciousall thoseContinue reading “THE ANSWER”
No Contest for Content
Last week I missed my Sunday visual poetry due to a very fun and special family birthday party, so today I’ll be exploring two homographs: Content and Contest. Content & Contest Let’s start with a quick overview of the meanings of our homographs from dictionary.com. Each of these has two pronunciations as well. Content (kon-tent):Continue reading “No Contest for Content”
#SoCS: Clearly Relieved
Relief I’m excited for a little relief today. I’ve had stomach pain the last couple days, so alleviation, ease, or deliverance through the removal of pain, distress, oppression, etc. is greatly appreciated. A rain-free day with some sun is also something affording a pleasing change, as from monotony: release. While thinking about visually creating relief,Continue reading “#SoCS: Clearly Relieved”
The Mixed Mercies of Sleep
Mercy I’m finding this study of abstract nouns fascinating. We think we know what these words mean, but the more I study them, the less clear they become. When I dive into their definitions, I always find something surprising. Mercy has a very interesting definition: compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy,Continue reading “The Mixed Mercies of Sleep”
An Impromptu Combination of Combines
Continuing my Sunday visual poetry, I’m abandoning my magnets for a new overlay idea that goes well with today’s homograph “combine.” Combine As you have probably noticed, I like to unite prompts for a common purpose; many prompts join forces to create one poem. I join many ideas into a close union, creating a newContinue reading “An Impromptu Combination of Combines”
#SoCS: Sticks and Stones and Words
Fragility The quality or state of being easily broken, shattered, damaged, or destroyed: delicate; brittle; frail: vulnerably delicate, as in appearance: lacking in substance or force; flimsy: in a weakened physical state; slight; tenuous: fragility comes to everything and everyone at one point or another. I think of thin, brittle, sheer tissue; skeletal frames; looseContinue reading “#SoCS: Sticks and Stones and Words”
Experience Writing 