and now it is raining men.

“What are you looking for in a typewriter?” the salesman asked. “Something more then words,” I replied. “Crystals. I want to send my readers armloads of crystals, some of which are the colors of orchids and peonies, some of which pick up radio signals from a secret city that is half Paris and half Coney Island.” Tom Robbins, Still Life With a Woodpecker

Before I begin anything I would like to present an excerpt from a poetics statement I was asked to come up with as recently as May. It goes like this:

"3. How to Construct a Poem and its description and somewhat function

Well, dear student this is completely up to you. I cannot tell you exactly how to construct your own poem or it would be my poem, wouldn’t it? I can, however give you suggestions. If it is your proverbial “bag” you may, in your research of the traditional forms of poetry, simply copy the construction of it, adding in your own chosen words. This is where I mention the word index again. You may reference it if need be. Another exercise to explore is one of thievery. No, you didn’t guess it. We are not going to venture to the predestined seven/eleven down the street and “knock it over”, we are going to attempt to appropriate language. Thus, chose a passage from anywhere, be it a newspaper article, novel, a book meant for a child, the back of a cereal box, a receipt, the list goes on, and make a poem out of it. Scratch out words; rearrange them, on the surface of their home or where you have held them hostage. Also, a close cousin to this exercise, and also one of my pet choices when constructing a poem: chose a passage from any of the above and, while isolating each specimen (word) write down the first thing that passes through your cranium, or think of its connotation. For example: I am currently looking at the word “beating”. The first thing that comes to my mind is “Michael Jackson” thanks to his beloved song “beat it.” The poem must therefore: 1) Be absolutely everything while nothing and anything. 2) Play with word connotation. 3) Play with syntax. 4) Hold ambiguity while being as clear as possible. Allow your reader frustration in or to allow them to ask questions. 5) Hold both simplicity and complication. 6) Be in constant rebellion of that which has preceded it. So you see, a poem must hold opposition, in order to evoke meaning. It must dwell in possibility."

The aforementioned poetics statement was written as a hand book. I had titled it: "How to Write a Poem." It is supposed to embody many of my thoughts and motives and concepts of how I write and consider poetry. hopefully the posting of the above excerpt not only gives an impression of the questions I ask myself while I write, but also what is important to me during the writing process.

Now. Here is an verse from a poem and/or overall series I will aspire to publish in a DIY manner:

"Verse two
How You Have Gotten Here
“While you walked east, I have walked west and I had fallen and found a gentleman. A gentleman with a beard and feet who had turned apples into flowers to hang around the cactus thorns. We, the gentleman and I, walked to the end of the desert and back, placing flowers hung by strings to the arms and legs of the cactus’ surrounding us. In all our bravery, we hung them, throughout the petals and storm water stored within the stems, baring winter teeth. The gentleman and I then ran. We ran and escaped that which covered us, that which we found you, almost raised, at the foot of the canyon, a little past the oasis, keeping us from being covered.”

So the above was from a poem I'd like to call: "And of Deserts and Flowers and Verses of our Journey near the Harvest Moon." And I'm working on a poem now that is to be in the same series, only it will be about about cities. I have other titles but I'm not going to tell you.

Another thing: I tend to make things that look or feel old. Meditative things. Or objects - books. I would like to think that the circular style of writing that I aspire to aids the writings meditative motive. Here are some pictures next to and under this paragraph. They are of a book with a pouch and a map. The book is filled with poems concerning gestures written in a style similar to the verse above and the map correlates with the writing in the books, adding to a feeling of meditation (in order to find something?) and the pouch was made to allow travel, which ended up referencing some sort of pilgrimage and the walking the labyrinth.



And now I've just realized that I tend to write about journeys. I don't know what to think about that. Or how to improve upon my work just yet but I will someday. When I get feedback. And hopefully you know me a little bit more, know my intentions for the class, how I feel about my work and what it means to me. Hopefully I will be able to shy away from the posted tendencies and find new ways to think about and create art.
okay.
Thank you, little sun rays!