Ordinary Magic (Poem Crazy 12) Blog #10

“We must not allow the clock and the calendar to blind us to the fact that each moment of life is a miracle and mystery.”
                                                                                 ― H.G. Wells

I love this quote from H.G.Wells; it always makes me think of the ordinary magic celebrations in Poem Crazy and all the ideas we have been reading. I love the relation of things in new and unexpected ways, and the idea that if we are open to all of the life that is around us we can live in a constant state of amazement.  As I journal and write this I am drawn to thinking of Lewis Carroll and Alice in Wonderland, so much of our life has to do with perspective.  We can see things one way, and if we wait a moment and cock our head slightly we can see it in a whole new way.  Life is a miracle and a mystery; so much to explore and experience.  So many tiny celebrations to create throughout each day! So don't waste a minute...get busy and blog about the celebration you created from practice 12 or the poem you created inspired by your celebration.

Poem in Response to the News Blog #9

This week I would like you to read or listen to a bit of news. Things that are happening in our world, our country, our state, our county, our town etc.  Then in response to what you have read or seen, I would like you to write a poem.

On your blog I would like you to post the poem and the event which inspired you to write the particular poem.

Below is an example of a poem written about the Paris bombings by Karuna Ezara Parikh and was shared on  Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Blog # 8 Image Poem Poem Crazy Practice 6

I love art...I am jealous of all who can create it! Some of my greatest memories are of spending time communing with great art.  While in the South of France I visited Matisse's studio/gallery...while in Amsterdam I had the pleasure of seeing the Cezanne exhibit, and another time a Van Gogh one...great art speaks to my soul.  I loved afternoons at the National...their postcards section is phenomenal and an afternoon with Van Gogh's sunflowers...well they are my favorite flower.☺ The Espace Dali and The Louvre were wonderful...but a dream would be to someday go to the Dali Theatre in Catalonia....for now I dream and collect my postcards and imagine the scenes.... what are the stories?  It was a game my grandmother and I would play when I was very young creating the stories for the paintings...what was it that Blue Boy was off to do and I often would set them up with lovers as well, his was the lovely Pinkie, how could they not be a couple I had told her as we meandering and absorbed the beauty.

It was truly kismet that her husband had the same painting as she. I have always collected art postcards they are the next best thing to the original for me.☺  I love that image and imagination come from the Latin word "imago", carrying feeling.  I think the images like the poems can put us in touch with our own feelings, and even unexpected feelings."

Your practice assignment from chapter six was to find an image you like.  You can polish that poem or try finding another piece of art... there are so many on the internet and create a poem.  Post the image and polish the poem for publication this week on your blog.

Chapter 5 Poem Crazy -Blog #7

I loved this chapter! It was wonderful when she discovered the boy she was dating was e.e. cummings' s grandson.  It was also extremely tragic. A little more on e.e. cummings if you are interested.
I think what I liked best about this chapter of poem crazy was the idea that, "Some of our most important discoveries are made when we're not looking."  This is such an important idea...to notice things and yet not force them, it is when we allow the natural flow to envelope us that we discover the greatest joys.

So most of you have already done the first assignment from this chapter, finding the an e.e. cummings's poems to share, and hopefully begun doing the rest of the practices.

1.  Let a poem write itself as your pen writes itself... try breaking up words... lul
                                                                                                                        la
                                                                                                                by
2. Draw your name using colored pencils...have fun with it!

3.  Turn over a stone...describe what you see? Anything unexpected?

4.  Notice three new things and write them down.  They can be about a face or something else that is extremely familiar to you, maybe a stuffed animal or pet.

5.  Write a series of images without stopping.

6.  Give an idea a color.  Example: purple peace.

    
                                             Have fun and play with words!!!!

Your assignment for this week's blog will be to use e.e. cummings, who is know for playing with syntax, structure and grammar in his poetry, and your practice as inspiration, create a poem that plays with words, structure and syntax. REMEMBER HAVE FUN, be unexpected.
This blog will be due next Tuesday.

# 6 The Summer I was

The Summer I Was Sixteen

Geraldine Connolly

The turquoise pool rose up to meet us,
its slide a silver afterthought down which
we plunged, screaming, into a mirage of bubbles.
We did not exist beyond the gaze of a boy.
Shaking water off our limbs, we lifted
up from ladder rungs across the fern-cool
lip of rim. Afternoon. Oiled and sated,
we sunbathed, rose and paraded the concrete,
danced to the low beat of "Duke of Earl".
Past cherry colas, hot-dogs, Dreamsicles,
we came to the counter where bees staggered
into root beer cups and drowned. We gobbled
cotton candy torches, sweet as furtive kisses,
shared on benches beneath summer shadows.
Cherry. Elm. Sycamore. We spread our chenille
blankets across grass, pressed radios to our ears,
mouthing the old words, then loosened
thin bikini straps and rubbed baby oil with iodine
across sunburned shoulders, tossing a glance
through the chain link at an improbable world.


Use this poem from the 180 book, as inspiration for creating your own poem.
You decide the year etc.

The summer I was... or use the template as inspiration for the ______ I was ______