I wonder what they will remember of this Saturday afternoon? Will yellow represent joy?
Tonight there's work related work that must be done, there's other business that must be done, and my art, my voice wants out. My horn is still in the case from the trip to Syracuse. I can sing and not bother the neighbors at 8:32 PM. I can play ukulele, ditto. The horn will bother everyone, the neighbors, and especially those who expect girls or Indians to play flutes.
I've been thinking too much again. It's not thinking per se that's dangerous. Analyzation is a necessary process for coherence. When it hogs 90% of the field of sense, then nothing's left for dreaming or singing.
To make poetry or music you must give yourself over to the unknown, the mysterious, and be willing to enter compelling territory. You must be willing to be foolish, and concurrently create forms to hold the shimmer you carry back from those realms.
I've played it too close to safe lately. Just treading in place to complete all the tasks, all the need to be dones. This is no way to live. Means I'll have to change my state of mind about it all. Make it all art.
4 comments:
Dear Joy,
Yes. Yes, yes. This
Yes. Yes, yes.
> you must give yourself over to the unknown, the mysterious, and be willing to enter compelling territory.
Comic book novelist Lynda Barry echoes that truth, in her essay "Two Questions."
I love this quote:
"To be able to stand not knowing long enough to let something alive take shape!"
> Analyzation is a necessary process for coherence.
Yes again. This semester I dared an untried approach to understanding (in the heart) one of the books for my Lit classes. It seemed right to approach the poems intuitively first, by drawing them. Making an Image response. Then we came back later with the required, more analytical Word response. We drew comix; serious ones. We felt frightened. We went through the fear and had fun. Each student gained a better and deeper understanding of their personal poem selection from "She Had Some Horses."
Joy, I really want to send you some samples. I asked permission of the students, and some of us have made a copy to send to you if you wish it. My email address is danwahl@yahoo.com
Thank you for all that you do.
Peace,
Dan Wahl
Yes. Yes, yes.
> you must give yourself over to the unknown, the mysterious, and be willing to enter compelling territory.
Comic book novelist Lynda Barry echoes that truth, in her essay "Two Questions."
I love this quote:
"To be able to stand not knowing long enough to let something alive take shape!"
> Analyzation is a necessary process for coherence.
Yes again. This semester I dared an untried approach to understanding (in the heart) one of the books for my Lit classes. It seemed right to approach the poems intuitively first, by drawing them. Making an Image response. Then we came back later with the required, more analytical Word response. We drew comix; serious ones. We felt frightened. We went through the fear and had fun. Each student gained a better and deeper understanding of their personal poem selection from "She Had Some Horses."
Joy, I really want to send you some samples. I asked permission of the students, and some of us have made a copy to send to you if you wish it. My email address is danwahl@yahoo.com
Thank you for all that you do.
Peace,
Dan Wahl
Joy ~
I once dreamed of these very leaves. I was young then, aching for a remembrance of myself. And somehow that dream existed even before you and I met at a conference/open mic where my sixteen year old voice shouted poetry telling me exactly who I was/am/will be. It is years later and still, still, I am learning to listen. To. Be. Still. and to hear her voice.
Thank you, Sister, for this entry... this blog... this Beautiful Life and work of yours. Until next time, I wish you Sweet Dreams, Sweet Realities, and much confusion as to which is which.
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