Thursday, June 26, 2014

Memory

I've been reading Penelope Lively's Dancing Fish and Ammonites in which she has much to say about aging.  Much to say about memory.   Is memory the roux which thickens poetry?  

Foot steps

Walking is measured by foot steps.  Poetry by meter.  Meter, another way of measuring foot steps.  Whose culinary foot steps do you walk in?   Who wishes to walk in yours?

Monday, June 16, 2014

Space heater

Many sources of warmth.  Sun, hands, and the artificial.  Isn't space heater an interesting phrase.  What generates warmth in poetry?  The poem being read.  Being heard.   Like a space heater poetry can be moved around.  Like many vegetables and rice in a wok are moved easily by spoon.  Poetry, by pen.

Whipped

There's cream, of course.  Especially since it's berry & peach time.
Whipped potatoes don't work for me so you need to go solo on that option.
What's whipped about poetry?  I'm noticing the leaves and branches are whipping back in forth more furious than haiku's tail.  Who's haiku?  The gorgeous and precocious 10-year old kitty.
Sometimes, poetry is like a cat's tail not at rest.  

Monday, June 9, 2014

Translation

7 word poem in Pig Latin

Goddess delights in seeing you
wear red

And what food accommodated?  A gift of salmon salad  -- yesterday's perfect lunch.

Visual

Of course, food is visual (think mango, tomato, mozzarella, black olive, mint or basil) and the taking of food is a visual treat.   For me, poetry is no different.  I look at something which I consider beautiful (in the broadest sense) and words happen.

This weekend, I visited the DeYoung and saw the Native American crafts exhibit.  I was deliciously overwhelmed by the Navajo blankets.  Red beyond red.  And that was the hinge for a new poem to emerge.

Here 'tis --

7 word poem in Pig Latin

Oddessgay elightsday inlay eeingsay ouyay
earway edray


Braised

As in escarole from Rich's garden.  Or does one wilt greens?  No matter, here's a recipe for eye & mouth.

Braised Escarole with Delightful Color & Taste  (for Rich)

heat up cooked bacon (who doesn't have that on hand?)
add roasted cherry tomatoes (don't have that on hand -- sorry)
braise escarole
serve in a white dish  (perhaps, with leftover frittata with purple potatoes & those same roasted cherry tomatoes).  Top the escarole with diced honey mango.  Black pepper, of course.

Who doesn't love a white dish with a raised rim?
Who doesn't love friends, even if they don't have gardens?

What does this have to do with poetry?  Poetry is food for the eye & mouth.