without saying a word
the wind took me
north
to ask when and where
nothing
discovered the how and why
of zero
chaos is always
just around the corner
because you know
pattern turns matter
into codes
A couple interpretations of concrete poetry for NaPoWriMo Day 28.
The mask is mute—it does not
tell what lies beneath–
layers falling backward, a
way from the present–
unglued, it rearranges,
becomes paper becomes
scissors cutting through the air–
thought stilled before form
Continuing my mask theme, three collage masks inspired by Matisse cut-outs that I did for the Kick About a few weeks ago. In my poem I was thinking about a film I saw of Matisse at work.
I’ve been working with masks for a long time in many different media. These are inspired by Mexican Devil masks as well as by Matisse.
Austin Kleon has a great post about masking with some excellent quotes that you can read here. It’s a mode of expression I’m sure I’ll always continue to explore.
Here’s another devil mask and a shovel poem I did for a Sue Vincent photo prompt in 2017. Thanks again, Sue, for all your inspiration.
“…that what you fear the most/could meet you halfway…” –Victoria Williams, “Crazy Mary”
The horns that
make you. Tell me what
endures: you,
masked with fear,
burning life to ashes, the
ender? Or the most
wild transformation that could
be? We meet
face to face. But you
pause. Halfway.
Also linking up with dVerse OLN, hosted by Linda.
focus on the wheel–
bright star calls for the moonshot
embellished with birds
Sanaa at dVerse introduced us to minimalist photography and Glenn A. Buttkus’s site “South Sound Minimalist Photos.” She offered 12 photos to choose to respond to, and I chose the one below.
I couldn’t resist consulting with the collage box oracle, and creating a piece of junk mail art on the back of one of the hundreds of flyers I’ve received in the mail for the NYC primary for mayor. I hope you don’t mind my loose interpretation Glenn!
You can see see more of Glenn’s wonderful photos here.
Linda at dVerse is looking for surrealistic poetry. The collage box Oracle is always ready to offer a surreal commentary on life. But this prompt also made me think of poetry generators–there are so many online now. I decided to take my poem and plug its words into a few of them.
the world of the future
returns to galaxy girl
unidentified
from https://www.poem-generator.org.uk/
ominous city
a rosy red lips returns
by the galaxy
from https://oakdome.com/k5/lesson-plans/word/i-am-poem.php
I pretend to return
I feel unidentified
I touch the future
I worry the world
I cry galaxies
I am a girl
and from one I’ve used a lot in the past: https://thinkzone.wlonk.com/PoemGen/PoemGen.htm
The world walks like a cold galaxy.
Where is the light window?
The dark sidewalk invisibly identifys the girl.
The big window silently desires the galaxy.
There are lots more to try–just type in “poetry generator” and be prepared to eat up a lot of time…
My altered postcard is of the Smithfield St Bridge in Pittsburgh, from a poster by Lantern Press.
K. 