Love it, Jane!
Here's a portion of Thoreau on space as he builds his cabin: Walden: Chapter 13 House Warming I lingered most about the fireplace, as the most vital part of the house. Indeed, I worked so deliberately, that though I commenced at the ground in the morning, a course of bricks raised a few inches above the floor served for my pillow at night; yet I did not get a stiff neck for it that I remember; my stiff neck is of older date. I took a poet to board for a fortnight about those times, which caused me to be put to it for room. He brought his own knife, though I had two, and we used to scour them by thrusting them into the earth. He shared with me the labors of cooking. I was pleased to see my work rising so square and solid by degrees, and reflected, that, if it proceeded slowly, it was calculated to endure a long time. The chimney is to some extent an independent structure, standing on the ground, and rising through the house to the heavens; even after the house is burned it still stands sometimes, and its importance and independence are apparent. This was toward the end of summer. It was now November. |
Thank-you RCL,
That is fascinating. Thank you so much. There is so much to read, and I do need to read this. I am not going to be boring about research inquiries, but mine has veered sideways due to COVID & I think reading Thoreau could help me traverse this more than Perec. Sarah-Jane (not trying to hijack the thread) |
A response to Jane via me and RCL...
Bones
Flicking leaf litter with the lower end of a utilitarian thumbstick often reveals the skeletal remains of some small creature that has reached the end of its allotted span. Perhaps a lark lies ready-split, swindled out of its music leaving behind the ghosts of instruments with which to call it back. A rib-marimba resonating under a fingernail, long flutes of legs and a keel-tambourine backing a gaping beak’s absence of singing in a lament to lay a bird to rest. |
Ann,
I am so glad you have posted. I love the image of lark bones and the ghosts of instruments. Also the rib-marimba and fingernails and flute-legs. It's a challenge, too, as the images are already so lovely. But I very much need it, as yesterday, during one of those 'I really wish I hadn't said that' moments, I have somehow managed to commit myself to an e-magazine cover brief that involves subversive unicorns. I can now procrastinate happily thinking about your poem and fishing out that image of vole bones (they will do as a starting point). The subversive unicorns can wait a while. Sarah-Jane |
Ann, This doesn't do your lovely poem any kind of justice (sorry).
But, following on from Ralph, to me, to Ann, to me again: Fictional archaeologies http://sarah-janecrowson.com/wp-cont...rchaeology.jpg |
Jane, this, too, was something I made some time ago, but it fits so well with your image that I'll post it.
Small Rodents, Dead Each pose is different. A murdered vole lies in a frozen dive, its tiny legs stretched fore-and-aft in a flat capriole. A rat seems only sleeping, soft and slack; there is no malice in it any more, a brief apology might bring it back. Two shrews lie face-to-face, their fists clenched tight frozen forever in a punch-up pose as though not going down without a fight. A broken mouse, with its one teacup ear still spread to catch the warning that it missed and half-ball eye still shimmering with fear. Felis Domesticus has done its worst. Which fallen hero shall I bury first? I actually find it hard to respond with a new poem when a promp calls to mind one that I have already written. Your last image was new to me, but this one seems familiar, as if illustrating the above poem. |
Ann, I love 'flat capriole' and the 'teacup ear'.
I can promise the image was newly minted, but it's awesome that it recalled a previous poem - that's really lovely. No rules, in this game, beyond image-poem-image. That's what makes it fun! (and thank-you for playing with me) Sarah-Jane (I'm thinking about cat images - wondering if I can make a line drawing using string which evokes cat as not-cutesy - cat-as-useful) |
Aargh. Ann, I can only apologise for this one.
I've been playing with paper ideas since I finished work, and it has resulted in two pop-up cards, a pull-out card, a thaumatrope of a cat in a tree and a failed flexagon. In the end, I resorted to good old-fashioned string, and it still didn't work very well. although it's given me an idea for something else. http://sarah-janecrowson.com/wp-cont...1/02/cat-1.gif |
I saw your image, and it lay in the back of my mind until I saw it again, for real, in the garden...
.....Was that a cat or a black silk scarf u-n-w-i-n-d-i-n-g into .......the ..............bushes |
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