Making Poems: Projects From October
Field Notes No. 3
How can poems move beyond the page? How can a reader experience them as objects to be interacted with rather than printed and bound texts?
I’ve been exploring these questions as I find ways to make my practice more embodied. Here are a few things I tried in October.
Project 1: Transparencies
You can make stickers by printing an image or text on computer paper, taping over it with packing tape, soaking it in water, and then gently rubbing away the paper from the tape.
I applied this practice to two of the poems I shared in Field Notes No.2. I placed my sticker on another piece of tape to create a “transparent page.”
There were several pitfalls of this approach, including air bubbles forming and cat hair and other debris getting stuck between the tape. Thankfully, I think there are ways to mitigate these issues in the future.
The finished book called up many questions. What role does transparency play in poem making (both physically and in terms of honest writing)? What does the unreadability of this text mean? Can I use this obscurity intentionally?
Project 2: Origami Poem
The second project I attempted was sort of an origami poem that’s best demonstrated rather than described.
I’m really pleased with the way this turned out. It’s exactly what I imagined it would be — a poem concealed, a poem that invites action to uncover, a poem that lives in its own hidden and secret world.
Up Next: Into the Unknown
I’m not sure what project I’ll get into next, but ideas are swirling. If anyone knows how to make a zoetrope, send me a note ;)
In the meantime, I’ll leave you with some things to watch or listen to that might spark your creative fire…or at least entertain you for a while!
What I’ve Been Watching
I’d love to share a few videos with you that I watched last month and that have inspired me.
What I’ve Been Listening To
What I listen to seeps into what I read, write, think, feel. Here is what’s been on repeat lately:
Chimacum Rain by Linda Perhacs (and the whole of Parallelograms)
Pink Moon (the album) by Nick Drake
The Planets, Op. 32 VII. Neptune, the Mystic by Gustav Holst
How Did The Feeling Feel To You by Karen Dalton
Nightswimming by R.E.M
If Not for You by George Harrison
Bird’s Lament by Moondog
Knotty Pine by Dirty Projectors and David Byrne
Bondeko by Gerald Toto, Richard Bona, and Lokua Kanza
Read My Work
"Turn" - River Heron Review, Issue 7.2