Trying to Make Marks (extract)

The rock fought back

spitting grey dust into eyes that streamed tears

streams that soaked into the dust and pocks of my cheeks.

Rocks like salt soar up and shoot a cacophony of fireworks

each having an end note too loight to hear and too fine to see

but it's there because what has changed 

and what has been left

shows that many things have parted  and even a kiss from 100 miles away would do

not damage 

but change

and bring down the wall and turn it to firma.

Way of Seeing

Way of Seeing

"Et quid amabo nisi quod aenigma est?"

The door shut, keeping the horse out

(This all happening just after a quater past twelve),

the wind was guilty of course.

But the bird sat still

high

content with only ever seeing the white jug from that one angle

and never bath within it.

A boy asked

what does Valise mean?

His father answered

it's like this briefcase.

The wasp admired this scene

from the comfort of a jar

by the window

that split the world into four equal rectangles.

This poem was inspired by John Berger's Ways Of Seeing and the painting The Key of Dreams (below) by Rene Magritte, which is on the cover of Berger's book.

Two months

It's exactly two months since my last post, which explains the busiest and most crazy two months of my life, right?

Nope, I've just been straight lazy.

I have been writing a piece for an Art exhibition entitled 'Making Marks'. It runs from the 4th September till the 21st September and is held at The Hand And Heart gallery on Derby Road. Brap.

Once it's done I'll post up some pictures, and the finished piece its self. 

Should be quite interesting as I've never been involved in a contemporary Art exhibition before. 

But you know, I see a boundary I eat a boundary.

South Korea Has Got Seoul

1.

Thunder falls on a 

Hologram zoo,

Where is my happy face?

A furious samurai soaked

Dreams of flying geishas

And movie cliches.

True stories told in one 

Sentence.

2.

Masked girl

Image perfection

Violently peaceful.

Sitting in a butterfly asylum

She used collected quotes from Albert Einstein

To generate poetry.

Her Fat fingers

Pointed at fairy tales.

3.

A child looks

Recognises

And then it speaks.

It sits

Like the Court Fool

Unchanged.

Squeezing through the gap 

Between Capitalism and Publicity.

This piece is unfinished.

2 plus 1 = 21!

Happy Birthday Me! 

I turned 21 on sunday. I guess this is a big thing, I'm not sure why it's a big thing, but I'm told it is. I'm by no means complaining, but what does concern me is this: I'm now two years older than a 19 year old. The main problem us early-20somethings have is our prevailing journey away from youth, towards the secluded islet of responsibility and adultdom (where we choose our 'Desert island discs'! Whatever they are?).

Life is but a paradox, I guess. Youngsters wanna be older, oldies wanna be young. Both look unconvincing in their attempts. And although I'm not saying I want to be younger or older (in fact I'm quite happy with 21, maybe 22 could possibly be better?), I do think most people would change their numerals if they could.

The main issue with being 21 is the choice between now and then. As in, enjoy life to its fullest, have no limitations, just do whatever you want and live for the now. Or, enjoy yourself, but base your choices on their future repercussions/benefits, and lay the foundations for a future you hope to achieve. 

Oh I forgot to mention, I've quit my degree course in order to join the Chinese State Circus! 

Carpe Diem!

Cyclical

Round around and round.

I'm Dyslexic, well mildly

It's official, I had a hunch, a small but confident hunch, and it was confirmed by a psychologist. That's the first time I've spoken to a psychologist, although he wasn't able to interpret my dreams, he was able to work out through a selection of tests (some i'd like to call games) that I have mild form dyslexia.

I don't think it's that big a deal. It's something I thought I had for a while but hasn't effected my life enough to seek help, but I'm glad I know. It's helped me have a sort of closure on certain things that can often be frustrating, and allowed me to accept that it's not my fault! If there is an error anywhere in this blog or any poem I've ever written it's either on purpose, or due to my mild dyslexia, I've warned you now! 

No, I'd never excuse myself out of any future situation by blaming dyslexia and plus my main issue is memory, and not grammar and punctuation, or spelling and IQ. My main problem is memory, my sister Vanessa is the same, you tell me your name in a conversation we'll carry on talking I will without doubt not remember your name (unless maybe it's the same as mine!). Same with phone numbers, emails, birthdays etc. Worst of all is reading books, I'll read a whole page and not remember why or who or where the protagonist is, and will often have to re-read. It's well frustrating, innit.

But I learnt something new about myself. I've noticed that we really do learn more as we get older, when I was 14 there was no doubt in mind that I knew everything. But you oldies were right we learn more and more, about ourselves  and the world and the trees and the bees and the planes and the trains and the sky  and then we die. 

But I guess it's good to know as much as we can, more so about ourselves. Or maybe it's a bad thing...see I think I wouldn't get on with another version of me, even though we have the same things in common I'd still get annoyed by something, probably the incessant self-reflection, and boring impertinent topics of conversation... 

It's only been a week...

...and I've already been slacking on the new post front. I guess I better put one of my poems up and see what happens...

That Depth

That depth, one I strolled past

Searching for something essential,

Took me there at last

Beyond the shops selling shawls,

Nightwear, nylon scarves, and wreathes 

Back-turned against pushy women

Wasting time now that Albert’s teeth

Soak beside the yellow-golden

Pillow-cases now half used: Married life.

These towns build quick and

Demolish slow and let yobs run rife

Around the effigies to modern land

Shat upon by the bold pigeons

That breathe in the dead air around

The affluent outskirts. Burdens

Of our life built on ground

That hides plagues and histories,

Which if dug up, would create

Too much traffic. True stories

Told at bus stops, no date

But his death was announced

In the Gazette, next to the ads

Selling used toys that bounced:

For new Mums and Dads.

.

I think this blog-zine-thing needs some colour... so here's a picture from a series called 'Little Sweets' made by the Royal Art Lodge it's painted by all or one of these artists Michael Dumontier, Marcel Dzama, and Neil Farber, I'm not sure which. Let me know if you know.

I'm not sure why these small little pictures make me laugh so much, some are quite dark in meaning, others are just plain weird, but most are comic genius... though I couldn't explain how...



www.royalartlodge.com/littlesweets

Variation on a Theme

I was slightly annoyed last night by the day's events, but this poem momentarily relieved this angst and made me chuckle:

Variation on a Theme by William Carlos Williams

by Kenneth Koch

1.
I chopped down the house that you have been saving to live in next summer.
I am sorry, but it was morning, and I had nothing to do
an its wooden beams were so inviting.

2.
We laughed at the hollyhocks together
and then I sprayed them with lye.
Forgive me. I simply do not know what I am doing.

3.
I gave away the money that you had been saving to live on for the next ten years.
The man who asked for it was shabby
and the firm March wind on the porch was so juicy and cold.

4.
Last evening we went dancing and I broke your leg.
Forgive me. I was clumsy, and
I wanted you here in the wards, where I am the doctor!


.

...it's a start

I guess this is where I should start
I should lay out all my aims and hopes of why I'm doing this and maybe why anyone should want it, and i also guess being assertive is a good quality in a human.
However, I'm often unsure of why I do things, and I'm not exactly sure why I've started this- but I have and I think that's the most important thing... I hope you agree.

So...
Welcome! I hope you're well. Me? I'm fine, I'm glad you came really, I was hoping you'd read a few things for me. I've posted up some poetry here, by me and just other poems/poets I like. I guess I'll talk about more things than that, there'll be pictures and music and maybe the occasional video too.

...it's a start