Oct 12, 2015 Original Poetry, Writing 201

I have NEVER done “Found Poetry,” nor have I ever attempted chiasmus as a device, although I knew of it, and had encountered it.  It seems that these days I’m doing things that  I’ve never attempted.  In any case, today’s (Day 6) assignment, in brief, was:

Create a “found poem”

Make it about “faces”

Use “chiasmus.”

I’ve typed up the text of my found poem, which I assembled from tea-bag covers, junk mail, an art catalogue, and a plastic bread-bag.  Not having a working camera currently, I took an awkward picture with my MacBook Pro’s PhotoBooth.  So, the picture below looks, let’s face it, bad and blurry.  However, I shall remedy that when I can get a clearer image with a working camera.  In any case, here’s the image, and then, my typed-up text below it, for those who cannot discern the words.

(Oh, and I was thrilled to FIND my chiasmus in the process of looking for words!  The first line occurs on line 10 (after the heading, which is “Not When Pigs Fly”):  The Power of each woman’s face.  The second part of the chiasmus occurs as the punchline, the end:  “Face each woman’s POWER.”)

Here’s the poem, in its entirety:

Not When Pigs Fly

©October 12th, 2015

By Vijaya Sundaram

We are women —

Friends of the earth,

Hope,

The People,

wise,

The Majority.

We shall converge on LITTLE DREAMS,

GIVE Clarity.

No Blisters.

Guaranteed.

VISIONS OF THE UNCANNY —

THE POWER OF each woman’s face

EXHIBITS passion,

SUPPORTS MEMORY.

SURVIVING THE ELEMENTS,

ULTRA CONCENTRATED,

OUR MUSIC ROLLS ON.

WE ARE PEACE.

WE ARE the Earth.

face each woman’s POWER!

Tags: #Face, #Hope, #Peace, #Writing 201, chiasmus, Dreamer of Dreams, Found Poetry, poetry challenge!, The Earth, The power of women

Sep 29, 2015 Daily Life

The Woods, Waterless

©September 29th, 2015

By Vijaya Sundaram

Today, when I walked in the dull-green woods with The Hoddles*, brown leaves rustled underfoot, dry and disgruntled, crackling like the promise of flame without hope of moisture.

The air was still, and the sudden call of a bird or two only made the stillness more oppressive.  There was no sign of life.  The soil was loose, and only the entwining roots of trees held things together.  I felt the panting desire of the whole place for water.  Insatiate need and blind yearning were all around me — in the air, in that sudden bird-call, in the soil, in the leaves and dry underbrush.  And yet, in all this dryness, the woods were beautiful — because these woods, my woods, are always mysterious and green, be it a lush green, or a desiccated, thirsty green.

As Holly and I climbed the rocky, root-twined slopes up the side of the hill (our usual route), a sudden rustle stopped me.  I looked, and to my pleasure, saw a sinuous, beautiful jewel-green-and-black striped slim snake (a garter snake, I think) rustle amongst the leaves, pause, taste the air, and move on, like a trickle of water in the dust.  Then, quick as a flash, it vanished.  Holly, to my surprise, didn’t evince any interest, and indeed, looked the other way.  Perhaps, she smelled a deer.  In any case, I’m glad she didn’t notice it.

I don’t think of myself as a reptile-lover, but I loved this snake.  Shy and sweet, dry and probably soft, this snake moved like a liquid jewel.  She made me think of this beautiful planet, our earth, our host, our mother.

And I was sad.

For the earth needs us.  Climate Change is real.  If we listen to those ruled by greed and denial, we will drown in the rising seas around us, or in the dry deserts that will overtake our planet.

So … plant things.  Plant trees and bushes.  Drive less.  Walk more.  Consume less.  Make things from existing things.  Let animals live and thrive.  Help your friends.  Share.  Give more.  I know it’s too late, and we’ve gone beyond the tipping point, but still …  I hope.

And I want to work towards another future — the one in which we might yet have a chance.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Image from http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/eastern_garter_snake.htm

*(Holly, my dog — to those who are befuddled by my reference to The Hoddles)

Tags: #Hope, Beauty, Climate Change, consumption, Garter snakes, Holly the dog, music is life, planting trees, The Earth, The Woods near my house