art and writing

 I am enjoying a 5 week poetry class online, where we write at least one poem, and last week we had to edit after writing, which I resisted at first.

The poem was better for it though.

I am enjoying the ' Nuts About Grayson'  5 week course enormously and have started the homework - in fact it is nearly finished and will be in completed in time to upload it before we meet again on Wednesday. I have also reserved some books about Grayson Perry - the library is helping me get through lockdown,

Writing Challenge Day 11

 I've signed up for a 5 week poetry course which begins this afternoon 1-2.30pm.

There were a couple of questions we could answer in advance about our level of poetry writing ability and one was if we had a theme or idea for what to write about.

Japanese art, literature and culture is coming up quite a bit, so I thought I might write about old Japan, or tea gardens or something along those lines.

Well something very different  came up for focus when I did day 11 of the 100 days writing challenge on Soundcloud.

This morning Tim asked us to free write for 10 minutes. I did not want to do that as I have already done my morning pages, but decided to do it anyway.

I have been very moved by a clip of a young black police officer facing the white mob at the Capitol so did a free write about that as a preparation for writing a poem about him later.

https://soundcloud.com/timclare/100-day-writing-challenge-day-11?in=timclare/sets/100-day-writing-challenge

I also did a Haiku, 7/31 for this month - and yes, I am behind but at least I picked up the practice again.

Casper is a local fluffy black and white cat and when he sees me he usually comes over for some fuss.

This morning I went to the local shop at 7.15am to avoid other shoppers.

I was alarmed to see Casper dash across the road to me.

The road is usually quiet  early in the morning and in the winter, but it was quite a worry.

Cold dark morning shop

Caper's dash across the road

Frightens me to death.

Writing

 I have just written for 10 minutes, courtesy of Tim Clare's 100 days of writing on Soundcloud. It was day 10, and true to form, I had started the 100 days with great enthusiasm, the suddenly stopped. There's been a gap of many months - no surprises there, but it is only 10 minutes a day and the plan now is to continue daily until the end of the month, and then to choose again for February.

This morning's writing was about  Kyoto Tea Garden. I have never been to one and would love to visit one day.

He asked us to pick one location from a list we wrote earlier in his free course  and Japan came up in an online writing class with Jen Alexander over the weekend, which I joined to see if it could get my writing mojo back, so Kyoto was keeping on with that theme.

I did have a 365 project for 2021, write a Haiku a day, but that only lasted 4 days and I thought I had let that project go, but I came across a book called 'Haiku - the sacred art' and it was intriguing so I ordered it.

The postman delivered it during the 1st instalment of the writing course so I took that as a sign, and when it was time to pick a goal to work with, I re-activated the Haiku project.

I am learning more about Haiku, the form and how to write one and it may be that what I have been writing is not strictly a Haiku but at the moment that does not matter and I will learn as I go along.

Here is today's piece , inspired by the sound the stream made  on its way to the ocean which was roaring in the dark morning.

cold water bubbling

on its way to dark ocean

midnight black roaring

I kept to the traditional form of 5/7/5 syllables.

To keep me going with poetry I enrolled on a 5 week poetry writing course with WEA. It starts tomorrow afternoon.

She will provide exercises to stimulate writing, but also mentioned editing, which I am not a big fan of, but again I am sure there is something to learn there.

I have found a young female poet on youtube ...Jo someone, and she has some videos about different poetry forms, including the Villanelle which I had not heard of before I noticed a one morning course about it on WEA.

It looks very complicated but I might well sign up to see if I can actually write a Villanelle.

Dylan Thomas'  'Rage against the Dying of the Light' is written in this form.

https://poets.org/poem/do-not-go-gentle-good-night

Well, I have just written on my blog for 15 minutes and intend to be here again before the end of the week.

I will make a note in the diary to return on Thursday.

Poetry and things

In the comments I was invited to add some posts, and I have  five minutes to pass until The Great British Sewing Bee begins at 9pm. I am not much of a sewer, but I do enjoy this programme.
I had an idea to make a card for someone, using ribbon off cuts and embroidery thread, but I can't find either in my studio, which is a bit untidy to say the least. I t would be a good idea to get that organised, maybe over the weekend, if there i such a thing as a weekend any more, when every day blends into every other day.
I'm wondering also about writing a poem on connection for a new poetry website that blends poetry with science. The first theme for poems is 'connection' and I wondered if I could write a poem about fascia.

Rebecca Postcard

This month I made 4 vintage postcards for a swap and sent another to a library in New Mexico for an exhibition. Books/Authors vintage style was the theme. This one arrived in New Mexico (Rebecca)

Inktober Day One

It would have been easy to say...naahh...can't be bothered, and I can't draw anyway...but I had an idea and acted on it and chose 5 minutes as my time to use ink. I picked up a new envelope and drew a design in black ink on the front.
My theme for this month is 5 minutes daily ink decoration on a new envelope every day.
I participate in a variety of swaps and have a few penpals so the envelopes will be used soon.
I have a 12 line poem to finish and have picked a pretty notecard to write it out on, so tomorrow's 5 minutes will be spent on decorating the accompanying envelope.
I have not decided yet on the colour of the ink. Using only black appeals, but the notecard is very pretty and invites a colourful envelope.
We'll see what I choose in the morning.
Are you taking part in Inktober?
This is my first year.

Power to Choose?

At any moment, I have the power to choose. Today, I choose to dare to follow my dream. The universe is for me always.

I have unlimited access to unlimited ideas. I now choose to listen to inner guidance, following inner nudges and daily signs to bring this idea into manifestation. The world needs my idea now.

I celebrate the ability to be born beyond my history, my story or my DNA. I now rejoice in knowing that every day, there is a new door waiting to open on this amazing journey we call life.

My heart is open to each encounter. I greet this day with a celebratory nature, knowing I will seek a work of art in every situation. My heart is now even more open to receive pure joy.

I am authentic in my relationships. I choose to look past the negative and see the Divine Light beyond the worldly appearance of lack. I ask to see the love in every situation I encounter today.

I look beyond any appearance of lack in others and see that today, I can be the quiet genius in someone else’s life. I encourage and support others to recognize their own gifts.

I am in my zone of joy and passion, empowering others to live in theirs. Everyone’s a winner when I stay in my zone of genius.