Since I started teaching at Polytech (sounds so official, doesn't it?), I've had to re-immerse myself in the hundreds of writing exercises that I've collected. Which has been good – I'm finally starting to write again, even if only quite minor poems. At least I'm writing. And it feels good! So, so good. One thing I …
Five Gifts for my Grandmother – poem in progress
Once again I find myself indebted to the Guardian Unlimited Poetry Workshops. This time, to Matthew Francis's Sensual Imagery exercise. Like all good exercises, it starts with a bit of stretching, a bit of limbering up, then sets you to the task at a nicely measured pace. We begin by writing: When I think of summer, …
Continue reading "Five Gifts for my Grandmother – poem in progress"
My new other blog
I've started playing with a second blog, devoted strictly to haibun. Partly as a result of the preparation I've been doing for my 'Haibun for Beginners' workshop at Haiku Aotearoa 2008. But also because I was having an idle flick through some of the kazillions (technical term) of photos we have from our three years …
poem in progress – Burning
I thought it was probably time to post a work-in-progress. Haibun – Burning Winter, and I’m burning tree-stumps. This one, deep in the cattle-camp of scribbly gums, sticking out a metre, with a sharp point like the one that bled the broodmare dry. Build the twig-pile around the base, burn the wood-witch at the stake. …
Current work in progress
Part of the trouble at the moment is that I have about a dozen poems that I'm semi-writing. Which sounds good, but isn't. They start to interfere with each other – ideas jumping poem mid-stanza, emotional tone blurring across, etc etc. I have no known upper limit for self-sabotage. My writing friends are very kind …
A Dark Feathered Art 