I've been invited
to post an Indigo Kalliope diary.
I hope to carry on
the passion for poetry
(and painting)
of C J Campbell,
also known as
ulookarmless,
now deceased.
Join us every Tuesday night at the Daily Kos community political poetry club
Your own poetry is always welcome in the comments
Bongos, berets & turtle neck sweaters optional
The keyboard is mightier than the sword
Let's get started,
below the squiggly:
I want to give you my definition of poetry,
as compared to prose.
I want to do this because
what I write
may or may not
be defined as actual poetry.
I obviously do not maintain
regular meter or rhyme.
But I also do not
establish in my mind,
or say to my readers
that anything I write is truly a poem,
with a title,
and well defined boundaries.
Unless you accept the titles of my diaries,
and the subject lines of my comments
as poetry titles,
and the boundaries of my diaries and comments
as the boundaries of my poems.
If you do all that,
and you see these words on your computer screen
as truly poetry,
then I'm truly a poet,
and I like my work.
However,
if you,
like my wife,
say this simply isn't poetry,
then in your experience,
I'm simply a man
trying to make myself clear,
using the free verse format
to make you pause
when I want you to pause,
and using this free verse
to leave lots of open space around the words,
so that you can go back,
and pick out any words or phrases you're looking for,
as if I put all my words
*in
*the
*format
*of
*bullet
*points.
Here are a few examples,
poetry,
prose,
and prose edited by me,
"bigjac-ized"
you might say.
Here is truly great poetry,
written in my lifetime:
http://answers.yahoo.com/...
Say!
I like green eggs and ham!
I do!! I like them, Sam-I-am!
And I would eat them in a boat!
And I would eat them with a goat...
And I will eat them in the rain.
And in the dark. And on a train.
And in a car. And in a tree.
They are so good so good you see!
Here is an example of prose:
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
Many candle holders use a friction-tight socket to keep the candle upright. In this case, a candle that is slightly too wide will not fit in the holder, and a candle that is slightly too narrow will wobble. Candles that are too big can be trimmed to fit with a knife; candles that are too small can be fitted with aluminium foil. Traditionally, the candle and candle holders were made in the same place, so they were appropriately sized, but international trade has combined the modern candle with existing holders, which makes the ill-fitting candle more common. This friction tight socket is only needed for the federals and the tapers. For tea light candles, there are a variety of candle holders, including small glass holders and elaborate multi candle stands. The same is true for votives. Wall sconces are available for tea light and votive candles. For pillar type candles, the assortment of candle holders is broad. A fireproof plate, such as a glass plate or small mirror, is a candle holder for a pillar style candle. A pedestal of any kind, with the appropriate-sized fireproof top, is another option. A large glass bowl with a large flat bottom and tall mostly vertical curved sides is called a hurricane. The pillar style candle is placed at the bottom center of the hurricane. A hurricane on a pedestal is sometimes sold as a unit.
Read the above,
then go back,
and find the two mentions of tea light candles.
It takes a few seconds,
maybe more than five seconds,
to find tea light candles,
and another few to find the second place
tea light candles are mentioned.
Now try this:
Many candle holders use a friction-tight socket
to keep the candle upright.
In this case,
a candle that is slightly too wide
will not fit in the holder,
and a candle that is slightly too narrow
will wobble.
Candles that are too big
can be trimmed to fit with a knife;
candles that are too small
can be fitted with aluminium foil.
Traditionally,
the candle and candle holders
were made in the same place,
so they were appropriately sized,
but international trade
has combined the modern candle
with existing holders,
which makes the ill-fitting candle more common.
This friction tight socket
is only needed for the federals and the tapers.
For tea light candles,
there are a variety of candle holders,
including small glass holders
and elaborate multi candle stands.
The same is true for votives.
Wall sconces are available for tea light and votive candles.
For pillar type candles,
the assortment of candle holders is broad.
A fireproof plate,
such as a glass plate or small mirror,
is a candle holder for a pillar style candle.
A pedestal of any kind,
with the appropriate-sized fireproof top,
is another option.
A large glass bowl
with a large flat bottom
and tall,
mostly vertical,
curved sides
is called a hurricane.
The pillar style candle is placed at the bottom center of the hurricane.
A hurricane on a pedestal is sometimes sold as a unit.
Is that easier for you to find the tea lights?
I've rambled on long enough.
I hope you understand a little better,
why I write as I do,
and why I write everything this way.
And I hope you see
that if I simply want to make a point,
and the point is about,
for example,
sustainability,
and the need for voluntary,
worldwide,
dedicated commitment to
contraception,
to reduce human population of our planet,
even when I'm simply trying
to make such a point,
and make it clearly,
I write in free verse.
As a result,
my readers may feel
entertained by art,
rather than moved to action.
Other readers
may think more about my message,
and get themselves surgically sterilized,
and may not feel that what I've written
is even poetry at all.
Anyone who enjoys my words as poetry,
and still takes action,
that's the most I could hope for.
But what I really want
is action.
So,
my definition of poetry,
in written form,
is any written words
not written in prose,
not written in dense blocks of text.
If it's broken up,
like this,
it's poetry.
Traditional poetry
is broken up by rules of meter and rhyme.
My free verse
is broken up
to make my meaning clear,
in the hope of inspiring action.
I hope all of you find
important information,
and entertaining poetry,
all together,
or separately,
in my words,
and the words of others.
I hope we can feel,
together,
the way I feel
about this:
While we write,
and work,
and do what we can,
to rescue humanity
from the pitfalls created
by human nature
and the lust for power,
before we do it,
as we do it,
and after we're done,
(but we'll never be done)
whether using our poetry
as a powerful tool,
or using it just to have fun,
we can always enjoy our poetry.
Thanks for reading.