Tiresias

A closed wooden door,/

face veiled by lace, with hair/

and beard of ivy/

#haiku

 

Inspired by my months of writing micropoems (Jan 2011, April 2010, April 2009) and by Dave's Morning Porch, Jean's Trail  Mix, Fiona's small stones, as well as by the ongoing work of the Urban Sketchers, I'm giving some thought to writing them more often and more intentionally, under the heading "The Micro City," but with a twist: some of the posts would be drawings of urban microcosms. I don't want to commit to keeping up another blog, and definitely not a daily one, and I don't want to divert my energy from this one. But I like the name and wonder if it might attract some readers who don't want to wade through the typically long posts that Cassandra is apt to write. I also like the focus on small observations in an urban environment; urban haiku, so to speak, is different at times from its nature-inspired parent but no less concentrated, and certainly doesn't need to be negative; there's abundant beauty and fascination in the city. I see it as a kind of poetic version of street photography that may encourage other city dwellers to look around themselves a bit more closely.

Part of my motivation is that we just got smartphones, which are actually little computers. With a couple of trips coming up, where I really don't want to take my laptop, I'd like to still post short messages and images. It's weird, typing on a tiny virtual keyboard, and will definitely keep my output down to 140 characters or less!

So far as micropoetry poetry/haiku readers on Twitter and FB go, I think these are different audiences from the blog; a discussion on Dave's FB page indicates that might be the case. Maybe it should be a shadow blog that extracts just the Micro City posts and keeps them in one place. Any thoughts or ideas?

Comments

[Dave]

Good idea. I'd read it!

My audience on Twitter of course includes some people who are just interested in the nature imagery, especially (I gather) those who don't get to see much wild nature on a daily basis. But I can get a rough idea of people's motivations by seeing what lists they include me in, and a brief scan just now does suggest that 80-90 percent are poetry-, arts- or B.S.-related lists.

I rarely spend more than 15 minutes composing a Morning Porch post, but still, 15 minutes every day is a big commitment for someone as busy as you are. And I don't know how fast you sketch. But it sounds as if you're not going to try to make it a daily exercise, which is probably wise. Maybe it will be more like Lucy Kempton's Out with Mol, then.

[MayB.]

I'll read it for sure and with great pleasure! You were the one who inspired me in participating in the micropoetry months, April 2010 and January 2011. I'm very thankful for it because it has been a highly satisfying writing exercise for me.

I sometimes do something similar in combination with photos on my new blog, but without a theme limitation and certainly, in this period of my life, without a daily commitment.

Go for it Beth!

[Beth]

Thanks, Dave; thanks, May. This morning I'm wondering what possessed me last night; I have so little time as it is. I think I'm looking for inspiration for myself. I set up a Twitter account for The Micro City here: http://twitter.com/#!/the_micro_city but I don't think I'm going to do a separate blog at this point; can't see a good reason not to post the micropoems and drawings here, and I don't want to put additional pressure on myself. But I really do want feedback from readers, so please let me know what you think!

[Parmanu]

Well, series such as this one (and 'Small Fates' and 'Morning Porch') are, to me, the only way Twitter makes any sense as a literary form. These themes provide the context that is necessary to understand and enjoy the 140 characters. I've just begun to "follow", and I'm enjoying it! (Drawings and photos are a welcome additions, especially now since we can look at these referred images in place on Twitter, without moving to another page.)

[john]

Last month while browsing a bookstore in New York came across 'Japanese Death poems Written by Zen Monks and Haiku Poets on the verge of Death'. A title too off beat to pass up.There is a good history of the emergence of the Haiku and Tanka poetry forms as well of course stuff about the japanese cultural connection of death and poetry,all interesting to me.So urban Haiku,just another twist,bring it on

[Roxy]

I'll try to put this to good use imemdtiealy.