I have begun keeping a journal inspired by Barthes' Mourning Diary. Barthes version was a collection of notes written on index cards after the death of his mother. Mine is a notebook and Word document composed of "thought-sentences" detailing the uncertainty of being in Iowa/adjusting to graduate school. I should really try out the card-system, though. Besides Barthes, we've been reading Sappho, Felix Feneon, Francis Ponge, Jean Valentine, and George Oppen. I've ordered the Feneon and Ponge books. Feneon's are "novels in three lines" and Ponge's are prose-poem descriptions of ordinary objects. I like this class because we try out imitating each form of fragment that we study. I am also preparing for my final analogue-- a presentation on 16th century curios cabinets which I'm combining with Joseph Cornell's boxes of found objects. Also thinking of bringing in tumblr, and twitter. The more I study fragments, the more I feel they are the only way I think and write.
Then in paranormalities, we visited the metaphysical fair. I bought a serpentine pendulum which I thought was a necklace, and afterwards made into one. Nathan acquired a portable Odin shrine complete with tiny sword and skull. Met a wizard and talked to her for a while. Hung out at the Black Angel in the cemetery, and phoned in one of the poets we were studying. Learned a spell for making decisions: it involves walking three miles with three pennies clasped in the seam of one's cupped hands, then jay-walking, giving an offering, and asking Legba in the middle of the intersection. Aunt Sally's dream powder can also help.
With Nathan, finally got down to Hickory Hill where we saw some beautiful autumn leaves and some deer. Then the fossil gorge where he had hitherto seen turkey vultures and there were some massive birds circling overhead. Saw some fossils embedding in the stone which was once a seabed over 300 million years ago. Impossible of course to make sense of that time. The fossils' imprints were like paisley dress patterns: coral and sea plants. All these fossils were discovered after a big flood in the nineties. Walked a little in the woods and saw a hawk there.
I have really been into geodes lately--saw some incredible ones at the metaphysical fair. Started a geode poem and after some googling learned that Iowa's state rock is actually the geode and the area is known for the clusters of the rocks. There is a geode state park, a yearly geode festival in late september, and places where you can dig for geodes in the south-eastern end of the state. the best spots are only 2 hours away and thinking of making a trip down there if it is not too cold. I think i just like the idea of a normal-looking stone holding a secret inside.
fossil pics soon on my tumblr--chicago pictures are up there now..
Then in paranormalities, we visited the metaphysical fair. I bought a serpentine pendulum which I thought was a necklace, and afterwards made into one. Nathan acquired a portable Odin shrine complete with tiny sword and skull. Met a wizard and talked to her for a while. Hung out at the Black Angel in the cemetery, and phoned in one of the poets we were studying. Learned a spell for making decisions: it involves walking three miles with three pennies clasped in the seam of one's cupped hands, then jay-walking, giving an offering, and asking Legba in the middle of the intersection. Aunt Sally's dream powder can also help.
With Nathan, finally got down to Hickory Hill where we saw some beautiful autumn leaves and some deer. Then the fossil gorge where he had hitherto seen turkey vultures and there were some massive birds circling overhead. Saw some fossils embedding in the stone which was once a seabed over 300 million years ago. Impossible of course to make sense of that time. The fossils' imprints were like paisley dress patterns: coral and sea plants. All these fossils were discovered after a big flood in the nineties. Walked a little in the woods and saw a hawk there.
I have really been into geodes lately--saw some incredible ones at the metaphysical fair. Started a geode poem and after some googling learned that Iowa's state rock is actually the geode and the area is known for the clusters of the rocks. There is a geode state park, a yearly geode festival in late september, and places where you can dig for geodes in the south-eastern end of the state. the best spots are only 2 hours away and thinking of making a trip down there if it is not too cold. I think i just like the idea of a normal-looking stone holding a secret inside.
fossil pics soon on my tumblr--chicago pictures are up there now..
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