Journaling Journey

Looking through my journal this morning I noticed that most of the winter I have been writing about winter. Here is a little word-walk through my winter.

11/22

Long cold nights

in

Large warm beds

with

Small soft dogs.

There are people talking loud outside

as if there is something to be loud about

but there is nothing.

Long dark sky

over

Many tiny voices.

1/15

When the days are dark enough

to need to read with lamplight

near a window

we know

the best is yet to come

and that, for now,

we are in those thick heavy months of ill-adjustment

relentless resistance

to being still,

and striving for the boundless hope and energy

of brighter months.

But, our eyes will adjust.

Now is not the time for busy things

or sweaty tees.

So, go ahead,stay in bed

a bit longer.

2/13

Sweet warmth of sun sitting

Crackling collisions of cold rain

crashing on the glass

like a last chance to fall.

Eve of spring.

Brightness and becoming

crocuses crouching

waiting for when

they can stretch out

their green bodies again.

That's most of the lyrical contents of this winter. The literal things, as always, take up too much space. Which is to say that there are many things I could write to explain and describe the last few months, but I won't. This should suffice.

A study in Latin American poetry

This quarter I am doing an independent study in Latin American Poetry. I am using this wonderful bilingual anthology which includes poems from throughout Latin America from pre-columbus to present. In the study I read the poetry and submit an analysis every week to the professor in spanish and this morning I am working on my first piece. I am analyzing a poem by a Venezuelan poet/philosopher/educator named Simón Rodríquez. He was somewhat obsessed with the concept of writing as painting ideas which I think is beautiful and compelling. Here is an excerpt from his poem Luces y virtues sociales/Social Virtues and Illuminations:

FORMA que se da al DISCURSO

Pintando

las ideas elementales= en Paradigma

los pensamientos=en Sinópsis

La LENGUA y la MANO

son los dotes mas preciosos del hombre (observa Buffon)

Entiéndase aquí con respeto á la

INTENCIÓN DE INSTRUIR

No se trata de la importancia de la Palabra

porque

no hay quien no la conozca

La Importancia de su PINTURA

la conocen pocos bien

muchos….ni piensan en ella

no obstante.

Se puede PINTAR sin HABLAR

pero no HABLAR sin PINTAR

Los JESTOS son un BOSQUEJO

de lo que la mano

no puede dibujar por falta

de medios o de tiempo.

JESTICULAR es pintar EN EL AIRE

En el discurso hablado

como

en el escrito debe hablar

conexión de Ideas y

conexión de pensamientos

In English:

SHAPE given to DISCOURSE

Painting

Elementary ideas= into Paradigm

Thoughts= into synopsis

The TONGUE and the HAND

are humanity's most precious gifts (notes Buffon)

Hereby understood with regard to the

INTENTION TO INSTRUCT

It concerns not the importance of the Word

for

none knows it

The Importance of its PAINTING is well known by a few

most...don't even think of it

nonetheless

One can PAINT without SPEAKING

but not SPEAK without PAINTING

GESTURES are a SKETCH

of what the hand for lack of means

cannot draw or of time

GESTURING is painting IN THE AIR

in spoken discourse

as

in the written one should speak

connection of Ideas and

connection of thoughts

Wintertime cozy

As the days get shorter and colder, I have been trying out new ways to be cozy. I have had some successes and some failures.

Success: Cream of Wheatlessness

Finely ground brown rice, quinoa, millet and sunflower seeds cooked like porridge in a pot of hot water. I believe the most delicious ingredient in the mix is the quinoa, so you can be generous with it when grinding the grains. I also sometimes add cornmeal and/or buckwheat groats.

Less successful: Sweatshirt sharing