Entry 585 — A Decorative Touch
For me, one of the saddest things about my final years is how much I’m continuing to learn about making poems. For instance, consider the value of simple decorative touches you can apply to a word in a visual poem, such as the ones in the remainder of my “Mathemaku for Scott Helmes,” that I’m trying to put into exhibition-worthy shape:
Previously the letters were all black. I changed them to brown. That was all I thought I would do, but then I thought I might as well experiment with background colors in the manner above. I had the change shapes a number of times, but eventually was satisfied with the above. I didn’t learn to do this kind of thing when I worked up the remainder, but learned it more solidly–and I was old when I first learned, four or five years ago, when I did, “Mathemaku for Geof Huth”–if I remember its name correctly. No big deal–in fact, it should be in this case since a remainder shouldn’t be to visiopoetic as to possibly detract from the core of a poem. Just an added pleasure (if successful).
I think the reason so many old people want to teach is that, since they know they won’t have time fully to enjoy the little things they learn, they want to feel others, if they get to them early enough, will. So listen to your elders, you young shits reading this! (Oops, there I go again.)
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Monday, 5 December 2011, 8 A.M. I feel a little blah but eager to get some work done. I just finished breakfast–after getting the blog entry for today done, and setting this one up for tomorrow. Now to the main chore of today: putting together some stuff to show Judy at Arts and Humanities. I thought tomorrow, when I have a doctor’s appointment near her office, would be a good time to see her for details about my show. I want to leave a specmen for advertisement–the “Hi!” one–and maybe something else–with commentaries.
It’s now two-and-a-half hours later. I reframed my “hi” piece–to get it into a frame with a thing on the back allowing it to be displayed on a flat surface, in this case, a counter that’s in the middle of the room my exhibition will be in. A trivial job but one I have all sorts of trouble getting myself to do generally. This morning, I just did it. I haven’t taken any pills, either! I also revised the seventh frame of my “Long Division of Poetry,” printed it, then took care of a commentary on it.
Noon Report: I did some effective work of my “Mathemaku for Scott Helmes,” then used a few comments on my revision of its remainder in my next blog entry, so that’s out of the way. I’m really humming, but I won’t be able to keep it up.
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