Poetry has always been part of my life- I vividly remember holding my breath when I read or heard certain poems, they often move me more than visual art. But this year I want to intentionally make it a regular part of my life.
For me it’s one of the most emotive arts. I’m also in awe of poets- it seems like a form of magic to me- to make people feel things with words.
I’ve recently realised that poetry infuses into my art- the actual words, and, I think, the idea of poetry- the economy, the idea of ‘the poetic’. Someone once said of my work ‘oh, they’re all like little poems!’- I took that as a great compliment.
And in some ways all layered artworks of depth are poems- the viewer discovering those layers slowly. I have always loved Bob Dylan’s idea (and I’m paraphrasing)- you get them in with the tune, then you hit them with the poetry.
My thinking this year is that poetry is such a simple and easy thing to integrate into life (and so joyful)- just read some. Ideally everyday. A little moment of art, stillness and joy in each day (somedays perhaps the only such moment). I intend to buy poetry books by poets I’ve never heard of, in part to keep the economy of poetry going (if there is such a thing), and put my money where my mouth is, paying artists for what they make.
I’ve started posting a story of each poem I read in the mornings on my instagram account. I hope it inspires or helps some people- a daily poem certainly makes my life richer and better.
I have written poetry in the past (badly, of course) and recently went to a poetry workshop, where to my surprise I came away with two poems (one a haiku) that I was pleased with. I want more of that in my life- creativity of a non-visual kind, creating just for the fun of it, playing with words (which always was a great love of mine from childhood- when did that stop?)
My 100 day project this year (starting on 23rd February) will be 100 days of poetry and print (I think- the words might change before we get there, but the gist will be the same). The idea I have will be to start with a poem, or a few lines to inspire me (short and sweet, or possibly haikus) at the beginning of the week, and add one element of print or drawing or collage to the piece each day for 7 days. That means I should end up with about 9 pieces with 7 elements in them. The poem may be covered up, or I may write it into the piece towards the end of each week. I like the synchronicity of having 7 elements to each piece being like the constraint of 7 syllables in the second line of a haiku.
In my experience, 100 day projects tend to take on a life of their own, so no doubt this will change and mutate as the project continues. I also know that I’ll have a better chance of completing the project if I only have to do a really small amount each day (so small that there’s no excuse!). And now I’ve let the cat out of the bag, I have to do it!
Follow my project on Instagram and YouTube or have a go yourself- it’s amazing what happens over the course of 100 days, things you never planned. There’s a website full of inspiration: https://www.the100dayproject.org/
Plus this year there’s a podcast too, just search The 100 Day Project wherever you listen to podcasts.