I still have some time to change my mind …

Today I am going to do something that I have only dreamed about or it has been part of a hideous nightmare depending on the mood.

I am going to an ‘open mic’ evening at my local arts centre. I have been to poetry evenings and read my poetry at evening class too been hideous and a delight; but not something I have wanted to repeat in a rush.

Somehow, it seems a shame to let this opportunity go by without giving it a go.

Since beginning to do creative writing and writing poetry and not being particularly successful I have become more able at ‘other’ art so writing has become been less attractive.

However, since I have the ability to add narrative to my work with letterpress I have had the idea that I might begin to write again or better revisit some of my previous work.

I call it concrete poetry, but I am not sure it serves me well as title. For me, it is adding a haiku, and it comes after the image and allows me in 17 syllables and I am very careful about this to add something to a drawing, a pot, a painting, an embroidery or even a sack.  More colour, depth, texture, dare I say narrative; not by way of explanation. Just another layer much like any layer; a fashion accessory, more bedding, icing on a cake, a cherry, leaf mould on the garden.  It adds richness, insulates, warmth, then like a veil when it is removed reveals something else; and is illustrated in the poem today

An empty black pot

Until filled with fine blooms

Displays its darkness ….

So, this may be the beginning of something else or a blind alley … but I have been here before and I am not afraid of the dark anymore.