Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Tuesday Poem - Thin Ice


Step

out

onto

white

not

as

a

body

bearing

any

weight

but

as

a

feather

might


think

of

ink

in

a

quill

drawing

a

cantata

out

of

light.




Today's poem comes to you from Hobart, Tasmania where I'm attending the Antarctic Visions conference. It is wonderful to be here and immersed for a time in 'all things Antarctic'.

Thin Ice speaks to my experience of having to negotiate a safe passage across the sea ice at Explorers Cove. Towards the end of the summer, the ice begins to thaw and traversing it becomes fairly treacherous; one has to step lightly whilst listening to every footfall. The poem also references creative processes and the sometimes breath-holding experience of approaching the blank page.


Where there is ice, there is music - CB 2007 Pastel on paper.


Serendipitously, my conf. presentation is this afternoon. I'll be showing my short film, Hidden Depths - Poetry for Science (which I hope to be able to upload to Youtube one day soon) and an adjunct paper on ArtScience collaboration. When I woke this morning, I thought 'how wonderful that my 'poetry for science' film has been allocated a Tuesday slot in the programme. . . ' I can see myself mentioning our Tuesday Poem initiative to the good folk in the audience!



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17 comments:

  1. Clare--I loved this poem, "concrete" in its form, but which evokes that feeling of danger, stepping into the unknown. Enjoy the rest of your conference.

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  2. This
    makes
    me
    want
    to
    walk
    with
    great
    care
    through
    my
    day.
    Thank
    you,
    Claire

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  3. This poem is brilliant.I think it has to be seen as the visual effect adds to the feeling of trepidation.

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  4. Oh yes, trepidation! terrific poem Claire - hope you enjoyed your conference on a tuesday- bravo getting a poem up...

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  5. Delicacy and strength!

    The quill image is so surprising.

    How do we ever have the courage to step across thresholds? Yet we . . . do.

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  6. Superb words and structure. I find this poem mesmerising.

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  7. beautiful poem, claire; i am crackling like polar ice with envy to be at the fabulous-sounding conference.
    soak it all up for us!

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  8. Even the shape of the poem has meaning. I see it as a feather; alternatively, as a crack in the ice. For me, balance is at the core of the poem, and the mention of cantata, which alludes to choral music, all the more makes the poem click for me.

    Have a safe trip home, Claire. Cheers.

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  9. Claire,

    A barest, minimal beauty, complemented by your haunting whites.

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  10. on re-reading this lovely thing, Claire - I see S.L.'s crack in the ice - I also see this time '... as a feather might think of ink....' love that!

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  11. congratulations on your film, sounds interesting!

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  12. Dear Helen, Pen, Richardg, Mary, Mim & Elisabeth - your comments add new layers to this 'barely there' poem. Thank you.

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  13. Hi Susan - thank you... the conf. was a cracker! It was a terrific mix of refreshing, edgy, generous. mind-blowing and more. Of course, I found myself having to deal with the inevitable 'home-sick for Antarctica' pangs, but that's not something new!
    Take care -
    C ; )

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  14. S. L. Corsua, thank you for looking so closely. You have picked up on all the things that mattered to me when writing this poem. Balance is at the core of it, yes... one word at a time = one step at a time; the journey not unlike that a trapeze artist might make on his/her tenuous line across space.
    I arrived home safe and sound this evening, appreciate your good wishes. C

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  15. Thank you, John... I'm sorry I haven't been over to your site all week; full days and virtually no time at my computer. I'm looking forward to your poem tomorrow.

    'not EMPTY not SILENT not WHITE' was the title of one of my post-Antarctica exhibitions. I was surprised by how much colour resides in white.

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  16. Maggie May, thanks for coming by... I will let you know if I work out how to post the film.

    Warm greetings to you and Ever Elizabeth... (what a beautiful portrait today of you, Mr Curry and your pregnant tummy). C ; )

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  17. Mary - I'm so glad you came back to find 'as a feather might think of ink... ' I hoped this would be noticed. Another image that works like this is contained in the last word, 'light.' (The way it references weight and the opposite, or absence, of darkness).
    Thank you! L, C

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