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Thursday 10 March 2011

Shaping the Clay

A sculptor toils to shape the stone
or mould the pliant clay.
His work is physical; the forms
have heft, exist in space.

Located in the ideal place,

a word can take
a sculptural form.
It fills the space
and shapes the space around

19 comments:

Louise said...

The concept of words shaping their space is very true, when it works it's wonderful, when not, frustatingly disappointing. Your words certainly worked here.

Isabel Doyle said...

very nice = it brings to mind the scuptures trapped in marble left by Michelangelo

Jinksy said...

A sculptor toils to shape the stone
or mould the pliant clay.
I love the rhythm in these two lines - makes me want to write something to repest it...Tempting to steal them from you...

Jinksy said...

Like this, perhaps?!

A sculptor toils to shape the stone
or mould the pliant clay.
If only we could fashion life
to fit, in the same way!

CiCi said...

Indeed, Dave, artists use various tools and materials to share their talent with the rest of us. As you do with your several mediums.

Rachel Green said...

How very true this is.

Carl said...

Nicely done. Great comparrison.

Jim Murdoch said...

I like this very much and I can relate strongly to it even though I tend to compare writing prose to working with clay rather than poems; my poems never require too much work, just a little structuring usually. What about 'sculpturesque' rather than 'sculptural' by the way? It suggests 'statuesque'.

Gerry Snape said...

What great insightful understanding Dave !!
The clay has a rhythm to it and in particular the pot formed on the wheel. Just as verse needs a rhythm and balance to make it's mark and become memorable.
Great!

anthonynorth said...

And very well sculpted, too.

Unknown said...

Sculpted words indeed

angryparsnip said...

Wonderful !

So true clay or words they both shape the world around us.

cheers, parsnip

Crafty Green Poet said...

wordshaping, yes, you're right...

Lolamouse said...

So true. Your words seem perfectly placed and make for strong poems. No structural cracks, at least not in the finished ones we see!

Windsmoke. said...

Writing and sculpting are one and the same :-).

girl daydreaming said...

There are lots of layers to this wonderful poem you have written. it creates such a picture, a work of art...

As I am a big fan of words, I like so much your idea of how a word can fill the space and shapes the space around... beautiful, creative and insightful!

Madeleine Begun Kane said...

Well said!

Rachel Fenton said...

I like the clay/word metaphor, too.
Nicely turned here, Dave.

Dave King said...

120 Socks
Thanks for saying so, but I do relate to your mention of the frustration when it doesn't work.

Isabel
Yes, great image.

Jinksy
Absolutely, Jinksy, if only we could, what then?

TechnoBabe
As I try to, certainly. Something that fascinates me is whatever they have in common.

Leatherdykeuk
Thanks.

Carl
Thanks Carl.

Jim
Yes, I take the analogy between clay and prose on the one hand and verse and stone on the other. Not only in the making, though, in the end product, too, I think the comparison applies. I'm not sure about statuesque, still thinking about it. To me it suggests "like" rather than "of".

Gerry
Great comment. Thanks for it. You have taken the analogy a step or two further.

anthonynorth
Thanks, very encouraging.

Gwei
Good to have your response. Thanks.

angryparsnip
It is amazing how much!

Crafty Green Poet
Thanks for the interest.

Lolamouse
That's very generous of you. Thanks for it.

Windsmoke
Indeed. Two manifestations of the same impulse.

girl dreaming
Hi and a warm welcome to my blog. Thank you so much for your supportive and interesting comment. I do hope you will come again.

Madeleine
Thanks.

Rachel
Many thanks for that, Rachel.