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:

  1. 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.

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

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  3. 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...

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  4. 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!

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

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  6. Nicely done. Great comparrison.

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  7. 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'.

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  8. 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!

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  9. Wonderful !

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

    cheers, parsnip

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

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

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  12. 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!

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

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  14. 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.

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