Rest@Play

Several years ago I wrote a poem called Fifteen Tercets, where I applied the structure of Terza Rima (abc/cab/bca) to the structure of the strophes, where a = one line; b = 3; c = 2, like this:

Our particularity

This capacity for
dead landscape...
name living lands

a car door slam a
race up the steps

Gray lockers flex
with a generation

quick tumble chew

On the formica my
hand exposed Noon
destroying detail


Just like a clock
to talk a lot but
keeping to itself

Old Mr Henderson,
young mrhenderson

chewing on chalk.

My idea is to create a book structured in this fashion, juxtaposing the block form Fictions I have been writing (in the "B" spot), Poem Drawings (in the "C" spot), and black-and-white drawings in the "A" spot. So. The book would start with 1 drawing, then 2 poem drawings, then 3 Fictions/break/3 Fictions 1 drawing, 2 poem drawings/break - etc. Of course three rounds (a Tercet) complete a cycle, adding up to 18 entries (18 pages, as all this material is one/page). I figure four tercets to give the thing corners and balance, or 72 pages.

I am happy I think though tired from my job and hope this works. I get to choose what goes where, of course. But I have to say I have not been looking forward to trotting out yet another collection of poems. This book will have shape upon shape upon varying shapes. And the best part is I have all the Fictions written (I will need 36 and have 43 keepers so far). I need create 22 more poem drawings - which could be a problem, granted (I have 2 and am not convinced of the form) - and 12 drawings - which I can do in two days. Of course I can switch drawings for poem drawings if things get dire.