"...labels often create limitations in the potential of community...."
Why is it the easiest thing--and also the hardest thing in the world--to be together in community without the need to over-explain, structure, and control? If you can find yourself in a group of kind folks who can pull it off, it is blissful. I used to be part of a group of parents. We would meet at a local park all day with absolutely no agenda. Our kids would play while we relaxed nearby. A lot of the parents were writers and artists. We just hung out and sketched or talked or knitted. It was very relaxed and sort of tribal. The only requirement to be part of the group: kindness. In fact, the group couldn’t even define itself-- we called ourselves “a fluid possibility.” The ideas that came from that group were endlessly creative. One 10 year-old girl organized a big group of other kids to put on full Shakespeare plays every summer. Bands formed and still exist. When kind, creative people get together, something great is bound to happen.
This conversation between the two of you is such a perfect example of what community can be. Such lovely images—building stools in places where we should run. Words I should have swallowed.
The line about the border got to me, especially the way it meshed with the image presented. What also struck me about this piece is it could be seen as a brain's to do list before any creative work is made. How cool is it that poetry is the shared experience we get to discuss. It flows, like water, and we are all thirsty.
This such a beautiful poem! It brings up new images for me every time I read it.
Excellent!
"...labels often create limitations in the potential of community...."
Why is it the easiest thing--and also the hardest thing in the world--to be together in community without the need to over-explain, structure, and control? If you can find yourself in a group of kind folks who can pull it off, it is blissful. I used to be part of a group of parents. We would meet at a local park all day with absolutely no agenda. Our kids would play while we relaxed nearby. A lot of the parents were writers and artists. We just hung out and sketched or talked or knitted. It was very relaxed and sort of tribal. The only requirement to be part of the group: kindness. In fact, the group couldn’t even define itself-- we called ourselves “a fluid possibility.” The ideas that came from that group were endlessly creative. One 10 year-old girl organized a big group of other kids to put on full Shakespeare plays every summer. Bands formed and still exist. When kind, creative people get together, something great is bound to happen.
This conversation between the two of you is such a perfect example of what community can be. Such lovely images—building stools in places where we should run. Words I should have swallowed.
Thanks for reading along LeeAnn🙂
It’s a dance, isn’t it?
Sure is. I step on a lot of toes…
I love the last stanza in particular!
Thanks Liz! Pamela Leavey said it well, it’s like a picture of the Substack community 🙂
You’re welcome, Brian!
Love this poem Brian. The last stanza really speaks to the community here. Just wonderful! Community is everything!
It really is…life feels so much better when we see that!
Absolutely!
So great to read this exchange and see how you bounce off each other, interpreting and exploring with your own styles.
My favourite lines here:
"we can cut these pieces
and glue them beautifully back together,
stitched in a new way,
a new collage,
rebirth"
Thanks Nathan, it’s been a fun project!
The line about the border got to me, especially the way it meshed with the image presented. What also struck me about this piece is it could be seen as a brain's to do list before any creative work is made. How cool is it that poetry is the shared experience we get to discuss. It flows, like water, and we are all thirsty.
I love that, hadn’t thought about that aspect at all!