Hello!
What did you get for Valentine’s Day? I never get anything so leave a comment below and tell me what you got so I can enjoy it vicariously.
Read on for a grab bag of quotes, poetry, image, and provocations to either inspire your creativity or help you to reflect on it.
A creative prompt
“there are apartments in our own minds that we never enter without apology.”
Written on a piece of scrap paper by Emily Dickinson.
What apartments in your own mind do you go into the most often and which do you avoid?
Of the rarely visited ones, what might you find there? Are they full of dust, irritating clutter, or ghosts?
Do you need to clean them, redecorate them, Marie Kondo them, or call in an exorcist?
Or just pull the windows open?
Resource of the month
One of my interests is collective imagination, especially as it pertains to futures literacy. I recently came across the Future Based website which has lots of great resources for generating thinking, sense-making, and imagining.
Have a look.
And while you’re there, why not create something for the time capsule.
Another resource I want to share with you is…
a blog I wrote on having the courage to finish your creative work: the opposite of writer’s block, what do you do when you keep on delaying the finishing of a project by endlessly reviewing and tinkering?
Read here.
Inspirational stuff
Renowned podcaster, conversationalist, and polymath, Paul Holdengraber, was recently invited by Ian Boyden to introduce one of Boyden’s new poems to the world by reading it for Holdengraber’s Quotomania series: “this is precisely how I want this poem to enter the world—delivered by the voice of someone other than myself…”
You can hear the poem here.
In my Christmas Advent series, I included a prompt asking people to consider memorising a poem, internalising it and becoming intimate with it. But poetry is wonderful when read or recited out loud as well. Different qualities and dynamics come to the fore. Why not grab a favourite poem, or even another piece of writing, and try it and see?
Events
One for the Aussies: On the last Tuesday of each month, Cultural Gardeners, who are an Australian Cultural Alliance for Climate Action, meet up with aim of growing a nation of stewards caring for environment, arts & culture. If you want to join, then you can find more information here.
And…
A shameless plug
I have written a resource called The Right Question, and to launch it I am holding an online workshop on 4 April at 10am AEST or 7pm AEST (to accommodate different time zones).
Tickets cost $20 or $12 (for those on low incomes). Each ticket includes a free copy of the resource.
This facilitated discussion will offer you the opportunity to dive into your inner world with an interactive hour of provocations to help you to reflect deeply on your creative identity and practice.
Bookings and information can be found here.
To Finish
I’m horrified at the situation in Ukraine
And angry at Putin for committing so many to such needless death. Here are two poems I’ve been thinking of over the last few days. I hope that they resonate.
these summer grasses:
the remains of warriors
with their dreams – Basho
Defenseless under the night
Our world in stupor lies
Yet, dotted everywhere Ironic points of light
Flash out wherever the
Just Exchange their messages
May I, composed like them
Of Eros and of dust
Beleaguered by the same
Negation and despair
Show an affirming flame. - W.H. Auden
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Many thanks to Paulina for getting in touch to tell me that the Cultural Gardeners link sent out in the first version of this didn't work. I've fixed it now, but here is the correct link anyway: https://artsfront.com/event/144187-cultural-gardeners#!tab=about