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Friday 4 October 2013

SPINE POETRY: THE HIDDEN POETRY OF BOOKS












SOUL MOUNTAIN

Till morning comes
a princess remembers
secrets of the heart -

the bride stripped bare,
the blue flower,
the glass palace,
a city of bells;

Old path, white clouds,
clear light of day -
surprised by joy,
our feet walk the sky;

Only love is real.

(c) Shaista Tayabali

This piece is inspired by a New York artist, Nina Katchadourian, creator of the 'Sorted Books' project - where photographs of clusters of books form an idiosyncratic poetry of sorts... a hidden, spine poetry, revealing something of the reader's tastes, and simultaneously testing the constraints of language and grammar. I was hoping to include a poem in time for National Poetry Day, but I am excusing myself on grounds of an outrageously painful eye. I did have a poem published in time for Volume Magazine though!
Most of my books are in boxes in the garage (I have been living a nomadic life this summer moving from place to place, but I will be settling somewhere 'propah' soon) so a couple are a selection from the general home library as opposed to just my own. 
This poem joins part of the dVerse - Poets Pub where a constellation of poets share their talents, offer advice and challenges... try writing a spine poem with your own library selection :)

I think this one by Samuel Peralta is brilliant...


The Passage

Only the sea keeps
crossing the chasm

Inside the tornado,
gravity,
the conjuror's bird
glimpses
the possible past:

the hundred secret senses,
the gates of exquisite view.


18 comments:

  1. only love is real...smiles..nice close...also like the run in, 'surprised by joy our feet walk the sky'....very cool response...

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  2. "our feet walk the sky" ... I am smiling. Thank you!

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  3. Fascinating titles woven into a meaningful poem!

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  4. Lovely titles specially these lines:

    our feet walk the sky;
    Only love is real.

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  5. O!M!G! Why am I not surprised you and I share so many of the same books? I am so happy to see you posting. How are your poor eyes? LOVED your poem of books!!!!!!!

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  6. It's like a fairytale. Loved your arrangement. Great!

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  7. Beautiful arrangement of words--I feel hopeful after reading this!

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  8. I also liked the last line. Be a lot of happiness in the world if the last line was more resolute.

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  9. Ah - I enjoyed the glimpse into your library & the books you chose....and the ending 'only love is real' leaves nodding in agreement. Nicely composed.

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  10. oh i hope your eye gets better soon... some others mentioned it as well...the feet walk the sky part is so cool...

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  11. Love this.. and that beginning. a perfect haiku,

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  12. Love this, beautifully composed.

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  13. I do love this poem and will definitely have a go at a similar book spine one.
    Only love is real, so true......

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  14. Only love is real looks like a book I need to read. You have woven your titles together to produce a really smooth poem. The princess has some interesting memories ... smiles

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  15. 160I love the way you wove these together into such a beautiful poem. Thank you.

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  16. That is a transportive poem, taking the feathers of its borrowed titles and weaving them into wings. What a wonderful theme, and oh! - "Only love is real" - what a wonderful close.

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  17. Oh, very nice! Lovely poem...And we used the same title! Wonderful :)

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