🤣 LOL - you're right, Luisa! And yes, that 90º thing is funny - although I'm NOT consistent with whether I'm minus 90º or plus 90º (between which there is of course a 180º difference)!
I'll be kind to myself and declare myself a work in progress...! 🤣
Very clever, Rebecca and so delightful to hear your sonorous tones. I've always pictured you as being really rough with a cigarette hanging out of a corner of your mouth, with a voice to match. How wrong can a person be?
You set yourself a huge challenge and pulled it off magnifently. What an original idea! That's the great thing about oulipo: people can make up their own constraints.
The ice thing about yours is that it actually sounds poetic and pleasant. A lot of constraint writing sounds a bit wooden to me.
Thanks for the kind words and link to my humble project. ?
Haven't listened yet. But the poem is a great read! I gave up on Terry's puzzle and I will wait for the key. The first social event for us was very enjoyable, though more nerve wracking than in The Before Times. We'll relearn grace and ease!
Grace and ease would be very welcome, Mark! And thank you so much. I'm glad I'm in such good company with that Freedman brain-teaser... When do you reckon he'll put us out of our misery?! 🤣
The jengahenge pictures are cracking me up . I, too, have this idea that the sun must always rise in the East and set in the west- even though I’ve been to Stonehenge and know that humans built cities , ancient and new, around the movement of the sun. I know science, I scream, get get frustrated when I can’t find where west is based on the sun. A very relatable predicament.
LOL - thanks, Camille! We had great fun shooting them yesterday!
Predicament is right! Although I feel so silly most of the time about it, because direction should be more prediction than predicament, shouldn't it?! 🤣
1. I grew up in NY (state) and was today years old when I learned about Manhattanhenge. 😃🙏Excitingly, I may actually be in Manhattan for the sunset one on May 28th. Watch this space.
2. Have you ever heard of Newgrange? It’s (*controversial statement incoming*) even cooler than Stonehenge because the enclosed central chamber is only lit once a year by the rising sun on the winter solstice.
3. I know I said two thoughts but I lied. The third is: I love this piece. I fully lol’ed at you confidently pointing in the wrong direction. 🤣
As I live south of the Tropic of Capricorn, the sun always rises north of east for me. And I assume you’d be well north of the Tropic of Cancer, so the sun would always rise south of east for you. At least that’s the way my brain interprets it.
I got a bit lost in your quotes but it’s late here and it’s been a long day and my brain doesn’t want to concentrate any more. Maybe I’ll have another read tomorrow...
Even with my good bump of direction, I still have to stop and orient myself, particularly when indoors. We live in very different times. Anyway, an interesting read. Thanks so much.
Ooooh Beth, thank you for this info - I've just looked up the Tropic of Cancer and discovered that it's the most northerly circle of latitude at which the sun can be directly overhead, which it is on the solstice in June. How did I never learn this stuff?!
Indoors is so confusing, I agree. Don't ever make me go to one of those massive exhibition centres - I'd be lost for weeks....! 🤣
Your poem is fabulous Rebecca! And once again I learned a lot from your post today...thank you. :) Keep up with the exploring of poetry...it is fun and no right or wrong!
Oh Julie, thank you so much! Coming from a writer whose poems I so enjoy, these words mean a great deal to me. I'm going to keep playing with poetry, that's for sure! It was fun to use the concept of OuLiPo to provide a starting point. 😊
Thank you, Jillian! And I had such fun with that diagram! 🤣
If I ever leave my brain to science I'll send a note alongside to ask them to determine for posterity how accurate that representation of my inner compass really was!
Love the poem! And that very accurate picture of your internal compass - mine too! I’m driving next week to Boston for vacation (about 9 hours) and I’m all ready to fall apart once we cross the border into the US with their miles per hour and toll highways.
It is a strange thing to remember this many years later, but I recall sitting in my backyard around late elementary school age when my sense of direction “clicked.” I remember looking up at the sky in one direction thinking, “I get it now - THAT is East!”
If you need all that literature to every morning know where the sea is after breakfast, you’re completely lost. The sea smells, but to the question which way is the sea, the answer is simple, the sea’s always in the direction where dreams are.
You're welcome Rebecca. "the main road on which we’d been driving for the last part of our journey was running east to west..." made remind me some times using a reasoning like that in intricate streets areas and, getting absolutely lost... I got down by the big one, then turned right and again right... but no way to get out from there
Your poem is wonderful! And #3 in your observations (about the expansiveness of the container) made me so happy. I tell poets I work with/teach all the time but until they try it themselves they won't fully get it. You need a boat or a plane to comprehend/navigate the immensity of the sea. :)
That's so kind - thank you, Chris! I'm going to play some more with this idea - I like the idea of taking something already-formulated as a starting point and thinking up a formula to work with to make it something else. 😊
Love that poetry exercise and your result! I’m also usually some degrees off in my internal compass, but I always end up where I need to be, eventually....
🤣 LOL - you're right, Luisa! And yes, that 90º thing is funny - although I'm NOT consistent with whether I'm minus 90º or plus 90º (between which there is of course a 180º difference)!
I'll be kind to myself and declare myself a work in progress...! 🤣
Very clever, Rebecca and so delightful to hear your sonorous tones. I've always pictured you as being really rough with a cigarette hanging out of a corner of your mouth, with a voice to match. How wrong can a person be?
You set yourself a huge challenge and pulled it off magnifently. What an original idea! That's the great thing about oulipo: people can make up their own constraints.
The ice thing about yours is that it actually sounds poetic and pleasant. A lot of constraint writing sounds a bit wooden to me.
Thanks for the kind words and link to my humble project. ?
Thank you so much, Terry! 😊 I'm so delighted with your comments about my OuLiPoem - they mean a lot.
And LOL! I've surprised myself by quite how very Downton Abbey I seem to sound... 🤣
Oh yes, you have a lovely speaking voice. When are you going to start doing your own podcast? I'd feel honoured to be your first guest.
🤣 Blimey Terry - no pressure, then! 😉
PS Dunno. But if I ever do, then yup, absolutely. 😊
Haven't listened yet. But the poem is a great read! I gave up on Terry's puzzle and I will wait for the key. The first social event for us was very enjoyable, though more nerve wracking than in The Before Times. We'll relearn grace and ease!
Grace and ease would be very welcome, Mark! And thank you so much. I'm glad I'm in such good company with that Freedman brain-teaser... When do you reckon he'll put us out of our misery?! 🤣
Probably on its anniversary: 7th May 2024😆😆
Oh, STOP it, Terry...!!! 🤣
😂😂😂
The best thing about lockdown was not having to socialise😐
🤣
The jengahenge pictures are cracking me up . I, too, have this idea that the sun must always rise in the East and set in the west- even though I’ve been to Stonehenge and know that humans built cities , ancient and new, around the movement of the sun. I know science, I scream, get get frustrated when I can’t find where west is based on the sun. A very relatable predicament.
LOL - thanks, Camille! We had great fun shooting them yesterday!
Predicament is right! Although I feel so silly most of the time about it, because direction should be more prediction than predicament, shouldn't it?! 🤣
Two thoughts:
1. I grew up in NY (state) and was today years old when I learned about Manhattanhenge. 😃🙏Excitingly, I may actually be in Manhattan for the sunset one on May 28th. Watch this space.
2. Have you ever heard of Newgrange? It’s (*controversial statement incoming*) even cooler than Stonehenge because the enclosed central chamber is only lit once a year by the rising sun on the winter solstice.
3. I know I said two thoughts but I lied. The third is: I love this piece. I fully lol’ed at you confidently pointing in the wrong direction. 🤣
1. Oh wow, Jill - do report back your findings on Manhattanhenge! That's really exciting!
2. I haven't heard of Newgrange, but I shall Google it in a sec.
3. Awwwwwwwww. 😊 Thank you so very much! And I'm so glad I made you laugh! Confidence is everything.... 😉
As I live south of the Tropic of Capricorn, the sun always rises north of east for me. And I assume you’d be well north of the Tropic of Cancer, so the sun would always rise south of east for you. At least that’s the way my brain interprets it.
I got a bit lost in your quotes but it’s late here and it’s been a long day and my brain doesn’t want to concentrate any more. Maybe I’ll have another read tomorrow...
Even with my good bump of direction, I still have to stop and orient myself, particularly when indoors. We live in very different times. Anyway, an interesting read. Thanks so much.
Ooooh Beth, thank you for this info - I've just looked up the Tropic of Cancer and discovered that it's the most northerly circle of latitude at which the sun can be directly overhead, which it is on the solstice in June. How did I never learn this stuff?!
Indoors is so confusing, I agree. Don't ever make me go to one of those massive exhibition centres - I'd be lost for weeks....! 🤣
Your poem is fabulous Rebecca! And once again I learned a lot from your post today...thank you. :) Keep up with the exploring of poetry...it is fun and no right or wrong!
Oh Julie, thank you so much! Coming from a writer whose poems I so enjoy, these words mean a great deal to me. I'm going to keep playing with poetry, that's for sure! It was fun to use the concept of OuLiPo to provide a starting point. 😊
You're so welcome! So happy to hear you're going to keep playing with poetry.
How wonderfully creative! And I love the “literal” drawing of your internal compass! Laughed out loud at that one:)
Thank you, Jillian! And I had such fun with that diagram! 🤣
If I ever leave my brain to science I'll send a note alongside to ask them to determine for posterity how accurate that representation of my inner compass really was!
😂
Love the poem! And that very accurate picture of your internal compass - mine too! I’m driving next week to Boston for vacation (about 9 hours) and I’m all ready to fall apart once we cross the border into the US with their miles per hour and toll highways.
Thanks, Alison! And oh golly, I hope that journey goes well - I'm rooting for you! 🤞
It is a strange thing to remember this many years later, but I recall sitting in my backyard around late elementary school age when my sense of direction “clicked.” I remember looking up at the sky in one direction thinking, “I get it now - THAT is East!”
Wow, Jen, that's absolutely brilliant! I LOVE that you can remember the moment - that's really special! 🙌
If you need all that literature to every morning know where the sea is after breakfast, you’re completely lost. The sea smells, but to the question which way is the sea, the answer is simple, the sea’s always in the direction where dreams are.
Oh George, this is a beautiful comment. Thank you. 😊
You're welcome Rebecca. "the main road on which we’d been driving for the last part of our journey was running east to west..." made remind me some times using a reasoning like that in intricate streets areas and, getting absolutely lost... I got down by the big one, then turned right and again right... but no way to get out from there
Your poem is wonderful! And #3 in your observations (about the expansiveness of the container) made me so happy. I tell poets I work with/teach all the time but until they try it themselves they won't fully get it. You need a boat or a plane to comprehend/navigate the immensity of the sea. :)
That's so kind - thank you, Chris! I'm going to play some more with this idea - I like the idea of taking something already-formulated as a starting point and thinking up a formula to work with to make it something else. 😊
Love that poetry exercise and your result! I’m also usually some degrees off in my internal compass, but I always end up where I need to be, eventually....
You're so kind, Julie - thank you!
'Eventually'... LOL! Takes me a while too!
This is how I feel when people go on about observing how the sun hits the garden. 😵💫
🤣 Glad it's not just me, Sarah!
I loved this!
Thanks so much, Chris! 😁
Very inventive with the poem! I love how you made it your own :-) Nicely done!
That's so kind - thank you so much! 😊