29 May 2005


touch mulch house noise trunk
child leave trees tales lover
event delay water fresh norse
flint vocal shore snows begin
woven thule night shine often
nexus pygmy vulva offer grain
sleep crown wharf plums creek
flesh close black smile bumpy
bones broad ghost bless sable
dream daily birth talks berth
relax quiet crude cedar giant
depth years being round limit
organ white death pearl grief
heave clear place young wheel
image write world heart flake
inner exist ocean basis dizzy
space freed build means early
small earth river story demon
kalpa learn stone error three
occur yield today doing lives
sense aware smell dance quest
fresh think clean study rages
power feels dirty karma cares
being blend found outer panda
plant local anima allow canto
truth locus polis other lemon
hinge ictus woman holds liver
river probe angel going poise
still gland dwell semen cycle
green birds guard flood grass
thegn ochre trust khene words
horse every thorn otter olson
rocks brown hedge equal stark
fibre sound cheek drift mouth
chalk sooth until blood music
filed anger marsh faith storm
burst fruit whale bread prana
cloth light staff alone peace
berry swift imbue trunk hands
slept grows honey shape penis
naked grace woods whole bough
drift ducks beach frost scent

for Carl Andre

25 May 2005

heartwork

chaos as
utter
chaos, but
determined
concept
will remain
nothing
or a dominant
lack of will

this
something
(as though
drawing up a
sheet of chaos
we arrive at the
point between
grey
risk

assuredly white
beginning
and the whole
or life
we must bring
we use
offensive and defensive
energies
the task we cannot avoid

natural order white and black
are
one may
conversely
illumination
white
from
extreme
black

from light to dark in
passages from pole to pole
what
two poles rising from
the
we feel an increase
of
unparalleled
practical task

in weight
lighter
dark
numerical values
a clash of opposites
between
broad
repose
and ink

underneath:
excerpt
drawing
increase and
then, culmination
with accelerated
tempo
Growing
is not thinkable

without its
opposite
stands
from
its
what
does
if there is no
of course I know

that
good must always come first
that
in every individual
therefore
weight
of the
parts in such
a manner of speaking

paths to
itself
as
theory
it
will be a
close
room
it must make itself

in union with
matter
and living
freedom
nature’s
way
of building
may produce
wine with ink

but what
does not
shake us to
our
foundations
we
ourselves
the smallest part of us
must make itself known

means should
be
more than
profusion of
intelligence
impossible to write
the ink does not play
the primary
but makes possible

that is word-making
one
and
freely
in the beginning
going where
going
primal
kinetic energies

how
notes
for I was
where
the beginning is
what is essential
a synthethis of
figuration and
fireworks

growth growing in
cross section
and in
centrally
irradiated
growth it
grows as
it grows
kinetic energies

point that
sets
as
form
we obtain a
drawing
of
paper
as skeleton

progressive growth flow
inner
propagation of
threads of
construction
outward limiting
or spatial
discharge of tension from
interlocking of multi-dimensional growth

tension from within or
progression of
a dimension of motion
the tension spreads in
motion
inwardly
in the directions
left-right
questions must be asked

what
enters
and
where does
it enter?
below,
second
with regard to
back is also measured

earth
force
may
from
the
forward
direction is
free and the
picture this makes

This
sperm work
intangible
theory
undertaken
with great restraint
of means, makes
for
making

that
set in
plane tends to
recede
this brings us
with flat values
through it
expressed slight movement
and background

which
are
pictorial
spiral
movement
if we
also
upright
look each other in the face

meaning of this
is give
and
the centre
stresses
arrow as active agent
of the
third dimension in
speaking

meet him
as mirror image
made to fit
the picture look each
other in
above-below
behind-above
from
the same knowledge

what
we
shall
try
to be
we shall try
knowledge
tries
to speak

to say human
yields
it has come
or
still
is far away, but
as creation is
related to the
knowledge of the first action

more things
into being
and
their
motion
is concerned with the smile
all the seductions
never ceases
thank God

progression within
normal tensions of
man
crossed
out…analysis blushes
with
to its
inner being
in kind

according to his
view of
space
often seem very new
through
new
only
their combination is new
and of making them visible

appearance should not
be
amplified. Today
does not meet our
yesterday
he is more complex, richer and wider
a creature on the
earth and a creature within
knowledge of the energies that create


a sense of totality has
conception
plant
whether it be
the
object grows
beyond its
appearance
knowledge

knowledge that
is more
than its
number and kind
sections
draw inferences
about the
inner object
of which we have been speaking

I might add
lower
way
through
the
forms, while the upper
leads through the
realm of the dynamic
translated into work

his
dialogue
enables him to
rise
a metaphysical
view
of
free
awaken

exact research
surges
statics
drawing
points in space
we
yet intuition is still
everything
quickly

without intuition
it can be
logical
build bridges boldly
from one thing
now
for
the eighteenth century
to reckon with the unexpected

this
very
day
perhaps
it is already in a place
we
seldom think
from the standpoint of dogma
it might ask illogical and foolish questions

out with
totaliser!
and the
philosopher, a magician!
outside
we
should have
the secret
this shocking anomaly

that
structure
and
proof unnecessary.
Thus
showing
only in a
very
backward

that
use
that
according
to
which
it falls on
produces
and back

with
source
that
picture
cannot
(whether
known in
nature
have been taken

graphic
lures us
and with
reason.
It gives
with great
precision.
graphic
kind

fish-
scales
a line
growing
stronger
with
oil
underlying
likewise

everything
idle
disappointed
for
motion
whence it came:
back into
the parts
people liked to see

visible things
visible
isolated
from
the
power
to
part
like numbers

abstract things
end
a
formal cosmos
so much like the
now
across the
circulation
of the kidneys

earthly
simultaneous
and
through
the equipoise of
formal wisdom
not yet
art
we can still speak

we can say that
borne on
instinctual stimuli
conjures up
something more
Fellow man, arise!
a change of air
distracts you
to look forever forward

to new holidays
tired
sap.
Let yourself be
this life-giving ocean
whether
sufficient grounds
and whether
I should be thinking too

much of myself
and forgetting
that most of you
are much
at home
between laymen and artists
no
mere
unasked

and who
like you
as best he can
differs
by his own specific means and methods
will surely grant
enough
respect
he is the trunk of the tree

has
busied
this world of many
forms
let us assume,
flows
through him and
the tree
we all know that

what
goes on
above
different
functions
will lead
to
sharp
wholly, taken

that runs
interlocking
towards
free-formed
rhythmic progressions
Where
of planes,
enter in
(body of snake

in spite of this
we must
all
problems
it
we must
not
part
unknown

outside this
medium
and
perhaps I can make myself
interdimensional
when
you
crown
I think I may promise you

it is a mythical
state
an
unbroken
subtle
flow
of
a natural
kind

a metamorphosis occurs
something
that
verified
to
what
remains of
the spiritual
this kind of abstractness
both
middle
has still
other
we cannot fully
by measure or weight
reveal no
difference
Thus it may be a mistake

but what is
appropriate
what symbol best
expresses
this
which
relations
centre, the possibility of dividing
kinds of elements

this
core
critical
juncture.
Mastery of
power
so
strong that they can reach out
for lack or orientation

that
order
a
figure
object
way
combined
relation
looking over

his
will utter
"That’s
poor
The
new
stone
first
kind

that
some
that
from
time
will
passions
emerge
strike resonances

that
correspondingly
contrasting
expression
in the realm of
white
of
either
deep dark half,

weak from too much
or too little
twilight shades
around
the middle.
and what
possibilities
for
making use

we might now
consider
and
every
combination
will have its particular
expression
accordingly
he looks inside

finished forms that
nature
today
yesterday
a finished image of nature
dawns
on him
the process
gets stuck somewhere

what
would not like
space-time
call it brain
functions
in the womb
of
nature
key to all things

and saying this
may well
have
such journeying along
paths of
his own
form
production
if he looks on the present

by which
order
should save us
from
something rigid,
will guard us
creeping up to a
product
hoping to pick off

and to make off with it.
One
a
work
with a
view
to the
first
book

it is only natural that
we should
give priority to matters
formal beginning
prehistory
which drives him
from inside to
manifest his spirit
knowledge of nature

history
is of no use
way
together
the universe is useless
unless we are equipped with
the most beautiful soul
here
the isolated stroke

how form
comes into
ways to the
forms
to ideal
measure and weight
elements of a
rhythmic
rock

Shortly
after
or any
other
pointed
clearer will be
its mobility
freedom of movement
begins to look

child
discovers
that
random
chaotic
will
the chaos of the
first
walk

connected by rhythmic articulation
active
hand
More like
appointments
a walk
shown by the
straight
is taken as a norm.

a soothing
beginning
hand) it
remains
but
when
completed
the impression
will take it for a merry-go-round

without
rest
case
the circle
quintessence
We still see
but not
linear acts
in keeping

wholly
passive
not made
but suffered
What
How
into being?
the underlying tensions
follow it back to the gentle

action with
mesh
indicates
three
kinetic processes
We must
also
suppress the values of
letting us look in freely.

which stand
close
interpenetrate
or
intermesh
while
one
absorbs
weeks ago

among other things
suggesting
a
purpose.
This
with
accompanying
forms
suggested a folk-song

than
more
and
forms
to
converging, while
a dog
running
may speak of friendship

this
new
companion
briefly
the
two
point
all-pervasive
inner linking of the two

With
possibilities
combinations
forms
touching
which interpenetrate
in constructive
spiritual
tracks

something
very
about this
lines are
quite
somewhere
almost
alarming
if we stick to the essentials

natural progression that
length
and thickness
scramble
the lines
while preserving
So there
are
a map-maker

horizon
in spatial terms
as most
Europeans know
the
viewer
seen frontally
and the ground-plane
definitely marked-out

shifting
viewpoint
a step to the left
on this form
shifted
whereas
to the
right
now take a step

horizontal
line
distance
I travel
this
while
off in the
direction
take the place of ordinary

thus displacing
vertical
visual point
pictures
seem to
with
a single axis of
symmetry
(taken as a norm)

within
space
I have
here
built a second space
within
beyond
(we are in them)
below it looks to us

amorphous
connection
an
inner body
connecting
small town
spatio-plastic
internal volumes
imagine how it looks from where I am

how to unify and
combine
organic
processes.
We must
our way back
to unity.
Here
the links are important.

In any case this
introduces
organs
of the spirit.
There is no clash,
which demands that the essential be grasped
from
front and side
sketch

ideal horizon
inner
and
outer
transparency
we
only
appreciate the difficulties
if we keep in mind the value

without
forgetting
that
every such
analytical
whole.
Because I cannot, namely,
resign myself to analytic methods
looking down from above

horizontal
narrowness
gravity is
Crucial
position
when
the soles of the feet
purely
think

slight
cover
(unimportant)
Increased well-being.
positive
view
the ground-
increases
different kinds.

two things:
some
inward
chimera
is life. This
was
unfolding
the danger of monotony
The quickest path

Movements of this
kind are
change
their place
Surfaces in tension.
Shifting viewpoint.
Unification achieved
the innermost essence
skilfully

earth
power
carve out
sphere
of motion
where
This is how the plant
grows, how man
and beast walk or fly.

harmonisation
principle:
and
from
the cosmic
view
by comparison,
gravitation
kills motion

experiment with
less
and
very likely
movement
and here we must attach
to
the reality
a kinship between

pure dynamic action within
a limited
spiritual plane
resemble
one another
where statics yearns
for
dynamic freedom
of a tight-rope walker

his
pole
as "symbol
of forces"
he holds the force of gravity
(weight
the meaning of
vertical
Thus we shall speak of gravitational balance

shifts
of weight
based on
energies
of this kind
same laws
of
gravity
like scales

weigh
weights
situate
our scales
into a
new
position
better
stick to a single plane

counterweight
balance
such plays of
forces
like this
new
cross
quite perfect
they strike each other with their points

thrust
primitive
handling
from
symmetry
with
the image of
equilibrium
a kind of symbolic treatment

symmetry might
more to it
than
energy
box of elements
we reach
into the
compartment and add a little
dark red

interpreted in human terms:
I have
my right hand
for
hold onto
we
conceive
a centric
backbone

this
is a stone
barely
toppling over.
The energy
would make it
topple
Each stone clings as it were
(a little like towers)

with
effort
and
reduces
a vestige of balancing
when a man
fall off
his chair the vestige
becomes a block of stone

The more advanced example shows a
balanced
zigzag
relaxation
an epic tempo
when the
diagonal
is present
further back things lighten progressively

your hasty
question
of quantity
expresses
itself
if the weather is
foggy
merging at length
with the background

a matter of hill
and dale
mainly
inner space
exert
power
of
linear-active polyphonies
darkening

time and length
In our last lesson
dividual
articulation
the
lowest
movement
interwoven
exactly alike

remains faithful to
discern a timid
glance
hovering
as elastic
blows
Reciprocal
interaction
a kind of liberation

this
silent
dynamic
is more
a possibility
we arrived in place
both talent and intelligence
transpose it
and then to lurk in waiting

Thus
deny
structural
bolstering
of its ego
law
a naïve joy
relaxes
knowing

our small physical
size
limitation
should not deter
the
watery
cosmic space
as every swimmer
knows

its increased weight
make
gravity
upwards
master
water like a fish
or like the
bird
like a mountain

entrusts him-
self
as
the merging flow of
movement
with-
out
resistance
let them work against each other

earth’s attraction
for brief
critical moments
cuts through
atmosphere
with
soft
articulation
leads us to take

short
steps
that
occur
in the fluid-gaseous realm
a pool of water
(symbol:
the stairway)
You have to take care

we are criticising both
one
might say
the men are monks
cloisters
were
subordinated
start out by investigating
the naked

I shall go on studying anatomy
muscles
ligaments
a bundle of wire-like fibres
tendons
of which organs and organism are
interlocked
to the periphery
a special task

one has
touched
contains
energies
by consuming time
which despite the fundamental
appear in groups
the linguistic expression
I make friends

without an auxiliary
verb
organic bond
three
parts
In view
the undoubted difficulty
clearly
spokes of the little wheel

in which
complex
organs in light
and air
the
flower
opens
one or two tiny leaves
does not reckon on fatigue

distinguish two
an absolute
things that
work
together
growth
the involuntary
machine: the heart
it takes time

24 May 2005

heartwork (coda)




this
can be
a connective
process
water comes from the sky
I guide my curve upwards
and complete the
circle in the clouds
help it to keep its path


to extend our limited human
cudgel prolongs
and
increases
striking
power
providing
the target and satisfying
a kind of arrow that we made out of a hairpin


man is half
prisoner
half
borne on wings
through
awareness
of
the tragicomic
Unlike the divine creatures


born with only
one
angel’s wing
forever trying
to fly
I wished
to
capture the
to keep its path


without friction
infinite
spiritual
The tragedy of
simultaneous helplessness
Whither?
bondage
release
peak of movement


this
source of
man’s
contra-
diction
his physical weakness
and his ideal ability to measure
the earth and the cosmos
he keeps breaking his arms and legs

for Agnes Martin

23 May 2005

A flame flickers
and is ready to die.

If I love you
then I love everything.

That thread of softness
that frees me from distraction.

Time to eat
strawberries & tofu.

The peace that’s felt
when company leaves.

This poem a gentle texture
of twining energies.

How the mood changes
yet remains the same.

22 May 2005

Alone

Writing by the warm glow
of a single candle - hand crafted in Bali -
a Christmas present from the kids

Using a fountain pen - cost price
from Paperchase in Covent Garden -
courtesy of Andrew

Sitting up in bed - a futon -
found - almost new - in a skip
by the vicarage in Kentish Town

Snug under a feather & down duvet
collected from the Argos in Gloucester
by Pip in her big red Saab

The comforting sound of rain on the
roof - redolent of some childhood time
the details of which I have forgotten

Although I now recall - or rather
feel - a holiday in Somerset -
perhaps my fondest memory

Beside the bed a stack of poetry - Zukofsky
(Deborah Birmingham 2002) - Herbert (myself
Manchester 1975) - Williams (Heron London 1992)

Leaning on a handsome new book -
A Quiet Life - by my friend
Pat Francis

Now the rain has stopped -
just the sound of my breathing
and these words in my head

Sitting & writing - entangled &
content - in & with - a life & world
of generosity & connectedness.

21 May 2005

Heart

A room
Without heat

The carpet damp
Underfoot

Where the rain
Has come in

The smell
Of mice

And mildew
In the air

A clarinet
In pieces

On the
Floor

Each moment
A moment of grace

How can the heart
Feel so warm

When the skin’s
So cold?

20 May 2005

A music so dense
as to be unfathomable.

A mist ascends, clears the air
and obliterates all landmarks.

Eyes at the back of the head relax
and connect like hypothalmic threads.

Stretching clears the head
and can be painful.

Pain is simply weakness
leaving the body.

Starting each day anew we acquire
clarity rather than momentum.

Variety’s the very spice of life
and a change is as good as a rest.

Thinking is peering at the world
through the bars of a prison.

Heart and mind together
like an open rose.

Life is sometimes painful and sometimes beautiful
but usually it’s both.

Subtracting self reveals what’s really there;
this is softness.

Smile and the world smiles with you
cry and you cry alone.

If what’s given truly connects
then magic happens.

No need to worry about winning or losing
just engage and let nature take her course.

Be suspicious,
nature may have got it wrong too.

If I have any force
it is in mobility.

All is movement and everywhere is the same movement
simply transformed.

Grab the tail of the dragon
and don’t let go.

The heat of passion
burns through fear.

Fear defines the present
passion defies the present.

No answers
only methods.

The internal is what is here
the external is what is there.

Here there and everywhere
all is the same.

Yielding – the art of engaging.
Yes it’s always time.

The only truth is heart to heart
and we fight for what we love not are.

Love is it’s own rescue, for we
are but it’s trembling Emblems.

What is this thing called love
but the one Spinozan substance.

A rolling stone gathers no moss
but a rolling snowball gets bigger & bigger.

All goes onward & outward
nothing collapses.

Open to let life surge in out & through
no time for pleasure pain truth or beauty.

It is undone business I speak of this morning
with the world stretching out from my feet.