Sleeping Bear

When the storm rolls in,

I move quickly

Over jagged rocks and sand.

Across the great wild back

Of the sleeping bear.

I follow tracks and shapes in clouds.

I walk under a canopy-sky

Of rain and insects.

In the ghost tree valley;

Shadows climb in the distance.

There are two ways to travel:

In the darkness,

And in the light.

And I chase patches of sky

On a stormy sleeping bear night.

Breaking Glass

Starin’ at the Moon like a Common Loon

The giant panda shines on the surface of the lake

The pufferfish smears red paint on the canvas of the sky

The porcupine understands why some stars die

And why some stars live forever

The wolf loves the wild turkey kisses of the moonlight

The lionfish lives in a bowl full of nuts

And the clownfish resent statements like the later

“you can’t kid a kidder”

The giant clam is the loudest of them all

Swim

Little baby swim

Swim little

Baby

Brine shrimp

Penguins are decent animals

Perhaps I’m a decent person

Orion, make me feel like a polar bear again

I can breathe better in icy water

And in the mountains

Snow leopards brush against my face

Cutting a path in the brilliant white

I float on a dream pillow

So that I don’t have to swim for my life

It’s a religious boxing match with the champions of science

I prefer to ignore it (the fighting)

It makes the other animals leave

I speak with the body

And attack with the soul

The shadows make me feel silly

I don’t need these jaws

Or these claws to communicate

Animals know how to find inspiration elsewhere

Friday Night Paranormal Phenomena

Starting this Friday, and occasional Fridays after, I will be writing and/or presenting something in the realm of the paranormal: parapsychology, UFO’s, folklore, ghosts, any unexplained supernatural phenomena. 

Many authors of fiction have written stories involving ghosts, UFO’s and other paranormal phenomena. Many musicians have written songs about the paranormal, and there is definitely an array of movies involving paranormal phenomena. Often times, what you see, hear, or read about the paranormal is based on real events reported by bystander and/or people involved. These stories usually develop into folklore and urban legend.

Tonight I am going to talk about the mysterious death of the legendary Mississippi delta blues artist Robert Johnson. Robert Johnson was a blues artist in the 1930s. He died at the age of 27, but the cause of his death is unknown. The legend of Robert Johnson is that he sold his soul to the devil in trade for mastery of the guitar. Johnson talks of this event in his song “Cross Road Blues.”

Some people believe that the devil came back to claim Johnson’s soul after he had master the guitar. In the original recording of “Me and the Devil’s Blues,” Johnson sings the words “you may bury my body, down by the highway side.” In the background of the song, Johnson speaks the words “Baby, I don’t care where you bury my body when I’m dead and gone.” It is believed that Johnson's body may have been buried at the crossroads and that his "evil spirit" can be seen hitching a ride on a Grayhound bus.

Photo Prompt: 5 Minute Creativity Exercise.

Here is an interesting photo that I took with my compact digital camera.

What does this photo cause you to think of?  How does it make you feel?  What event, place, time, etc. does it remind you of?  In other words, if it could suddenly come to life and speak, what would it say?  

Now take 5 minutes to write a poem, story, etc. with this picture as inspiration.  The key to this exercise is to be relatively strict with your time limit.  This is not a dissertation prospectus it is creative stimulus.  Do not waste time trying to make logical sense of your sentences and/or syntax.  Move quickly and let you thoughts flow.  If you take your time trying to make sense of the photo, logic and reason will take hold and your thoughts will most likely be less creative and interesting.  (For Example: It is dark and cloudy.  The sun is beginning to set behind the trees).  Just let your thoughts flow.

Here is an example of what I came up within a 5-minute time limit.  I wrote from a free verse poetry approach:

 

Thunder of the mist

Willows-whisper of eve’s hollow eyes

Gray and electric structures

Shake the solar plexus until chakras bleed light

And the cold ubiquitous sky bleeds rocks

I need to build an ark

So that all of my animal friends will be safe from

The son of the morning ice

We will die if our father does not

Invent something new to aid in our survival

Now all you have to do is take it a step further.  Take the ideas, thoughts, sentences, words, etc. that you came up with and expand upon them.  For example, consider the last two lines of my writing: "We will die if our father does not/Invent something new to aid in our survival." Imagine if this was the first line spoken by a narrator in a story or movie, what would happen next!  The possibilities are endless!

About this Blog

I have wanted to create a blog site that contains my poetry, creative writing, and techniques for stimulating creativity for about a year. I study English at a university in the United States, and spent much of my youth writing lyrics for my musical aspirations. When I no longer had the time for music, I turned to writing. I decided that a blog site would be a good way to share my ideas for writing, as well as some of my poetry and short stories.

Finding new ways to approach a poem, novel, or short story expands my ability to think creatively, generate new ideas, and accomplish my goals. I could care less about writing the "great American novel" (mostly, because I prefer creating shorter works). I am more interested in new ways of expression and pushing the boundaries of the intricate microcosmic structure that makes up the English language. I do not care much for rules when it comes to creative writing. This does not mean that I abandon the formal elements of textual expression. I embody them to the greatest extent.

This blog is not only for people who are interested in creative writing. It is a blog about art and creative expression. This blog is for anyone looking to expand their view of life and everything that it encompasses. I am tapping into energy sources in order to break free of a strict cycle of redundancy and enter an ever-changing world where everything is as new as the first breath of life.

The Sub-Ethereal Vivarium is the interconnectedness of all things. There are no rules here. I am trying to accomplish something.

I'm new to blogging. Are you?

The article featured in The Observer titled "The World's 50 Most Powerful Blogs" is a good place to start for anyone new to blogging (myself included). The sites mentioned in the article are a good example of just how creative and affective a well-written blog can be. Lets take a look at 3 of my favorites.

The blog that engages my attention the most is called "Icanhascheezburger." This site contains pictures of cats doing funny and outrageous things. The pictures include silly captions that explain the picture in a comic way. There is a function that allows visitors of the site to upload their own pictures with captions. I was so entertained by this site that I decided to upload a funny picture of my own kitten. This site shows how photos can generate an array of interesting and creative language.

Another blog that I like is called "Engadget." This is an informative blog about hi-tech gadgetry. The blog features reviews of the most recent and innovative technologies and devices. Being informed of new technology helps me to stay on top of the digital mountain. I will soon be in the market for a new T.V. and I may have to give this site a visit before I make a purchase.

Finally, as a person new to blogging I feel a need to be guided through the blogosphere. "Copyblogger" is a site that aids in doing this. The site is full of ideas to help the beginner and expert blogger generate ideas for their blogs. Chances are, no one is going to visit your blog if the content is not entertaining, informative, or useful in some way. "Copyblogger" helps you create content that will make your blog successful. I like "Copyblogger," because it gives me direction and insight into the art of blogging.