the obsession

The perspectives, styles, and aesthetics of the students and faculty at VCFA are so diverse, even within each genre of poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction. And trying to explain these differences seems like a futile attempt because many of our aesthetics can't be explained in a few words...

BUT

the one thing we all share (I would hope) is the obsession to write, as graduating student Ian Bodkin  described in his lecture yesterday,

"...the obsession we are all bitten by and spend our entire lives trying to heal, or explain."

And it's amazing how, even when I speak with someone whose writing style is very different than mine, we both understand the obsession. And being here feeds my obsession, makes it bigger, more sprawling, more difficult to satisfy, like the universe it's expanding out of my control, which is the best thing.

Check out MudLuscious Press (AMAZING!) and go to issue 18 to read one of my poems. And then hang around and browse the other issues for some achingly beautiful and refreshing work.

Happy 2012.

Daisies {Sedmikrasky}

So....I have twenty poems to prepare for my adviser by November 28th (and then I will have completed half my grad school packets!), about 10 new and 10 revisions (substantial revisions). Plus a paper discussing my revisions. The first half of my Saturday will be devoted to this work. But first, tonight, Jason and I are taking advantage of our Walker Art Center membership and going to a screening of the 1966 film Daisies, by Czechoslovakian director Vera Chytlova (I'm missing accents in there, don't know how to get them on blogger!).

The film is quoted by Jonathan Rosenbaum as being "One of the most exhilarating stylistic and psychedelic eruptions of the '60's." Also, in the Walker Art Magazine, it says the film is "visually arresting," and that it "challenges gender-identity politics. Two young women mutiny against the culture around them through actions that range from playful to recklessly destructive." 

Sounds super interesting. And, I have this obsession with the culture and life of the mid-twentieth century, so I'm always very intrigued by pieces of history like this. 

Here are two clips I found:

My first reaction is "weird" in the best way possible. I crave weird. 

I hope you all have a beautiful and inspiring weekend. Here's something to get you started:

(original sources unknown--if you know, send me an email)