Firstly, belated happy new year, Brian! I hope you and the family are doing well.
December was a busy and distracted month and I have been very intermittent on Substack, so my apologies for not having read the Maidenhair poem until just now.
Beautiful, of course, and a wonderful reflection on your process behind your poetry and this specific piece.
I love the ginkgo. The leaves are so lovely and the fact it is so ancient is enchanting. I bought a small ginkgo tree as a gift for some friends when they moved into a new house and it has flourished in their garden, which always makes me happy to see.
That is such an amazing gift. We have a few beautiful ones in our neighborhood that I love walking past in the fall though they are beautiful all year. Thanks for reading, and you never have to apologize for reading when it works for you! I have a few of yours in my inbox still as well!
I really like your descriptions of time, Brian. This line stands out so well: "...but when we look for time, close inspection reveals no moment other than now." The present moment is something so challenging to capture in words and poetry.
I remember seeing so many Gingko trees while living in South Korea some years ago. I still miss the colours of them in Autumn.
I like your process of handwriting your poetry. I have not had much success writing my sijo like this but perhaps I need to revisit it. Thanks for sharing.
I like doing early drafts by hand, even to the point of rewriting a second or third draft so I have it clean, then editing further. Though the final edits do usually happen on the laptop…
So much goodness here, Brian. The direction you're heading sounds energizing: writing outdoors in a beautiful space! Yes to that! It certainly sparked a wonderful poem in you.
I always enjoy a glimpse into your process.
We have some great botanical gardens here too, and I'm always in awe of the devoted staff who keeps them healthy and flourishing. The NC Botanical Garden offers a Certificate program in Botanical illustration--17 courses and a final project--that takes 3-5 years to complete. It is a dream on the back burner of my imagination right now, but something I feel would mesh so perfectly with the Microseasons. . . maybe one day!
✨
Firstly, belated happy new year, Brian! I hope you and the family are doing well.
December was a busy and distracted month and I have been very intermittent on Substack, so my apologies for not having read the Maidenhair poem until just now.
Beautiful, of course, and a wonderful reflection on your process behind your poetry and this specific piece.
I love the ginkgo. The leaves are so lovely and the fact it is so ancient is enchanting. I bought a small ginkgo tree as a gift for some friends when they moved into a new house and it has flourished in their garden, which always makes me happy to see.
That is such an amazing gift. We have a few beautiful ones in our neighborhood that I love walking past in the fall though they are beautiful all year. Thanks for reading, and you never have to apologize for reading when it works for you! I have a few of yours in my inbox still as well!
I really like your descriptions of time, Brian. This line stands out so well: "...but when we look for time, close inspection reveals no moment other than now." The present moment is something so challenging to capture in words and poetry.
I remember seeing so many Gingko trees while living in South Korea some years ago. I still miss the colours of them in Autumn.
I like your process of handwriting your poetry. I have not had much success writing my sijo like this but perhaps I need to revisit it. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Neil! They are an incredible tree!
I like doing early drafts by hand, even to the point of rewriting a second or third draft so I have it clean, then editing further. Though the final edits do usually happen on the laptop…
So much goodness here, Brian. The direction you're heading sounds energizing: writing outdoors in a beautiful space! Yes to that! It certainly sparked a wonderful poem in you.
I always enjoy a glimpse into your process.
We have some great botanical gardens here too, and I'm always in awe of the devoted staff who keeps them healthy and flourishing. The NC Botanical Garden offers a Certificate program in Botanical illustration--17 courses and a final project--that takes 3-5 years to complete. It is a dream on the back burner of my imagination right now, but something I feel would mesh so perfectly with the Microseasons. . . maybe one day!