artist statement for thirteen poems

i write to slow down time, or do i slow down time to write?

i gather information, through my senses, and write as a method to reveal the nuances that may, or may not be noticed, without the quest of a poem. each collection is a document of a specific location, and is written to convey the way that i experienced a place at a particular moment, within a deep acknowledgement of seasonal attributes. using the imagery of lunar cycles, constellations, effects of light, weather, tides, birds, mammals and occasionally human behaviour, the poems try and convey a visceral,  sensory and somatic experience of the living, and ever shifting world.

the photos are companions to the poems, but do not illustrate them directly. they are there to help create atmosphere, and visual reference, for those who are not familiar with the bioregions contained in the poems.

the process of writing and photography bring me into a more sensitive and contemplative relationship with the landscapes where i reside, and where i venture as a guest. through observation, interest and care, intimacy develops, and poems emerge.

yes, these text-based works are definitely influenced by the philosophy and aesthetics of haiku, though they do not adhere to the 5.7.5. format, which was traditionally valued in this form.

i particularly like this list of things to avoid in haiku, which was shared by the heron’s nest….

  1. titles

  2. capitals at the start of one or more lines

  3. omitting "the" and "a"/"an" where they would naturally appear in English

  4. making a comparison using the word "like"

  5. wordiness: the word "and"; the verb "is"/"are"; more than one verb; lists; a long word when a short synonym exists

  6. a dash in the middle of line two; and commas, periods, and slashes

  7. spelling errors

  8. flowery or archaic language from traditional English-language poetry

  9. rhyme

  10. three lines with a different image on each one

  11. statements of fact or philosophy, often in sentence form and without juxtaposition

  12. judgmental commentary on the beings or situations in the poem

  13. situation-explanation scenarios

  14. jokes, puns, and an overly comedic tone

  15. bathroom humor, gory scenes, and disrespect of people's gender identity or body size

  16. melodrama and stating emotions directly

  17. allegory and mythological references

  18. fantasy, and things that occur contrary to the laws of physics or cannot happen in reality

check back soon and i will have an updated list of all the qualities i value, and try to include in my short form poems.

thank you for visiting thirteen poems,

sincerely,
stasia