Since I won't be making any face to face contributions to 'hot house' in the near future, thought I should share a few random thoughts and complete the 'homework'...
1st of all I was crazy disappointed about missing the Love Anthology book launch. Its how I booked my airplane ticket the same morning I received the email invitation. So, I'd love to hear about how that went?!?! Well done to all U hot housers that were published. Can I get some pledges for getting a book signed?
Now had I still been in the UK, I would have missed Florida State's "SUPER VOTING TUESDAY" where the presidential primary candidates were being chosen. For anyone remotely interested, people here are ready to talk about their political views at the drop of a hat... The 'first black or female' candidate issue has polarized people somewhat. I don't know why but maybe being female, black, and having a muddled mid atlantic accent means people are hot to talk to me about it. Needless to say neither of them won here.
Moving on to African poetry wouldn't be a huge digression as many of them seem to have political angles! The poems began with a resigned tone, manner and feeling. I was slightly saddened by them as they seem to show a wounded spirit. But at the same time I thought the poems were refreshing because they didn't take the human too seriously. They had plenty of humour (i.e. -In blowing your nose you must expose your teeth) - I started to feel that some of the resignation that I noticed at the beginning was also a way of understanding people's place in hardship.
A technique that I enjoyed from the African poems and would like to try is making a poem with chain of events, like 'Chain Riddle' and 'Who will throw goat's dung at me?' I think it is great how that series of lines brings dung throwing and longevity together. Martin and/or anyone with writing tips-I would love some advice on writing one of these.
I think my favourite lines in all of the beautiful writing was in the Chain Riddle:
The sun is far off?
Far off leads a road? - AMAZING! SO philosophically interesting!
Other parts I thoroughly enjoyed:
a) Where the Blue-grey Bulls are grazing - The pleasure in describing the home where the voice lives was so loving, thoughtful and measured enough to give respect to the subjet.
b) Balwo - 'Woman, lovely as lightening dawn, Speak to me once even' - What wonderful use of syntax... The words are arranged for for the humility of wanting. hmmmmm
c) Eshu - He throws a stone today and kills a bird yesterday! - Great concept.
d) Re-birth - Very beautiful; the pathos - the pathos.
I have to admit, although I found some favourite lines in the longer poems, I didn't enjoy them as much as the others.
I hope to follow praise poetry assignment a bit better and post two pieces of new writing soon...
- Eileen

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