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Monday, September 4, 2023

Comma Poems—a Modernist Idiom

 
 
 
 
Jose Garcia Villa

Notes on “Unique Forms of Continuity in Space by Umberto Boccioni” by Gonzalinho da Costa


Format is an essential attribute of the poem, “Unique Forms of Continuity in Space by Umberto Boccioni.” The poem is at this link:

https://poetryofgonzalinhodacosta.blogspot.com/2022/09/the-scream-by-edvard-munch.html

 

Unique Forms of Continuity in Space (1913) by Umberto Boccioni
 

The original version of the poem is formatted in Century Schoolbook 12 points. If the font type or size is changed, the formatting should be adjusted to maintain the following defining attributes.
 

 
The last line of “Unique Forms of Continuity in Space by Umberto Boccioni” should always end with a single word, “now.” This attribute can be achieved by adjusting the width of the poem, which is always formatted ragged right.
 
This procedure is illustrated in the third version of the poem formatted in Georgia 12 points in the attached file. The width of this version of the poem has been adjusted from 6.5 inches to 6 inches. 
 

 
If necessary, a line break should be inserted at the end of the poem so that the ending word “now” begins the last line. This procedure is illustrated in the second version of the poem formatted in Times New Roman 12 points. The width of the poem has been adjusted from 6.5 inches to 6.75 inches.
 

Unique Forms of Continuity in Space by Umberto Boccioni

 

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Reveille


BREAKFAST

Dark-headed coffee is a keen companion
Of depth and wit,
Finely calibrated scientific instrument.

Swinging his censer just below my nostrils,
He slays my logic with perfume.
“What crow has stolen your words?”

He asks. “Has your eloquence
Turned into baubles in his nest?”
I pay no attention to the ribbing.

He is too valuable a vizier.
I mine gold every morning.
I take my breakfast like a king—

To my right salted fish,
To my left steaming rice,
Fresh egg is the jester.

Butter, a bird, is eyeing the bread.
Milk dives smoothly into coffee.
Sugar disappears, memory of a dream.

A cock crosses swords with the day.
Things to do arrange themselves,
Tallest to shortest.

Digesting a bolus,
I rise ready to run the next marathon,
Wakeful as a bat, electric as a hawk.
 
 
Morning steps forward…

Morning steps forward, freshly washed, newly fed, tautly wound, a limber bow,
Ready to spring, tumble, wheel, pull at oars, throw the hammer, leap the long jump,
High kick, vault, cartwheel forward, lunge, Superman punch, elbow strike, grapple,
Throw, bound, mount a motorcycle, zip, zap, round and round the block,
Water ski, slicing the surface—fine fillets—smoothly, upswept, propelled by a parachute of air,
Sling saucers aloft, spinning pizza dough, snare them whirling on sticks, bob, bobble,
Hop, flip bowls from foot to head, head to foot, right to left, left, right, back again.
 
 
Hot fresh bread…

Hot fresh bread, breakfast time:
Fragrant, not a flower,
Warming, not a fire,
Lively, not a flame,
Soothing, not a salve,
Kindly, not a caress;
Dark honey wheat,
Black oat barley,
Sweet cinnamon raisin,
Savory apple walnut,
Ciabatta, Foccacia, Pita,
Bublik, Chapati, Pandesal—
Parmesan, Romano—two-cheese,
Sunflower, sesame, fennel—three-seed,
Every type of loaf
Bundled in brown wrapper,
Crackling in your embrace,
Steaming scented clouds,
Breathe deeply
Atop a mountain;
Billowing, fluffy blanket,
Pull it up,
Tuck it snug
Beneath your chin;
Bracing, poppy fireside,
Cross your arms,
Hold it to your heart.
Fed in deepest winter,
Bathed at height of summer,
Refreshed when day is dry,
Sheltered when life is wet,
Healed when you are pierced,
Becalmed…even after you are violently shaken,
Remade in hope,
Transformed in joy,
Nourished, uplifted…blessed:
Every good thing comes to you 
As a loaf of bread.
 
 
WORK

Work springs from bed, time ringing,
Switches off alarm, not clock, world,
Ticking, spinning, running, rushing—
Undresses, showers, splashes—

Sun, birds, window—towels, fluffy, dry—
Dresses, belt, tie, mirror, brushes hair,
Bounds for egg, rice, coffee—
Brushes teeth, brushes hair again,

Hops in car, drives, slows down, traffic—
Rain, wipers, left, right, metronome—
Signals, turns, parks, jumps out—at last!—
Guard, elevator button, fourth floor,

Hello, good morning, sits down, breathless,
Switches on computer, types—tik, tak,
Tikkity-tak—gets up, coffee maker—almost
No one here, checks calendar—holiday.
 
 
What gets you out of bed in the morning?