Television Documentary and Humour Poem

Today’s FM poem was inspired by my television viewing taste, which can range from enlightening documentaries such as Wonders of the Solar System to controversial comedy programmes like South Park.

I think both types of television programmes have their uses and merits, but some people might consider them at different polars of the television spectrum, with documentaries having the highest cultural value, and anarchic comedy the lowest.

The Poem

Wonders of the South Park Solar System

while wandering deep space high
with matey prof Bri
entertainingly explaining wonders of solar system
just makes me want to listen
and learn about planets and stars
Saturn’s amazing, but what about Mars

Return to Earth, turn the channel, we’re going down to South Park

Stan’s funny, but what about Cartman
crass humour about life and dictum
just makes me want to laugh
intelligently parodying society on our behalf
Trey’s not in person
cartoon characters do his cussing

Nepal Himalayas Cairns and Lakes Poem by Claire Knight

Here’s another nicely crafted Folding Mirror poem by Claire Knight. The poem was inspired by photos of stone cairns built alongside vivid coloured lakes by travellers and trekkers in the Nepal Himalayas.

Thanks to Claire for creating and sharing the poem.

The Poem

Lakeside Cairns – Nepal

where travellers leave signs:
hand picked smooth stones
in shades of grey
perched one on top of another
balanced in perfect equilibrium
decreasing in size the small tower
ascends as if towards the gods

utter stillness of the turquoise waters

descending as if towards the depths
reflecting a reversal of the tower
floating in perfect alignment
each lying one beneath the other
in pale greeny hues
hand picked round rocks:
messages set in stone

Gokyo's Third Lake Near Mount Everest

Cairn in the Nepal Himalays Everest National Park

Inspiration for Poetry and Writing Poem

Here’s another Marc Latham Folding Mirror poem, inspired by the inspiration writers and poets depend on.

The Poem

Muse Scattered Seeds for Poets to Harvest

the muse must be above
scattering her seeds
for ideas and words
have dropped into consciousness

time to write, writing time

scribbling frantically for posterity
from head to notepad
harvesting the crops
the muse should be thanked

Folding Mirror Image Poem Published in Arts and Minds Newsletter

The Space from Singularity Expanding Universe image poem has been published along with a little Marc Latham bio in the Leeds Arts and Minds newsletter.

The newsletter includes lots of interesting and beautiful news and art, and you can receive it at the Arts and Minds website.

Thanks to Tom and the team for featuring it.

Claire Knight’s Valentine’s Day Rose Poem

Today we’ve got another Folding Mirror poem by Claire Knight, which was inspired by a BBC programme called Murder on the Lake.

It was about the all too common battle between economy and environment, and a woman who ended up losing her life as she tried to protect the latter.

Thanks again to Claire for creating and sharing her poetry here, and I hope you enjoy reading it.

The Poem

Valentine’s Day Rose

a magnificent sunrise paints the dawn sky
as the waves of Lake Naivasha lap gently
onto a shore fringed with papyrus
in a pink cloud flamingos fly in and settle on the water
later hippos will move in to laze the day in the
cooling margins only nostrils and eyes above the surface
herds of giraffe and buffalo frequent the area
along with many exotic birds e.g. black heron
fish eagles pied kingfisher and lovebirds
water lilies carpet Kenya’s only freshwater lake
where centuries of ecology harmony have existed … until

when the flower industry moves into the area

acres and acres of poly tunnels spring up
nurturing the precious blooms of roses
and carnations for the European market
warehouses arise with rows and rows of conveyor belts
migrant workers flock from afar to this mecca of employment
their hastily erected slum dwellings crowd the plains
the once thick acacia woods cloaking the
surrounding hills are felled for fire wood
pesticides and insecticides pollute the lake…
a couple sit at a table eyes of love red roses a gift for her
as the sunset fades in a February sky

Alice in Wonderland Poem

With Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland released tomorrow in UK cinemas, I thought it would be an opportune moment to create a Folding Mirror poem on that theme.

Poem Explanation

Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland story does indeed seem a very relevant theme for a Folding Mirror poem, with the normal world above the rabbit hole inverted down below.

So, with the folding middle line acting as the rabbit hole, I thought I’d create the FM poem with the normal world in the top half and wonderland below.

Poem Structure

The poem mirrors either in the mirroring lines either side of the middle, with a word count of:
5-9-7-6-5-6-4-3 (6) 3-4-6-5-6-7-9-5

The Poem

Our Land and Wonderland Above and Below the Rabbit Hole

world of order with antipodies
food clearly labelled so you know what it is
walk in straight lines and follow signs
which way, makes sense, linear lines
laws maintain straight and narrow
formal protocol for you to follow
people work to time
regular clockwork chime

another world down the rabbit hole

it’s mad-hatter’s luck
time does not work
cheshire cat lost grin mouse tailcity
reverse expected abnormality to normality
no rules, rules are, inverted showing
turn away to get where you’re going
don’t eat with expectation that it is what sees
wonderland is full of antipathies

I researched the poem on the Victorian Web website.

Claire Knight’s Hourglass Nebula Poem

After Claire provided the groundbreaking Folding Mirror poem, Hourglass of Time, I came across the Hourglass nebula in the best Hubble photos list.

The Hourglass Nebula

So I invited Claire to create a poem to represent the image, and she responded with a poem in no time. Claire sent a draft of this poem to me before I created the Ant Nebula poem, so she interpreted the image in colours before I did with the Ant Nebula.

Thanks for creating the poem, and sharing it here with us Claire:

The Poem

Cosmic Jellyfish of the Hourglass Nebula

floating far in the darkest void
wind spun outer rings of red hues
ethereal magic of the vast galaxy
two cosmic jellyfish connecting
translucent skirts swirling
shot with green streams
light years away:
8,000
light years away
shot with pure green silk
translucent skirts billowing
two cosmic jellyfish conjoining
magical enigma of the vast galaxy
wind spun inner rings of turquoise
quietly floating far into eternity