A sestina is a rigidly structured 39 line poem. It is composed of 6 stanzas of 6 lines followed by a final stanza of 3 lines. The last word of each line is reused in the following stanza but the lines are re-ordered. This order changes in a specific pattern for each of the 6 stanzas. In the final stanza, all 6 words are used, again in a specific pattern. The final structure is a highly stylized, interwoven poem. I felt that this was quite symbolic of the way God weaves seemingly unrelated events together in life to make a whole. Thus the poem emerged.
A Sestina is a great writing exercise as it requires a careful use of words to lessen the repetition in a very repetitive poem style. Smart, careful use of wording is critical.
Here is the wikipedia article with more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sestina.
God's Loom
The cloth of life is made with care by God.
Both strong and firm his hands the fabric weaves.
And while sometimes we think that life is mean,
The truth we feel within our soul and spirit.
We hide our hearts but still the call does ring
Oh come, oh come and see the pretty lights.
We gaze upon the bright, celestial lights,
And all around we see that he is God,
In lightning strikes and in the rainbow’s ring,
In clouds, and trees, and silken spider weaves,
In lion’s roars and winter’s weary spirit,
His pattern lives in things both great and mean.
His son, a thread, He drew across the mean
Whose word, a flame, inside our hearts He lights.
To mend again our tattered world and spirit,
Our Jesus Christ who was both man and God,
His life, a thread, a path, through darkness weaves
and brings us home with crown and wedding ring.
Before we own the crown and wedding ring,
The Holy Spirit whispers what they mean,
One with our soul he shows us God’s great weaves,
And in our heart he flutters then he lights
He says, “You are the child and bride of God.
Through me we are both joined in heart and spirit.”
A man is first a sick and broken spirit
He’s blind and in the dark his cry does ring
He’s still a lovely thread to holy God
Who finds the place to place a thread that’s mean.
Responding to His touch fills man with lights,
Together Spirit, lights, and crown He weaves.
Responding not, one who rejects God’s weaves,
a broken strand, his bent and darkened spirit
still blends inside the cloth with those with lights
contrasting those with Spirit, crown and ring.
And though he hates our king as one who’s mean
Still none oppose the mighty hand of God.
So move among His weaves and find your ring.
Then He who loves your spirit even mean
will fill your life with lights and be your god.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Here Be Dragons: Tales of DragonCon Review
This limited edition book is probably out of your reach unless you picked it up at DragonCon 2008. If, however, you have managed to get your paws on it you will find that it is well worth the effort. I am not a fan of short story anthologies; too often I find myself facing stories or authors that I dislike. By contrast, “Here Be Dragons: Tales of DragonCon” managed to keep me interested throughout.
As you would expect from the all-star author team, the stories are well written and interesting. To me, however, the books greatest strength is its internal thematic consistency. In a panel I attended, Bill Fawcett described the book as “Stories set here, at DragonCon.” Mr. Fawcett, the editor, spoke truly, but I found deeper connections between the stories. The required environment of DragonCon which ties the tales together, leads to writing that at first glance is almost formulaic. Taking the whole book into account, however, you find these similarities developing into strong underlying themes. I assume that the harmony between the stories is unintentional, but I found them to be wonderfully revealing of the character of DragonCon.
Most prominent is the theme of the freedom of self expression that runs rampant at the Con. DragonCon is a place where the characters can be themselves without fear or ridicule or miss-understanding. Some of the protagonists almost live solely for the yearly event. Others find a new love, start new lives, or realize new amazing things about themselves. The implication that these things could only have emerged in the accepting environment of the convention is clear.
Another theme that runs less clearly through the stories is the dangers of the suspension of reality. This is a particularly odd theme as in many ways it contradicts the first. But who can deny that the Con’s fantastic atmosphere is a realm where deception is encouraged. Often both themes run through the same story where the very suspension of reality that allows a character the anonymity to be themselves, either camouflages danger or hides something wonderful. The inability to distinguish the real from glamour is the source of many of the various heroes’ problems.
Finally, in the anthology you will find something that is more feature than theme but still unifies the stories strongly. Throughout the book you will find silent and not-so-silent nods to con celebrities and to DragonCon itself. With the references coming every few sentences, Todd McCaffrey’s story is less a nod and more like vigorous head-banging. Many of the other authors have lots of familiar faces, but simply don’t achieve the 80’s hair band effect that Mr. McCaffrey’s tale does. Beyond the nods to celebrities, the experiences that unite so many convention attendees also run rampant through the book. For many, these stories will hit deeper and seem more real, because they occur in a place readers have actually walked.
The bottom line is that these are well written stories that will appeal to anyone who has attended Dragon Con and many people who have not. Read the book if you can get your hand on it. Maybe, if we’re lucky, Mr. Fawcett will put the book out there for Print on Demand purchase for those who weren’t lucky enough to pick it up at the Con.
As you would expect from the all-star author team, the stories are well written and interesting. To me, however, the books greatest strength is its internal thematic consistency. In a panel I attended, Bill Fawcett described the book as “Stories set here, at DragonCon.” Mr. Fawcett, the editor, spoke truly, but I found deeper connections between the stories. The required environment of DragonCon which ties the tales together, leads to writing that at first glance is almost formulaic. Taking the whole book into account, however, you find these similarities developing into strong underlying themes. I assume that the harmony between the stories is unintentional, but I found them to be wonderfully revealing of the character of DragonCon.
Most prominent is the theme of the freedom of self expression that runs rampant at the Con. DragonCon is a place where the characters can be themselves without fear or ridicule or miss-understanding. Some of the protagonists almost live solely for the yearly event. Others find a new love, start new lives, or realize new amazing things about themselves. The implication that these things could only have emerged in the accepting environment of the convention is clear.
Another theme that runs less clearly through the stories is the dangers of the suspension of reality. This is a particularly odd theme as in many ways it contradicts the first. But who can deny that the Con’s fantastic atmosphere is a realm where deception is encouraged. Often both themes run through the same story where the very suspension of reality that allows a character the anonymity to be themselves, either camouflages danger or hides something wonderful. The inability to distinguish the real from glamour is the source of many of the various heroes’ problems.
Finally, in the anthology you will find something that is more feature than theme but still unifies the stories strongly. Throughout the book you will find silent and not-so-silent nods to con celebrities and to DragonCon itself. With the references coming every few sentences, Todd McCaffrey’s story is less a nod and more like vigorous head-banging. Many of the other authors have lots of familiar faces, but simply don’t achieve the 80’s hair band effect that Mr. McCaffrey’s tale does. Beyond the nods to celebrities, the experiences that unite so many convention attendees also run rampant through the book. For many, these stories will hit deeper and seem more real, because they occur in a place readers have actually walked.
The bottom line is that these are well written stories that will appeal to anyone who has attended Dragon Con and many people who have not. Read the book if you can get your hand on it. Maybe, if we’re lucky, Mr. Fawcett will put the book out there for Print on Demand purchase for those who weren’t lucky enough to pick it up at the Con.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Pump up the Muse
Sometimes I find writing is hard to start. The first several minutes are all rusty hinges, steep inclines, and boggy soil. Sometimes I slog for hours instead of minutes hoping to see the swamp end. Eventually, I do loosen up and begin to write. However, I have always wanted to reach this fertile land easier and faster, so I have come up with several techniques to help me.
To talk about finding my way to through this swamp, I first need to speak to how I write. There are three main phases to writing for me. The spiritual, where I find the idea or the Muse, comes first. It gives me the seed that I plant and grow. The second phase is the Creative or writing stage. It is where the story sprouts and becomes mature. During this phase it all gets written down. Another important fact is that the Muse phase must always proceed each session of the Creative phase. Without the energy provided by my spiritual focus, it can be quite difficult to break through the soil and reach for truth. Finally comes the Pruning or editing phase. This is mostly about blood and sweat and, thus, presents motivational problems.
Taking all this into account, my first answer to writing problems is usually light exercise. For me light exercise means walking or, when I’m healthier, jogging. There have been several published psychological studies proving the correlation between moderate to light exercise and enhanced creativity. These studies showed not only the immediate benefits to the exercising individual, but creativity enhancing effects that last more than two hours post exercise. Furthermore, there is near limitless anecdotal evidence for enhanced post-exercise creativity in the writings of runners. I say all this to support my contention that when I am bogged down, the single most powerful tool to move forward in either the Creative or Muse stages of writing is nothing more significant than a long brisk walk.
The Muse stage benefits most from physical exercise. Almost every story I have written has gained its soul during a long walk. I think part of this may be because of the distractions of the modern age. It is harder for full ideas to shape themselves among the hustle and bustle of the noisy home or office.
A second important tool to move past being bogged down is isolation. That may seem obvious. In our busy lives today, however, it may be far easier to consider isolation than to do it. Much of my isolation is achieved as a tradeoff for sleep. Free time away from the office is often filled with family activities and chores. I am sure I am not alone in this. None-the-less, isolation is a great tool to help all stages of writing. It is especially effective during the Pruning phase. I often try to fool myself into thinking that I can edit in front of the T.V. or while riding in the car. Realistically, editing is hard enough to achieve without constant distractions.
The third major tool I sometimes use is introspection. Why is introspection important? My writing, even when I try to suppress it, is scarred by what I believe in my heart. The twisted thorns of truth that my subconscious mind has truly accepted lay beneath the surface of all my writing. To be sure J.R.R. Tolkein’s stories, despite his attempt to create a pure fantasy, blaze with Christian symbolism. Similarly, all good writing is an overflow of the heart.
Introspection comes into play during the Creative phase and even more so during the Pruning phase. Why is it so important? I find that most of us don’t even know what we really believe. Why do I spend money I don’t have, work too much, eat too much, love too little, and basically do things that my mind tells me are stupid? To be frank, this is because very rarely are my actions driven by what I think. My decisions are driven by what I think. My actions, which often contradict my decisions, are driven by my heart. As I said earlier, writing is an overflow of the heart. Right or wrong, my goal must be first and foremost to sharpen the thorns that are hidden in my writing. This will transform my writing from good to magnificent.
My fourth and final tool I use is music. This may not work for everyone but it works for me. I find it tremendously valuable in all stages of writing. Basically Music can be used to leverage each of the above techniques. Music provides energy and helps me move towards the spiritual. It can be used to isolate me from my surroundings. As what moves me is often much more driven by my heart than my mind, music can also help my introspection. A whole essay could be devoted just to the power of music to enhance writing creativity, but that is for another time. Suffice it to say that when I’m having a down writing day, I often pump of the music and thus, pump up my muse. With my muse on fire, the writing comes.
Chris.
To talk about finding my way to through this swamp, I first need to speak to how I write. There are three main phases to writing for me. The spiritual, where I find the idea or the Muse, comes first. It gives me the seed that I plant and grow. The second phase is the Creative or writing stage. It is where the story sprouts and becomes mature. During this phase it all gets written down. Another important fact is that the Muse phase must always proceed each session of the Creative phase. Without the energy provided by my spiritual focus, it can be quite difficult to break through the soil and reach for truth. Finally comes the Pruning or editing phase. This is mostly about blood and sweat and, thus, presents motivational problems.
Taking all this into account, my first answer to writing problems is usually light exercise. For me light exercise means walking or, when I’m healthier, jogging. There have been several published psychological studies proving the correlation between moderate to light exercise and enhanced creativity. These studies showed not only the immediate benefits to the exercising individual, but creativity enhancing effects that last more than two hours post exercise. Furthermore, there is near limitless anecdotal evidence for enhanced post-exercise creativity in the writings of runners. I say all this to support my contention that when I am bogged down, the single most powerful tool to move forward in either the Creative or Muse stages of writing is nothing more significant than a long brisk walk.
The Muse stage benefits most from physical exercise. Almost every story I have written has gained its soul during a long walk. I think part of this may be because of the distractions of the modern age. It is harder for full ideas to shape themselves among the hustle and bustle of the noisy home or office.
A second important tool to move past being bogged down is isolation. That may seem obvious. In our busy lives today, however, it may be far easier to consider isolation than to do it. Much of my isolation is achieved as a tradeoff for sleep. Free time away from the office is often filled with family activities and chores. I am sure I am not alone in this. None-the-less, isolation is a great tool to help all stages of writing. It is especially effective during the Pruning phase. I often try to fool myself into thinking that I can edit in front of the T.V. or while riding in the car. Realistically, editing is hard enough to achieve without constant distractions.
The third major tool I sometimes use is introspection. Why is introspection important? My writing, even when I try to suppress it, is scarred by what I believe in my heart. The twisted thorns of truth that my subconscious mind has truly accepted lay beneath the surface of all my writing. To be sure J.R.R. Tolkein’s stories, despite his attempt to create a pure fantasy, blaze with Christian symbolism. Similarly, all good writing is an overflow of the heart.
Introspection comes into play during the Creative phase and even more so during the Pruning phase. Why is it so important? I find that most of us don’t even know what we really believe. Why do I spend money I don’t have, work too much, eat too much, love too little, and basically do things that my mind tells me are stupid? To be frank, this is because very rarely are my actions driven by what I think. My decisions are driven by what I think. My actions, which often contradict my decisions, are driven by my heart. As I said earlier, writing is an overflow of the heart. Right or wrong, my goal must be first and foremost to sharpen the thorns that are hidden in my writing. This will transform my writing from good to magnificent.
My fourth and final tool I use is music. This may not work for everyone but it works for me. I find it tremendously valuable in all stages of writing. Basically Music can be used to leverage each of the above techniques. Music provides energy and helps me move towards the spiritual. It can be used to isolate me from my surroundings. As what moves me is often much more driven by my heart than my mind, music can also help my introspection. A whole essay could be devoted just to the power of music to enhance writing creativity, but that is for another time. Suffice it to say that when I’m having a down writing day, I often pump of the music and thus, pump up my muse. With my muse on fire, the writing comes.
Chris.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
DragonCon 2008
After reading about it forever, I went to DragonCon this year for the first time. It was awesome and went far beyond my expectations.
My son and I arrived to see the parade Saturday morning. We loved it. My little boy marveled at the comic book characters, cheered for the star wars troopers, and refused to give the witch with the detached hand a high five. As we hopped on the MARTA and headed home, he was just tickled pink.
After an hour or two, I headed back to the Con and got in line. It only took a few moments to get registered and head towards the first panel. The writer’s track turned out to be my first great choice of the con. The panels were great and gave me some great ideas. Keith DeCandido and Jospha Sherman were in several panels adding humor and valuable info. The best quote of the con came during one of these panels as well, “You need to drag the reader across the page by their eyeballs.”
Later, I decided to head over to the SF Lit track and check it out. This was my second great choice at the con. The panel “The golden age of Science Fiction” blew me away. The panelists were tremendously informed and the moderator was a cute young lady by the name of Stephanie Souders. She intrigued me a bit. It was odd to see a twenty-something sitting at the table between two older men, talking sensibly about fiction that was written way before she was born. I actually selected a couple of other literary track opportunities to see her specifically. She didn’t disappoint me and proved to be well informed and well spoken. Larry Davis was another great panelist. This track was terrific and complimented the writer’s track perfectly. Special thanks to Sue Phillips, the Track director.
Gaming at the con was another special experience. I played “Cash and Guns” one night and loved it so much I bought it the next day. Another day, I saw “Playing Gods” which premiered at the con. Bottom line, even if you’re not into fantasy and sci-fi, but love board, miniature, or card gaming, DragonCon still has something for you.
Overall, DragonCon is worth the 90 bucks I paid to go. I’ve signed up to go next year, and I encourage anyone who loves writing, fantasy, science fiction, gaming, robots, anime, movies, or just a good time to check the convention out in 2010.
My son and I arrived to see the parade Saturday morning. We loved it. My little boy marveled at the comic book characters, cheered for the star wars troopers, and refused to give the witch with the detached hand a high five. As we hopped on the MARTA and headed home, he was just tickled pink.
After an hour or two, I headed back to the Con and got in line. It only took a few moments to get registered and head towards the first panel. The writer’s track turned out to be my first great choice of the con. The panels were great and gave me some great ideas. Keith DeCandido and Jospha Sherman were in several panels adding humor and valuable info. The best quote of the con came during one of these panels as well, “You need to drag the reader across the page by their eyeballs.”
Later, I decided to head over to the SF Lit track and check it out. This was my second great choice at the con. The panel “The golden age of Science Fiction” blew me away. The panelists were tremendously informed and the moderator was a cute young lady by the name of Stephanie Souders. She intrigued me a bit. It was odd to see a twenty-something sitting at the table between two older men, talking sensibly about fiction that was written way before she was born. I actually selected a couple of other literary track opportunities to see her specifically. She didn’t disappoint me and proved to be well informed and well spoken. Larry Davis was another great panelist. This track was terrific and complimented the writer’s track perfectly. Special thanks to Sue Phillips, the Track director.
Gaming at the con was another special experience. I played “Cash and Guns” one night and loved it so much I bought it the next day. Another day, I saw “Playing Gods” which premiered at the con. Bottom line, even if you’re not into fantasy and sci-fi, but love board, miniature, or card gaming, DragonCon still has something for you.
Overall, DragonCon is worth the 90 bucks I paid to go. I’ve signed up to go next year, and I encourage anyone who loves writing, fantasy, science fiction, gaming, robots, anime, movies, or just a good time to check the convention out in 2010.
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