The
'process notes' pieces were originally solicited by Maw Shein Win as addendum
to her teaching particular poems and poetry collections for various workshops
and classes. This poem “now coalesce now scatter” by Rae Diamond
is part of her curriculum for Fall 2022 Poetry Workshop II
This poem is from a series of poems in an invented form called "facets and apertures," which are meant to be read both horizontally and vertically.
Please read each of these poems first horizontally, spanning across the fissure within, including the strikethrough text. This is the outer face of the poem.
Then please read the poem vertically – left column, then right column. Omit the strikethrough text in this vertical reading. This is the inner face of the poem. Not an evil twin. Not a shadow. Simply something hidden in plain view – the best place to hide anything.
Left face. Right face. Aperture.
Each poem is rent. Disparate edges shift away from each other, create a rift. Then perimeters peer into the internal emptiness thus created from different angles.
What can be seen when gazing at nothing? With faces shown? Buried? Unearthed? How many points of view, of being viewed? What depth the openings? To where or what do they lead?
Rae Diamond is an artist, educator, and nature advocate, who weaves language, breath, sound, movement, and things found outside into intricate doorways that lead to vast worlds. They began self-publishing zines as a homeless youth in the '90's, and their poems and hybrids now appear or are forthcoming in Litro, Sinister Wisdom, Dovecoat, The Arsonist, and various anthologies. Her book, The Cantigee Oracle, will be published by North Atlantic Books in 2022. Find Rae online at raediamond.com and @rae13diamond
Maw
Shein Win's most
recent poetry book is Storage Unit for the Spirit House (Omnidawn)
nominated for the Northern California Book Award in Poetry, longlisted for the
PEN America Open Book Award, and shortlisted for CALIBA's Golden Poppy Award
for Poetry. Win's previous collections include Invisible Gifts (Manic
D Press) and chapbooks Ruins of a glittering palace (SPA) and Score
and Bone (Nomadic Press). She is the inaugural poet laureate of El Cerrito
and often collaborates with visual artists, musicians, and other writers.
mawsheinwin.com
