To me it’s an interesting process. Prior to Carianne uploading her image, I take lots of time in the morning writing extensions to existing poetry, playing with new ideas, and worrying about the people who are emerging in a narrative working between the images, such as a cave woman who sits in a city street making things in the streets.

Typically, this work is preparation for the art to come, mental exercise, study. However, the voices reverberating through this world often don’t immediately correspond with the image Carianne has created. But the study is important for tone and language play. A wonderful frame for the working day. And two more variation tanka (brief 10th century Japanese style) forms to go.

Now, here’s to writing poetry in Pittsburgh.