Writing Saga # 32 / A BOOK IS LIKE A SACRED ISLE; A Rain of Booklight / 2nd Progress Report!

   All these short ‘BOOK’ poems have been written consecutively just as they are dated and posted on this ‘Blogger’ site: Amethyst Poetry. I have written one to five poems here every day since 10th November, 2014; and with a view towards designing and making bookmarks with them, to give away; as well as eventually compiling them into a book. A tentative title for this book is:           A BOOK IS LIKE A SACRED ISLE;  for me evoking a sense of the island valley of Avalon, the heart's own desire and mystical Holy Grail still the inner quest of all who seek perfection.

    Each day’s writing begins by knowing only the title of the poem – the next parallelism/comparison thought of – and, as I begin typing that title, the following lines just come to me, with no effort. Ideas don’t seem to stop. It is as though I could go on forever. Now I have enough ideas for 40 of these poems that begin:  ‘A Book is like… .’

    These form the first subjective category of what a book is like – to a reader:  the conception of ‘a book’ as it is to the mind of the one who reads it.

    The second category is the bookmark idea which explores the idea of (a) pausing in reading, (b) marking the place when it is time to shut the book, and (c) when it is time to put the book away on a shelf.  I have already written 2 of these poems, and propose to write a few more – however many come to me.

   The third category will be comprised of prose pieces and essays, as well as poems. It is, the opposite subjective thought, (a) ‘a book’ as it is to the mind of the one who writes it; and (b) ‘a book’ as it seems to the one who would like to write one; and (c) ‘a book’ as it could be conceived in the subjective thought of a diarist; (d) ‘a book’ in the mind of a publisher. (Of course, having no experience of this, I cannot write this part.)  

    Although not consisting of too many pages, this book is of a largish ‘coffee table’ size, and very beautifully illustrated; the illustrations depicting books in conventional settings as well as in unusual ones; and in antique, romantic, and up-to-date styles. An open book under a willow tree, beside a stream… on a sunny window sill… or on window seat… or a garden seat… in a hammock… on a kitchen table… on a library ladder in the libraries of stately homes… beside a bed… on a coffee table… etc. etc. And then there is the choice of illustrating up to 40 different parallelism subjects from the poems: ‘A BOOK IS LIKE…’

    These poems are purposely written in a light traditional lilt, and kept as short as possible. They were not intended for the poetry market, per se, for lovers of poetry only. The intention is inclusive rather than exclusive for a general readership; and for people who would not dream of buying “A Poetry Book.” 
     A BOOK IS LIKE A SACRED ISLE is made up of prose as well as poetry. 
   Non-poetry-loving people recognize a poem as “a poem” by its touch of musicality; enjoying it for its memorability sake as truth that can be turned over in the mind and recited to oneself, and automatically memorized stored away there for future use or display. There is from our childhood a continuing, un-confessed positive response to a hint of rhyme, anywhere.

    So the idea here is of a beautiful book about books, its poetry aspect not prominent, but integral and flowing in with descriptive and explanatory prose. All with the intent to inspire and re-inspire a deeper delight, in the idea of “a book,” and the world of books…a renewed recognition of their power…and, most of all increase the sales of books in a struggling market.

    (There is no conflict, or any issue between which is better, digital books or paper books; both are facts and reality; but naturally and unconsciously the illustrations depict what we conceptualize as “really-real” paper books; and if that promotes paper books, that is an incidental bonus.)

Click here to continue reading about this project:
Writing Saga # 33 / A BOOK IS LIKE A SACRED ISLE; A Rain of Booklight / Where Next?

A BOOK IS LIKE A SACRED ISLE
A Rain of Booklight 

© Judith Evans Deverell, 2014