Posted by Atticus on July 24, 2004, at 19:10:42
In reply to My visit to New Orleans was so differient....., posted by Jai Narayan on July 24, 2004, at 16:57:04
Hi Jai,
Always good to hear from you. In many ways, this little slice of my misspent youth :) was meant as a gift to you. It's fun to write a poem as a little present for someone. Despite the vaguely surreal quality that my use of language probably brings to these stories, they're all true -- though seen through the lens of someone whose perception of reality would likely be considered a bit askew by most people. I change the names, but the images are all still there in my head, like a tray of slides that have been dumped from their tray and are out of order. I've always thought about writing a novel, but I'd probably have to write it like I write these poems. I scribble down a bunch of visual and aural memories associated with an event or place, in no particular chronological order, and then see if they can be arranged into some kind of coherent narrative structure. Your metaphor of putting pearls on a string is right on target. As for the diffences between your trip to New Orleans and mine, I don't know how old you were, but I was 23 and just out of college when the four of us roadtripped to New Orleans. I had, and still have, a tendency to seek out and find the bohemian, "underground" elements in any sizable city. That's just the kind of people I feel comfortable around. Once a punk, always a punk, I guess. Keep on writing! I've enjoyed your comments and learning more about you. Atticus
poster:Atticus
thread:370015
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