(note to self)

(watch on Vimeo)

Be sure to expand this to full screen — it’s beautiful footage. I can say that because I didn’t shoot it myself. It’s from the free stock video site Beachfront B-Roll and is licensed under the Creative Commons (Attribution Unported license). But I did go to the trouble to save and upload a true HD version, for once. It actually didn’t take much more than an hour to upload, so maybe I’ll do that more often from now on and stop subjecting y’all to crappy low-resolution videos.

UPDATE 7/8/12: I’ve completely revised the soundtrack to include a somewhat livelier soundscape than the one included in the original video, as well as a more natural reading. Freesound.org is a marvelous resource.

*

(note to self)

don’t be so eager to find yourself

the deer rolls her eye in panic
at your approach
birds take flight
the rabbit’s pelt quivers

consider the possibility
that they’re right about you
those whom we trust to predict earthquakes

stop trying to dot your i’s
broken columns
from a Greek temple
where no one now remembers
the name of the god

11 Replies to “(note to self)”

  1. Clever, those “i” columns (missing some Doric top, maybe!)

    The deer hang out in the middle of the road and don’t let me go (judging by my return home last night after midnight.) That probably means something too, and nothing good…

  2. Indeed a fabulous video/poem pairing. Loved the after-shock water disturbance, and those birds! What wonderful stand-ins for humans and concocted gods, as they dot the I’s and hierarchically reshuffle.

  3. Thanks, y’all! I also want to acknowledge the role of some good criticism from rr, via email and chat, in my decision to re-do the soundtrack. (I’ve got to become less hasty in my approach to videopoem-making.)

Leave a Reply to marly youmans Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.