Poetry – Margin Notes

Introducing Picture Poems: #1 Young Meadow

Posted on 29 July 202229 July 2022 by S. R. Shilling

I’m beginning a project called Picture Poems. Simply put, it’s a way to collect, gather, and present small groups of images.

Picture Poems is inspired by an assignment I struggled with when I was in college. The assignment was to make a single image that acted as a poem.* I’m pretty sure I failed miserably, but then again, I never was a good student. Since then, I’ve constantly been striving to discover the poetic elements and potential of images. Is it possible to make an image that feels wet, not merely by showing something that is wet? How about softness or delicacy? Is it an image of a light touch on the arm? Or is it an image of something the viewer knows the sensation of? Can images convey the same meanings if they don’t show anything easily identifiable?

Wed. 23 March 2022 – New Orleans

Posted on 23 March 202229 July 2022 by S. R. Shilling

I’ve been back in New Jersey for over three weeks now. Of course, I miss New Orleans. I miss the new friends I made while I was there. The friends I’ve had to check in with after the news of yesterday’s tornado. As someone who prefers calm, I miss the energy. As someone who prefers quiet, I miss the noise. As someone who prefers the fresh air of nature, I even miss the onslaught of questionable aromas wafting about me. I miss the food.

Mar. 2, 2022 – [Poem] You Only Need One Camera

Posted on 2 March 20222 March 2022 by S. R. Shilling

In a few days I’ll be leaving for a long weekend stay in New Orleans. It will be my fourth time there. 2008, 2009, 2017, and now 2022.

As a photographer, I pack my clothes last. Or rather, clothes tend to be an afterthought. If there is an event I am going to, then that outfit is decided upon first. Everything else simply needs to be practical, comfortable shoes being the most important.

As it happens, the clothes are already packed. The problem, as always, is what camera to bring. I’m not going on assignment, so there are no parameters regarding what type of images I am going to make. That doesn’t help narrow anything down.

26 Feb. 2022 – Good Luck [Poem – 1st draft]

Posted on 27 February 2022 by S. R. Shilling

I’ve labeled this poem a first draft, because it is. It appears here as it was written when it was thought and without edits. I’ve included context for it, as well as some personal notes written to myself. In the grand scheme of things, this is perhaps infinitely insignificant. Still, it is a glimpse of the thought process that goes into writing a poem, albeit not one that was worked on for very long, over the course of days, weeks, or more. From the initial idea to the saved document was less than fifteen minutes, perhaps disrespectfully short. But it is a beginning to something, maybe. Or an example of what not to do.