#6

How many boys know the proper way
to grasp the skin between the shoulders,
and at the same time,
to support the body with the other hand
there are prickly things which object to strangers
But it is easy to trust you and then let you do what you like
press with both hands on the spine,
smoothing them gently downwards
without pain to yourself or to him
their bodies are very tender.
take hold of the hand and let it lie securely in your palm
between your protecting fingers – between the very young
placing your hand in this place
no attempt to struggle

#5

How to Handle

Here is a word of warning:
Very few people know how to touch
no idea at all
all suffer through careless handling
if you are obliged
the best way is gently
very soft
take time
there are times when it is necessary to touch
so it is as well to know beforehand exactly how

#4

Wild will come
wild creatures soon die
if degenerated
and in captivity
you must not judge you see
they will not thrive in the house they live in
There should be fresh air

#3

It is remarkable how you learn a hearts content
make an ideal place for the work of burying bones
digging with a tired body
(for burying bones is hard work)
drop down on the mat, fall asleep. And dream it all over again
making all the little movements and noises
that every lover has noticed.

with a nod to the amazing Clarissa Pinkola-Estes!

#2

too small to have all to yourself
attention must be paid to appearance
secure some out of the way corner
will be ideal
wild would be useful
familiar and easily grown from seed

#1

Preparing for You

As soon as i hear this remark from some friend
“I hope i won!”
put a blanket on you and arrange for you
beforehand.
carefully consider the position for the bedding
Everyone will be interested in these arrangements
you
due to arrive
will be welcomed
objections will probably have been overcome

Book Number 1

The first book to be altered is:

The Wonder Book of Pets and How to Keep Them
WIth Twelve Colour Plates and Three Hundred Illustrations

Edited by Harry Golding
Published by Ward, Lock & Co., Limited
London and Melbourne

Printed in Great Britian by Butler & Tanner Ltd., Frome and London
Publishing date not included but is estimated at mid-late 1920's

The book was originally owned by Margaret A. Whiteley (who kindly included her name on the inside cover)

An Altered Book

In late December, my glorious friend G (after issuing, via her holiday card, an edict to make 2010 a beacon of creativity) stumbled upon (literally – using stumbleupon.com) a website called Altered Books. The site is described as follows:

“THE IDEA
Cut the bindings off of books found at a used book store. Find poems in the pages by the process of obliteration. Put pages in the mail and send them all around the world. Lather, rinse, repeat.
This site is a chronicle of a very specific set of collaborations between the artists listed below working on the titles listed below.”

My response was:
“THIS…TOOK…MY…BREATH…AWAY!!!
A complete visceral reaction!
I believe there is something BIG here…”

The idea of having an entire book of poems just waiting to be revealed captured my imagination.

Concurring, G & I agreed to undertake an Altered Book Project in which we each chose (using various mystical techniques) and subsequently sent each other a book specifically for this project. The plan being that when we had altered a page, we would share the poems with each other.

G’s friend T, being equally creatively inspired agreed to join the project as well.

This blog will contain my alterations and subsequent foundpoems.