LOST COASTER: FORM AND CONTENT

Saturday, January 3, 2015

FORM AND CONTENT

Form and content in poetry in particular used to be extremely important to me.
So important, I had to show it. A lot.
Listening to birds outside my window, I was driven to express in language which didn't just capture the sound, but also visually propelled the experience. When I wanted to reveal the concealment of Sasquatch, I saw in the form a way to show the content.

BIRD CODE

turns beats written in English
gradually into claw-like marks
fading away which could just
as easily be multiplied increasingly
into total overlapping blackness,
a shift in form speaking to the
shift in understanding the
language of forbidden knowledge.

Forms of Bigfoot
openly hidden in the content.

Multiplicity,
and the way hidden forms
extend the more we look
fascinated me like a mental
Big Bang
so much, and for so long,
it's part of my DNA.

Reads straight across,
and diagonally, too.

Palindromes and anagrams a must.

I write for The Independent,
I have a radio show on KMUD 91.1 FM Garberville,
I teach Creative Writing for College of the Redwoods
and I have print books of my stories available all around
Humboldt County and beyond.

Welcome to the Redwoods!

Hey, wanna see a giant flea?

http://stewartkirby.blogspot.com/2013/09/hidden-springs.html

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Terry LaBarba's Review of DRIFTING ROOM

STORYTELLING THAT'S WILDLY POETIC

The story takes place in the small town of Madrani in the redwood forest. There were strange things going on that kept me engaged, the reason partly being due to the interesting narration and the main character’s voice. It reminded me of the descriptive ramblings of Arlo Guthrie doing "Alice’s Restaurant," only with higher octane.
It’s a casual read and then again it isn’t. The eventful but not overly complex story uses descriptive word groupings that, in itself, entertains. You will want to take your time and let the verbal constructs take hold. There were “caves of problematical intricacy,” and a trek through the forest mentioned trees with “boughs outstretched like gem-laden supplicants bearing offerings before the ancient giants.” Truly poetic.
When I read this mastery of words, I had to wonder if it easily flows to the author or does he take the time to labor over the most creative way to put together a concept or description? Stewart Kirby’s literary work comes across as play, seeming natural, yet brilliant. As far as being creative, the funny but creepy little twitching doll in this book is a good example. The names of the local businesses in this town were a hoot. There was also some twisted humor when one character builds the perfect, dirty sandwich (with not so nice intentions). It had me laughing out loud as the deed progressed.
The plot moved forward without a dull moment. I’m looking forward to the next book of “uncanny tales of the redwoods in the hugely Hippie haven of Humbaba County,” as Kirby calls them. I suspect it is just as campy, witty and fun as this one.