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I notice that the world around me has layers of detail that I barely notice and it gives me a sense of curiosity. To train my attention I should try to reduce the impulse for stimulation, from my phone, music or friends, and take the time to sense the world around me.

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Slow looking and slow listening had the greatest effect on my poem making because it allowed me the time to slow my life down and let my mind wander. I noticed and contemplated more about my life than usual.

Things I notice now:

The buses that I constantly hear from my apartment

The architecture styles I find pleasing to the eye

My physical location's effect on my mood.

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A carved tablet with an intricate chain pattern around the edge,
Satisfaction is more filling than happiness.

There are three central figures,
Godlike,
They are seated perhaps meditating,
Blood and rust smell the same.

Each figure is encased in an alcove separating them from the snake like figures in between,
Isolation is destructive to peace.

The metal is weathered and rusting,
There is green and gold patches,
It is difficult to tell which is the original color,
Time is slippery.

On either side of the gods there are shapes like a fountain, vase or lamp,
I enjoy cooking.

The figures wear crowns,
Pipes are often round but square ones would fit together better.

The chain around the edge of the tablet has 50 links,
Objects look smaller from far away,
I find people look bigger the further away they are,
And the less you know about them.

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Fence

I smell the dust of the rock. It reminds me of a road in rain, and when I was driven on a truck to get here.

I hear the wings of the bees that come to collect the nectar of the flowers. It reminds me of the whirring of blades in the factory where I was made. The sound is orange like sparks.

I see valleys, mountains, craters and riverbeds all miniature on the face of the enormous rock. Ancient scars. The leaves of the plants are soft and smooth.

The rock is unsure about me and the plants. It has been here for many of my lifetimes. I'm sure the rock was lonely before we arrived.

I dreamed last night that I was at a playground. Kids climbed me. I heard laughter, crying, singing.

In the afternoon the rock casts a shadow over my garden. It creeps slowly over each flower, tomato vine and sprout putting each one to bed.

Soon night will fall and the racoons, cats and squirrels will come out.

The sun shines and there is a warm breeze, but I feel cool as always. I look forward to the rain when I can finally clean myself of this summer dust.

Secretly, I have always wanted to grow roots like the plants.

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I was low on time so I decided to try deep listening while cooking. I could hear the sizzling of grease from my steak. I heard a tv show coming from my roommate's room faintly. Buses went by outside. I live over the bus loop so I realized I hear that sound all day long and had stopped noticing it. I spoke to my roommate and I noticed how tone and word choice gave me an insight into what he was thinking and feeling, beyond the meaning of the sentences he said.

Reflection Summary: Speaking to another person after engaging in deep listening was an illuminating experience. I realized that I could sense so much meaning through the tone, cadence and timber of his voice. I could tell by his slight stutter and hesitation that he was nervous and out of practice speaking to people but that he was determined to have the conversation. When I asked about work I could hear a drop in his mood that conveyed loneliness and exhaustion. He spoke to me about travelling with his friends a few years ago and I could feel nostalgia and longing in his voice. This spot was the most stimulating location and probably over-stimulating for deep reflection about all of the available noises, however I felt that the sounds I did focus on I could find a new perspective from which to hear them.

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Sounds were subtler here than the last spot and unpredictable. I heard the murmur of voices far away, I couldn't hear the words but I noticed I could sense the emotions of the conversation just through their tone. A branch snapped unexpectedly to my right. Sirens in the distance, then suddenly louder sirens much closer.

Reflection Summary: This spot was exciting because there were many sounds to think about, however the sounds were often brief and unexpected so I couldn't listen to them as closely as before

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This spot had rythmic sounds. The growling of a generator and the repetitive scrapping of an air conditioner fan both repeated in a distinct pattern. Like a beat. 3 airplanes flew overhead, each growing into a crescendo then fading away.

Reflection Summary: I found that each sound revealed itself individually as I listened for longer. Often I could focus distinctly on a sound for minutes and lose track of the other sounds I had already observed. I enjoyed the scenery and calmness of this spot, however the sounds lacked a natural aspect.

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Reflection: I shuffled my Universe deck and dropped it repeatedly to see how different combinations of words emerged. In this way some words were more visible and dominant making for unique combinations. Here I see words that make me reflect on my job and helping others.

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“A World of Dew” by Kobayashi Issa

A world of dew,

And within every dewdrop

A world of struggle.

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I've been finding walks around campus to be poetic. I rarely take photos since they don't record my experience in a place very well. I explore new areas, look at public art pieces and feel the cool night air. These walks are a great way to center myself and unravel my day.

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I found this process to be illuminating to how muddy my childhood memories are. I found that although I can remember the general context of the photo I couldn't remember any specifics and I certainly couldn't remember how I was feeling or what I was thinking. I decided to call my parents to hear their memory of when I was that age and they sent me some more photos to look at from a variety of ages. Even if I couldn't remember much I found it interesting to guess how I might have felt at the time. My facial expression in the left photo caught my attention. I'm looking into the camera and I seem serious. At the time I was a ring bearer at a wedding so maybe I was stressed about the job I had been given. The wedding was probably the largest and most important event I had been to in my life at the time. When I explored the contrast between the images and how that makes me feel I became very aware of how much I had changed in that amount of time. Looking at a 14 year difference I wonder what my life will be like in another 14 years. I chose two photos where I am in similar attire and at a similar event so that I could think about how I have changed internally not just how the circumstances of my life has changed over the years. Although I am certainly more capable and independent now I don't remember having as many insecurities and stresses when I was a child. It makes me wonder what advice the younger version of myself would give to me now as well as what advice I would give to him. I would want my younger self to take things slow, to appreciate the good and the bad and try to experience childhood to the fullest because it will never happen again. This leads me to think about how I can apply the same advice in my own life, to appreciate things in the present rather than worrying or yearning for the future.

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I chose this image because I couldn't tell what it was at first. The grey coloring and angular lines make it a visually interesting image. I find that my eyes are drawn almost hypnotically to the two central pieces of the image: the strangely bent bench and the curved object in shadow at the far end of the hallway. This image is divided by an X shaped framing from the overhead lights and the floor tiling. I can recognize that the image is of a shopping center but the stillness and dark lighting makes it feel unfamiliar and alien. The angularity, cleanliness and quietness of the image make me feel centered and productive, it has a calming effect that clears my mind. This is how I try to organize my room as well because I feel that an organized and almost sterile environment helps me focus on my actions and ambitions.

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Everyday, I see this plate. I don't know which of my three roommates it belongs to, or why it has been left for so long. The plate is a part of our kitchen, a single blue iris contrasting against a meadow of dull white plates and bowls. Its circular pattern presents a series of layers, naturally guiding the eye from the edge towards the center. The design is reminiscent of petals, like a flower in bloom. I imagine sipping tea and eating muffins off this plate on the porch of a quaint old house, looking out at a clear spring day. I feel the cool breeze carrying the slightest scent of flowers from the garden. I'm reminded of gardening with my mother as a child. I remember noticing her love for nature and her ability to find beauty and serenity in the simplest parts of life. Although I see this plate everyday, it is only now that I remember the lessons from the garden. Through slow looking, I allow the beauty and serenity of the plate to bloom in my mind.