Each of you are able to develop a new post...just go to the upper right corner of the blog and click on new post. Then you can tell us about your creative project and up load your images (s). You have till the 8th catch up on the readings and post your final.
Thank you for being a part of this class and sharing your reflections on the books.
Healing Earthquakes - Book 3
ReplyDeleteThis part of the book was beautiful and heartbreaking. Writing can be extremely liberating and I think that this is what writing was for Baca – a friend in solitude and an instrument toward healing. This and a form of assuring himself that his thoughts will reach at some point the one who suddenly became unreachable. There is great fright in acknowledging that the one with whom you are used to share your thoughts and feelings is no longer there to listen and care for you; this is something very difficult to accept, something that an abandoned lover usually fights against. There is also a need to understand the changes you are going through in a situation like this, and a preoccupation to correct any misunderstandings that could intervene amid confusing reactions and emotions. Writing can help sort all these things out. I think it is impossible to read this part and not to think at your past experiences, at your love failures. For me it was like continuously scratching a scar, examining if any traces of pain were left. I take “La Guerra” as a witness to a long and profound journey of the poet into himself. As a crystallized form of grief. As a descent into darkness to the purpose of being able to enjoy light again. As an exercise of humility. As a contradiction like life itself. As a token of an individual’s struggle with the nothingness that stares at him when the circle is broken and his reality gets smashed into pieces. As a cry of a human being who needed to be loved and got caught in an illusion. As a constant calling that finds no answer, only an empty echo that keeps going on… As a unique and touching proof of love, a love that doesn’t want to imprison, but to protect, cherish and celebrate life.
beautifully said
DeleteHealing Earthquakes - Book 4
ReplyDelete“I was really misinformed somewhere about this whole sex stuff” says Baca on page 169. It seems to me that once he got beyond the mist of violent grief, he is lucidly searching for answers in this part of the book, intending to place the guilt for his love failures on his experiences as a child and young man. The societal taboos, the religious interdictions, the imposed distance between men and women, and the machismo he was served as a model are all examined now in cold blood in an attempt to justify his incompetence at love (140). It is like we are forced to assist to an operation in a dissection room. If in Book 3 healing was glimpsing in a mix of bitter sweet sensations that were flowing naturally, in Book 4, it was difficult for me to detect any spontaneous emotions, except toward the end maybe; what I saw mostly was a premeditate intention of cutting the harm out of his being (“spit out the poison”, 251). I could not see healing in the true sense of the word and a real coming to peace until the end of the book. What I saw was rather a gloomy effort to leave an old skin behind, a wish to be reborn as a better person, and to look at the world with new eyes. There is a lot of anger in this book – anger directed at both men and women, and their incapacity to break the cage of societal prejudice which inhibit them to achieve real love, encouraging them instead to hate each other. But there is also hope at the end when Baca sings “a new man” to his children. His concern about what kind of legacy he leaves them surfaces several times throughout the entire book and I liked this aspect. “Know thyself” seems to be one of the keys that would open a better future for them and Baca looks determined to share his knowledge and avoid any future mistakes.
I feel like every book we read this summer semester brought me something valuable and made me think about my life from a different perspective. Watkins taught me to watch carefully around me and learn from the ground I’m stepping on; Liza Lou made me wish to have the courage to pursue an idea close to my heart, no matter how crazy or impossible this would seem; Julia and Valoma determined me to think more at my ancestors and their almost forgotten traditions. What Baca taught me is that pain can be empowering if you learn how to subdue it and that every experience, no matter how humiliating or devastating might be, is something to be cherished.
YES...exactly what I was hoping would come from these writings.
DeleteHealing Earthquakes - Book 5
ReplyDeleteBook 5 continues from where we were left at the end of the previous book, with Baca “always making choices that will benefit the children of the earth” (255) and finally arrived at the “hour of delight “ (256) of being himself. There are no more lies to be told or masks to be carried around, the “strange and hesitant” (259) survivor is leaving the ruins of his past behind after having fought a sharp battle. I appreciated Corina’s comments on the symbolism of the birds throughout the book and I revisited them when reading Poem Four which conjures the presence of the Spirit Falcon whom the poet harmed in his desperate efforts to cope with suffering by abusing himself. But “the peregrine falcon has been taken off the endangered – species list” and “how many things come back if we prepare their homecoming?” (318) asks Baca. This last book is an invitation to serene meditation and peaceful living in harmony with nature – “to live clean and sober and truthful with elegance of the dark sprig”, “always with my face toward the sky” (270). Happiness and beauty are to be found in simple things like a bowl of stew on the table, loving arms to tuck in (272), a call from an old friend, or a kiss on your child’s forehead (326). Also in "remembering who you are” (327) and in the real language of the heart. Baca warns that it is crucial, not only for an artist, but for every human being, to stay true to what is really important in your life, to what really touches and inspires you. And to try to bring light into the darkness. Mieyo’s poem is so enlightening in this sense: “but I’ll sing in the fields, roads, on stages at every community center and college and transform your hurt, my hurt, their hurt into that dream of peace you believed in” (299). This book “as a candle kept lit through all the tears and sadnesses” is a gift “to those who dream of peace” and “cherish the light” (338) – I humbly accept it and I am thankful for having met him on my way.
Book 3
ReplyDeleteAlong with Baca's story, I think this book lends to a lot of personal connection. I think most have been in his shoes to a certain degree, having feelings towards someone and receiving them in return. in a romantic sense, I think it will always have a deeper effect on you, but we can all relate to this in some way. Not too long ago, I had similar feelings over a friendship with a buddy whom I have been friends with since 3rd grade. We grew up together and I have always thought of him as brother. He is going through a lot of personal stuff right now and has distanced himself from me and others. Not quite the same as what Baca has gone through, but still hurtful none the less. I have tried to be there for him, but he wants no part of me. It is a tough situation to be in when you desperately want to be a part of someone's life and they discard you like an exile.
Which is why Baca would tell you he uses poetry and allows poetry to use him (if I can borrow from other works and interviews)
DeleteHealing Earthquakes: Part 3:
ReplyDeleteAlthough this book is really hard for me to understand, according to this part author discuss about life reality. Spiritual bruises, and uncertainty of relationship (p,136). I personally believe there is no social justice, if situation continues. it feels like you are trapped in barbed wire of social injustice. Beautiful description hopes and hopefulness on p148, expectation from life, dark side of loneliness. It falls under Bhayanaka Rasa, fear anxiety and worry.
Healing Earthquakes: Part 4:
ReplyDeleteVery beautifully portrayed about expression of love “chocolate-kiss teardrops I wanted to melt on my tongue and being macho. (p,194)” and “love bruise along inner thighs where someone firmly gripped her and opened her full of love. (p,191)” According to my understanding, author talked about same gender relationship and their dilemma. Same gender relationship is still questionable in current scenario. These relationships had faced such a humiliation and abusive by society. People are not opened to talk about their own sexuality because of fear being outcaste. Society is changing but still not they fully accepted same gender relationship.
I would like to give brief about this book called “Me Hijra Me Laxmi” by Laxminarayan Tripathi. Laxmi is transgender and activist who represent India in Asia Pacific in the United Nation in 2008. In her book, she described about how she was ill treated by their own people to being different. This link is her interview by Guernica Magazine.
https://www.guernicamag.com/indias-third-gender/
Actually Baca is talking about growing up as a male with a mother who was sexual and acted out in front of her son. He goes on to a rant about male genitals and the rituals in a shower. I like your interpretation better.
DeleteHealing Earthquakes: Part 5:
ReplyDeleteIn this part the more most terrible incident father watched his daughter to get raped in front of his eyes (p,268) was traumatized and his son beheaded, are major concern about where society is going. How people can be too ruthless. Dominate gender just want to show their presence in society. but on the other hand I personally feel they are weak person from inside, who just want to show mark presence in society. According to me, rape comes under Vibhatsa Rasa, meaning disgust and emotion come to depression and self-pity. Another reason is mentioned “I couldn’t cry because men don’t cry” (p,304) since childhood father always told their son that being boy you are not supposed to cry that make them rude and emotionless in real life. In difficult circumstances they cannot deal and indulge in crime, such as physical violence, abusive language and rape.