Thursday 14 March 2013

Connection

The white
eight-foot bride turns
dead presidents into
flowers. Her intense eyes unveil 
my soul.

© Cat Hill 2012


Image used with permission, copyright Andy Ihnatko flickr.com/photos/andyi/
Image sourced via TED.com
Written for dVerse form for all prompt to write a cinquain. This gave me an opportunity to write about one of my favourite musicians, Amanda Palmer. She started out as a living statue, often as 'The eight-foot bride'. After listening to her recent inspiring TED talk (link here) about the 'art of asking' I wanted to get across the true connection she had with strangers. She still makes this connection by making her fans feel loved, appreciated and heard. I found it really difficult to put this concept into 22 syllables... There were many attempts. If you think it's easy have a go!

33 comments:

  1. It was definitely worth the effort :-)

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    1. Yey thanks for the great prompt and helping me get out of my comfort zone

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  2. very cool...i will have to go look up this talk....i am pretty sure i met her in NYC a few years ago....

    it was def not an easy concept...

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    1. Wow if you met her I'm jealous! Heehee. Glad you like poem.

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  3. Interesting! I am glad you provided the explanation of the cinquain. Smiles. A fascinating concept.

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    1. Thank you, I did enjoy trying to get it across

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  4. the art of asking...i like that...it's as much an art as listening and not so many people are good it...very cool

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    1. Thank you, you're definitely right. Sometimes asking for help is the strongest thing you can do.

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  5. Thank you for sharing a wonderful story. And that cinquain is great.

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  6. Her eyes are sure intense ~ Thanks for sharing ~

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  7. Very cool - loved the photo along with the poem and your comments. K

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  8. I think she stole my soul... I'm chilled.

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  9. The topic is intriguing, and made more so by the short form.

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  10. ...that could have been the tallest bride i will ever know... ha... nice execution though i can see your struggle to put your entire message in 22syllables... but for now, i think this is well enough... smiles...

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  11. Intense. The picture and the poem. I really love the dead presidents reference.

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  12. Now there is an interesting mistress...wow..I will check the story ;)

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  13. A very cool cinquain, cleverly done.

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  14. Wonderful keeping of the form. Unusual subject matter. I read it twice.

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  15. This is hauntingly beautiful, and I'm already goggling that talk... thanks!

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  16. The white bride... an interesting use of a traditional visual theme.

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  17. The way the cinquain flows, you made it look easy. I'm going to go watch that TED talk.

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  18. Definitely going to have to look her up. This was a really cool poem too. Definitely makes me wonder what her character is about. The syllable count was too hard for me. I wrote a five line poem before I realized it needed to be more specific and decided Id just skip tonight and enjoy everyone else's poems instead :)

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  19. Very dramatic! Will click over to see the talk...

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    1. I watched the whole video. An amazing concept and she is very well spoken!

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    2. Yey I'm glad you watched it and liked her message. It is definitely a good one to pass around.

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  20. She sure does have some intense eyes... and the statue has such a strong, confident feel to it! Awesome!

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  21. Thanks for the explanation - I don't think I would have got it without. Nevertheless, even without the background, I thought this was a very powerful poem about a powerful woman.

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  22. i had known nothing about her, but your few lines did shed light on her

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    1. Woo that's encouraging to hear, thank you.

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  23. Never heard of her, but she sounds very interesting. I will check it out.

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  24. Your write up, and the bizarre poem caught me.
    The link to TED capture me.
    I watched.
    Brilliant -- she and I have shared couch surfing
    and I will do more. I did it with my son this summer -- and plan on doing it with my daughter to NYC soon.
    Touching strangers is so, so, so cool.
    Free music, free poetry and free care ...
    Thank you soooo much for the intro.

    Her website: amandapalmer.net
    Her YouTube channel

    I showed this to my 11-year-old girl -- thanx.

    Magic!

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    1. Wow! Thank you, this made me smile widely. I'm so glad you think she is a brilliant as I do. Connecting with strangers is awesome.

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