Leny M. Strobel
A Process Note:
Meditating on the title of the poem, the word that stood out for me is plasticity. Plastic. Oil. Fossil fuel. Resource Extraction. Fracking. Fracked World. As we have lived in the Empire of oil in the past century and have reaped its supposed benefits, it is also beginning to dawn on us that we have exceeded the limits of what the Earth can provide in its own biological time. Paul Erhlich in Human Natures writes that our cultural evolution has outpaced the biological evolution of the Earth. So here we are: our capacity for recognition filtered thru plasticity becomes a way to Forgetting.
Eileen conjures images in this poem that speak of both the light and dark of recognition. There is Beauty still in spite of the shadows. But with bombs falling on Iraq and Gaza, I am filled with Grief. And I pray for Rain.
—12 AUG 2014
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I Not You? Not We? Why not? Therefore, Unfrack me. | Forgot Amnesia Anesthetic Distract me I am emptied In spite of my Mastery Refill me with Plastic toys | Plasticity As in plastic Oil Fossil fuel Aged in billions Extracted for profits Fracked with toxic effects | Recognition Whose? Why? Do I want your recognition? No. I do not surrender to your gaze. |
A Process Note:
Meditating on the title of the poem, the word that stood out for me is plasticity. Plastic. Oil. Fossil fuel. Resource Extraction. Fracking. Fracked World. As we have lived in the Empire of oil in the past century and have reaped its supposed benefits, it is also beginning to dawn on us that we have exceeded the limits of what the Earth can provide in its own biological time. Paul Erhlich in Human Natures writes that our cultural evolution has outpaced the biological evolution of the Earth. So here we are: our capacity for recognition filtered thru plasticity becomes a way to Forgetting.
Eileen conjures images in this poem that speak of both the light and dark of recognition. There is Beauty still in spite of the shadows. But with bombs falling on Iraq and Gaza, I am filled with Grief. And I pray for Rain.
—12 AUG 2014
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