Monday 29 March 2010

Layabout, by John Brehm

Do nothing and everything will be done,
that's what Mr. Lao Tzu said, who walked
around talking 2,500 years ago and

now his books practically grow on trees
they're so popular and if he were
alive today beautiful women would

rush up to him like waves lapping
at the shores of his wisdom.
That's the way it is, I guess: humbling.

But if I could just unclench my fists,
empty out my eyes, turn my mind into
a prayer flag for the wind to play with,

we could be brothers, him the older one
who's seen and not done it all and me
still unlearning, both of us slung low

in our hammocks, our hats tipped
forwards, hands folded neatly,
like bamboo huts, above our hearts

From long ago



This was a stack of bowls,separated by clay wads, made from the field clay from behind the pottery, in southern Finland, they were too close to the flame path, and warped and fused. The flame was slightly reduced, too, you can see where there is a broken fragment the red iron in the clay has become black, Fe2O3 becomes Fe3O4. And reduction has a strong fluxing effect on red clay.

I rather like this thing, pity about the broken bit though. The bloke I know who'd understand why I like this is Matt Grimmitt.
Hey Matt! What's going on? no posts for a while?

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