Broken tools
This is issue #84 of your inbox poetry magazine
When a tool
stops doing what it has
been doing quite well for quite some time
you are left to decide:
repair, or...?
Yes, a poet uses tools as well for her or his craft. Not the hammer and wrench type, but still. Pen, paper, a wonderful - or at least easy to use - text editor. Here at Substack, the publishers have an editing tool with a small but powerful set of tools. For me, as a poet, there’s one thing I really need. White space can be very powerful in a poem, or it can signal a lack of effort. To me, it’s very important that between my lines, there’s no unwanted white space. Every basic text editor has a function for that. A soft line break. One that brings you to a new line, not a new paragraph. [Shift]-[Enter]. I love that key-combo. And then, suddenly, while adding a few new powerful tools to the Substack editor, this [Shift]-[Enter] tool was unintendedly broken earlier this week. To be honest, I wasn’t too worried, especially not when I saw the issue was reported by others, and the Substack team had promised to fix it. They did so later the same day and all is fine again. The issue is solved, and it inspired the poem above. The question goes further than just some functionality in a digital tool. What do you do with physical tools (not just the hammer-and-wrench type, but anything you use) that are broken? Do you replace them, or get them repaired. Personally, I think replacement costs are too low at the moment. We too easily discard things that are not working properly anymore, replacing them with new ones. Tools, clothing, devices. It’s not really sustainable. What are your tips for repairing things?
Read on for the sections Something to listen to and Poetry elsewhere.
I recently joined The Sample. Both as a subscriber and as a publisher. I’m using it to discover new poetry newsletters. What type of newsletters would you like to discover? Tell them your preferences and they will send you a new sample every day. If you subscribe after clicking the button below, you will also help me in promoting this inbox poetry magazine.
Something to listen to
Sunil Bhandari creates poems. Like me. And he has a podcast in which he reads his poems. His voice is soothing and singing at the same time, his poems beautiful and strong. Have a listen to one here:
Of course, you can also listen to the latest episode of the #trpplffct podcast. A new one will land in your inbox next Tuesday!
This week’s poem is also available as audio-experience. Listen here:
Music functions as my bubble wall, my pick-me-up and the rainbow to my days. I hope it does for you as well. Here’s our April playlist:
Poetry elsewhere
When I created the tritriplicata poetic form I mostly use, it was to create a form for my own poetry. It was a delight when other poets started using it, too. And still is, especially when they are great writers exploring the boundaries of the form. Like Amy (who you’ve heard in one of our podcast chapters) did here in Near Dawn, which is included in an issue of her newsletter that contains two other beautiful poems.
Spring has really arrived, and poets are making clear how much it can inspire. A season of change, of finding new meaning. This poem, from the above mentioned new poet friend, is one filled with new energy. Read Apollo’s Hermes.
It’s Ramadan. A month to fast and contemplate. This poem is a stream of consciousness After Iftar Polemic. We can, and we should make this century better than the last. (By the way, I recently learned that the Iftar is the evening meal that breaks the fast after sunset during Ramadan.)