Your Map of Chaos Charms
A slightly different post this week. I've finally finished the introduction for the book (yippee!) . I'm posting it here as I think it's a substantially important part of understanding the entire story. It seems an apt time to put it out, before we get to the more abstract parts of the work, diving into ideas like linguistic metaphysics. This probably makes the book sound more "out there" and complex than it actually is, this introduction is helpful in that regard. Other parts of the story are available - https://www.graememcallister.com/t/chaos-charms Introduction To Chaos Charms Chaos Charms is my third book of poetry, like my first two I left the task of writing the foreword to the end. In part because a project like this tends to morph and change while in progress, also because forewords are my least favourite task. Reviewing the forewords of my previous book, I was reminded of my previous ascertain: “Poetry is a suspension of logic created by the very tool that shapes logic - words.” Then it clicked, with Chaos Charms I was actually exploring the use of poetry and language as tools to reshape consciousness. Before we understand any idea (especially complex ones) we need to describe it in oral or written form. Could this process shape our relationships with our very personalities? I imagine that our core identities might exist at the level of our internal monologues. If the mind is the facility of reason and the heart is the facility of emotion, could the soul be found in the conversations (or arguments!) between the two? With this thought experiment, we can imagine how the dualistic nature of language (spoken and written) becomes an important consideration. Working with both the content of the idea and its physical form (melodic cadence and graphic ciphers) might reveal the all important middle path between reason and emotion. Please allow this concept to act as a travel guide through the linear, but cyclical pages of this book. The shapes, colours, cadences, and phonetics of the poems are just as important as their meaning. The abstract artworks accompanying each poem are more than mere decoration, they serve as visual emotive maps of the ideas. I hope you enjoy this exploration of our universal languages and language universes. Graeme McAllister
Happy Tomes Tuesday
I've been hard at work on a new book - Chaos Charms. It's a book of poetic art chronicling the creation of universe and consciousness, through to language and civilisation to the ultimate transcendence of the soul. I’m aiming for a July release - I'm serialising parts of the book in the meantime. I'm really excited about this one and I'd appreciate any feedback.
Other serial writers here on Substack are listed below. Take a look and see what stories are being weaved by these teller of tales:
If you enjoyed this poem and artwork - have a look at the various print options available from redbubble.com
https://www.redbubble.com/i/photographic-print/Iron-Transmutation-by-Graeme-McA/171527526.6Q0TX
Thank you for your time as always
Graeme
PS If you enjoyed this, and want to keep me in caffeine (and keep the ghostly voices whispering) - consider clicking the button below. For any who do so, you have my deepest gratitude.
Chaos charms seems like a very good book. And thank you for sharing the list of authors on substack.