Soundcarpet

Edit: Oops. Forgot my watermark. Yes, I'm paranoid

For the poetry World Fusion contest [link] I am submitting this poem to .

The theme of the contest, 'World Fusion', immediately made me think of music. I love world fusion music, especially Celtic-African crossover music, and I wanted to try and capture some of the sounds of the world in this poem. Not necessarily just music, but that was the inspiration.

But it also inspired me in a different way. We are all people, no matter our race/gender/beliefs/sexual preferences/lifestyle/age. Words that have been said before, but sometimes they're easy to forget. To me the world is an amazing place. (I haven't been round all of it, only some of Europe, but thanks to books, music and the Internet I feel like I've experienced a small part of some of the other countries.) There are so many different things and yet if you study it we're all linked. I sometimes see similarities between cultures that are miles apart – for example, getting back to the root of the poem, sometimes I hear Celtic tunes played with African rhythms, and while on the surface the music is completely different it fits. I have a book of Irish slow airs, and some of them make me think of Japanese/Chinese or South American music – cultures that are completely different and yet, we're all not so very far apart from each other. And there are languages, too, I believe, that come from wildly separate countries that appear to be linked – perhaps from evolutionary roots, I'm not sure.

As you see, I'm a little obsessed with Celtic music XD and I realise that doesn't really show a wide perspective of the world. But as an individual I find it impossible to grasp the sense of the whole world – I can only demonstrate it through my mediums and my filters. This is my little slice of one enormous pie.

So this is what the world means to me. Not everything – because there's bad stuff in the world too, and when I think of other countries – and the one I was born in too – I often think of the terrible things that have happened – war, starvation, injustice. But I didn't like to focus on bad things. I want this to be meaningful and make people think, but happy, too. So I didn't make it too political, because I don't want to focus on the differences that set people apart, but the differences and individuality that brings is together. Let's think of the good things in the world, and what makes it wonderful.


The image used for the background is my own. I took a picture of a carpet we have and messed around with it on Photoshop – added colours and a couple of filters, etc.

Feedback questions
– Is the poem too much about imagery and feeling, with not enough meaning behind it?
– Is it too vague, in its meaning and flow?
– With the kind of layered formatting, I was trying to create a non-linear view – something that can be read in different orders and that can appeal to the eye. Did this work or is it confusing to read?
– Does the background image take away from the poem, or does it go with it?
– Is the poem too focused on one thing? Is the view of the world it presents too one-dimensional?
– Is it clear what the poem's about?

Okay, a lot of questions there. XD But feedback on any/all of those points would be fantastic Additionally, general constructive criticism/critique is welcomed and loved. I realise this may seem quite personal because of my long and rambling comment above, but I'm open to opinions – fire away.

(AlthoughnoflamespleaseD: XD)