I have a passing interest in the different configurations of brain dynamics. (As in the left / right - language / perception orientations). From some brief comments on this site and in other places, it would seem that I’m not alone in my suspicions and that many “arty” types have dual aspects (i.e. ambidextrous) or equally (but in no way disrespectfully) some have mentioned difficulty or named conditions relating to a specific cognitive condition.
So I was interested in the recent “organic” thread and also I was surprised by the exercise thread on surreal poetry, both of which caught my attention. I have stumbled across a book entitled “Drawing on the right side of the brain” (By Betty Edwards). Her premise is that you can train the right side of your brain using her techniques to become a more competent artist, by picking up and developing the activity of our (intuitive & perceptual) right side as opposed to allowing the dominant (and over trained verbal) left side to control the art.
This got me thinking about the aspects of writing poetry. In the act of writing we are using our left (verbal) side, but we want to express ourselves in terms of intuitive, perceptions and pictorial perspectives so surely we need to be able to have equal access the right side to create a great poem that crosses the boundary of communication into the realms of art?
So last night I tried a bit of an experiment. I have always been able to mirror write. So I did four short lines of text, first with my right - hand in mirror, then used a left hand “normal” write for the same, then under this left hand mirror, then a further right handed just upside down effort.
The conclusion was that the left hand mirror was a lot easier and flowing (and legible!) that it had any right to be for a first effort. Whilst the left hand “normal” text looked like a pre-school effort. So, having found out what was most effective / comfortable, I wrote a poem with my left hand in mirror text (in the mode of the surreal instructions in the exercise threads). I thought the result for a half hour experiment was surprising – the resulting poem was definably different (well I thought) to some of my “normal voice” poems. I’ve posted the results in the misc section, I think it is slightly Rowen-esque style diary thoughts (but my effort is not so well crafted).
Apologies for the long pre-amble. My question or discussion starter is: Has anyone else had any thoughts along these lines or done any similar experiments of this nature?
…well I thought it was interesting.
So I was interested in the recent “organic” thread and also I was surprised by the exercise thread on surreal poetry, both of which caught my attention. I have stumbled across a book entitled “Drawing on the right side of the brain” (By Betty Edwards). Her premise is that you can train the right side of your brain using her techniques to become a more competent artist, by picking up and developing the activity of our (intuitive & perceptual) right side as opposed to allowing the dominant (and over trained verbal) left side to control the art.
This got me thinking about the aspects of writing poetry. In the act of writing we are using our left (verbal) side, but we want to express ourselves in terms of intuitive, perceptions and pictorial perspectives so surely we need to be able to have equal access the right side to create a great poem that crosses the boundary of communication into the realms of art?
So last night I tried a bit of an experiment. I have always been able to mirror write. So I did four short lines of text, first with my right - hand in mirror, then used a left hand “normal” write for the same, then under this left hand mirror, then a further right handed just upside down effort.
The conclusion was that the left hand mirror was a lot easier and flowing (and legible!) that it had any right to be for a first effort. Whilst the left hand “normal” text looked like a pre-school effort. So, having found out what was most effective / comfortable, I wrote a poem with my left hand in mirror text (in the mode of the surreal instructions in the exercise threads). I thought the result for a half hour experiment was surprising – the resulting poem was definably different (well I thought) to some of my “normal voice” poems. I’ve posted the results in the misc section, I think it is slightly Rowen-esque style diary thoughts (but my effort is not so well crafted).
Apologies for the long pre-amble. My question or discussion starter is: Has anyone else had any thoughts along these lines or done any similar experiments of this nature?
…well I thought it was interesting.