Poetry is a unique combination of internal vision and observation of the real world.  This column focuses on the ability to visualize scenes and images in the mind.  Visualization is more than just creating a picture in the mind.  It includes moving the image around, adjusting the colours of the image, and letting the images transform by themselves.  When visualizing, follow the imagination to see what the subconscious suggests.  Use your imagination to transform feelings into colours and convert the sense of touch into music.

Teachers can guide students through these exercises by having students close their eyes and follow these cues.  Alternatively, you can guide yourself through these visualizations as you focus your inner eye.

Let the Child become a Flower

This activity can be done alone in a quiet and natural place, or it can be guided by a teacher in a classroom.  Close your eyes and imagine the child that you love the most.  Imagine the child’s face and hair and recall the gentle touch of the child’s hand.  Imagine the child’s voice and laughter.  Hear the child speaking to you through your imagination.  Hold the child’s hand and walk with them though your visualization. 

Slowly transform the child into a flower.  Transform the child’s face and hair into the petals of the flower.  Decide on the colour and shape of the flower in your mind.  Transform the child’s arms and legs into the branches and leaves of the flower.  If you’re doing this activity in the garden, observe a real flower carefully, then close your eyes and blend images of the child into the flower.

Give voice to the child/flower and listen to what they say.  Let the wind blow the child’s/flower’s hair.  Wave the branches/arms in the cool breeze.  Imagine the child/flower walking along a path.  Walk along with them and see where they lead you.  Imagine they are walking through a forest or up a hill.

Be aware of the temperature in your imagination.  Notice the smells of the forest, the rain, or any other details your imagination creates for you.  Write down your description of the scene as it develops, then close your eyes and continue imagining.

When the child/flower stops walking, imagine that you have been led somewhere special.  Inspect the scene in your mind and observe closely for details.  Consider how the details might be symbolic of the message that the child wants you to learn.

A Friend ever Remains

Here is another visualization exercise to try.  One by one, visualize your friends knocking on your door.  Imagine them greeting you and filling your room with their warmth, as a sunset fills the sky with colour.  Identify each face, each smile, and the clothing of each friend as they enter your room.  See your room flooding with colour and light from their friendship. 

Continue to imagine all of your friends coming to visit you until your room is completely filled.  Observe where each friend sits, what they say, and what they are doing.  Choose a colour to surround each friend, like an aura.  Keep your eyes closed and watch the colours swirl and change within your mind. 

Now imagine that each friend is a musical instrument.  Which friend will be a guitar?  Which friend might be compared to a piano?  Do you have a friend who would be a suitable saxophone?  Transform each friend into the proper instrument and create music from their voices.  Bring them all together into a single piece of music.

Take notes while all of this is happening within your imagination.  Describe your images and feelings in your notebook.  Then, close your eyes again and let the music, colours and friends flow freely in your imagination.

Revising your Poem

Review your notes after you have finished the visualization.  You can organize the ideas into the most suitable order, and add or delete details to improve your poem.  Start a new stanza in your poem whenever necessary to show the distinct stages of your transforming images.

Memories Linger in the Poem

The above exercises use memory and imagination together to create a poem.  The poem below comes from a similar exercise that blends real observations with the imagination.

The poem lingers…

When you're in a hurry,

Looking for butterflies

In your visual garden

Until they sing

Authentic colours of laughter

A Reader’s Poem 

Here is a poem contributed by 17 year old Kanokwan of Bangkok.  The poem includes two similes in response to the “Biography of a Flower” column.

Flower, oh flower

As pink as first love

As sweet as first kiss

I really envy the insects

So close to you