Monday, July 25, 2005
La Loteria: Help Me Create a Web-based Exquisite CorpseLa Lotería is a game of chance similar to Bingo that is played at
ferias, carnivals, and parties across Mexico. In Oaxaca, and I'm sure
elsewhere, the caller speaks poetry when giving the image to mark on
your tabla. Often these are only several lines and give a complex look
at the contradictory nature of the images, or personalizes them in some
way. Here is a great site about La Lotería and here is a tabla from the
set I bought last summer: 1:55:22 PM |  Looking through the tablas last night I had an idea for the blog, a media made somewhat interactive by comments. I've noticed there are a number of other poets out there in the blogosphere and a number of writers who may not be poets by name but are by their insight into our precarious, peculiar condition. Why not collaborate? Please join me in creating an exquisite corpse, an expression of chance itself, out of this tabla in the comments. Choose a square and write your own poetic "call." Here are the choices on this tabla: La Rosa (Rose), La Calavera (Skull), El Mundo (The World), El Apache (Apache -- a representation of the native peoples of the Americas), El Pescado (Fish -- this one is already caught on a hook), La Palma (Palm Tree), El Sol (Sun), La Corona (Crown -- royalty), El Paraguas (Umbrella), La Sirena (Siren of the Sea), El Gallo (Cock), El Diablito (Little Devil -- playful and not entirely sinister, perhaps...), La Muerte (Death with her scythe), La Pera (Pear), El Arbol (Tree), and El Melon. Your "calls" can be political or not. They can be serious or ridiculous, or even dull. They can be poetry or prose or polemic. All are good. I think this will be fun. Please join me! 
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Bouphonia on Julie Powell's Editorial on OrganicsBouphonia has an excellent analysis of former Salon blogger Julie Powell's editorial from
the NY Times this week about the "elitism" of organic farmers' markets
and grocery stores. 9:18:55 AM | I have written about our thoughtless consumption and how we rate "cost" over the past couple of years (you can read the entries here, here, here, and here.). Our culture teaches us we are entitled to the shiniest, newest product whenever we want it. Many of us give no thought to the consequences of our purchases or the true "cost" in environmental degradation and human suffering, only the cost to our pocketbooks. Apparently Julie Powell is no exception.
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Last update: 8/24/05; 10:12:26 PM .
