If we could hold a word
against our ear, like a shell
We’d hear its sea–churning in its belly,
the size of blood in a mosquito
–Albert Goldbarth, MINNOWS, DARTERS, STURGEON
The Paris Review #195
Mr. Goldbarth has captured the essence of writing, of martial arts, of Christianity, of effective living. Some will think these words are fluff. So be it. In writing, the author discovers the depths of words and the vast ocean of meaning beneath each and the synergy made by combining two meanings in an unexpected way.
In martial arts, the practitioner discovers the cosmic waves created by each action or word and pursues understanding of the endless creativity and potential of the human body and mind. In Christianity, the disciple ponders God’s infinite nature, endless love, and the unbelievable depths and wonders made by his hands.
You could take this same principle and apply it to music, happiness, relationships, most anything. Mastering any craft, including one’s own happiness, begins by learning to reside in the vast ocean beneath the surface of a word, idea, note, or movement and then combine it with the endless wonder of another.
Your challenge: Take a single word, one that provokes you, and use it no less than 10 provocative, contradictory sentences. Preferably, the word would be both metaphor and symbol in each. Then take those ten sentences and write a flash fiction piece (500 words or so). You may use the sentences for the piece or discard them.
