#it's a poem about getting to know someone

[creatingblackcharacters]

Hello! I want to participate in the CBC Black History Month Challenge but im a tad bit overwhelmed and not sure where to start with any piece I do

I know you said qoutes but theres so many qoutes i could choose that im a bit stumped

I was considering doing studies of diffrent hair styles or diffrent hair coverings since i haven't practiced those in a while but im not sure if it would count?

I want to get to actual pieces but again way too overwhelmed with choice to

I'm glad you're finding this difficult, because that gives you the opportunity to intentionally work through it to create a good Black character design!

Let's walk through this with everyone, then, since other folks might be on the same page:

1) Think of this project as a gift. Even though the practice is important, it's not about your benefit- it's about what would make Black viewers of your work know that they are valued by this creator, that they aren't just tools of storytelling or an alien species!

2) You don't have to do a whole bunch poorly, when you can do one well. One well done sketch > 1000 racist pieces. You have 27 more days of this challenge (and really, every day after that!) Practice! Recognize that the effort you're putting in is something many creators might not even consider doing! Take the time to find references and work at it- that's part of practicing good Black character design!

You said you want to do a hair study- there are plenty of quotes, poems, and media on the joy and uplift of Black hair. You're gonna have to take your time to read some of them, and find what expresses the way you feel most connected to what you wanna do. I took thirty minutes today to skim through poems. Do you want to deliver something fast, or something genuine? Which leads to my last and important point:

3) What are you trying to say?

I've said it a few times, but you can often tell when someone creates Black characters or designs to satisfy themselves, and not Black viewers. So: what do you want to say to your Black viewers with this piece? What do you want them to walk away with?

Do you want to say that you value the effort that goes into Black hair (thus your effort into practicing?) Find poems or quotes related to the effort and beauty of Black hair. Do you want them to know that you recognize their value in fan media? You can also just say some nice things outright (don't be weird with it, just be respectful).

This is me trying to make y'all practice purposeful intent with Black character design, with the goal of a Black audience. You can do it! It can be done!

[ninja-knox-ur-sox-off]

Rereading chapter 6 of Journey to the West with my bros is giving me SUCH an appreciation for Erlang WHY DOES EVERYONE ALWAYS WRITE HIM SO EDGY AROUND SWK?? THIS CHAPTER IS LITERALLY LIKE

Erlang: what a fiend, wdym this guy gets to call himself Equal to Heaven

Erlangs sworn bro squad: stop admiring him and go fight ya weirdo.

-

Monkeys: SOMEONE’S HERE TO FIGHT YOU KING

Sun Wukong: HOL UP HE’S LIKE, SO COOL LOOKING THO? AYO?? I see you bro, i pick up what u putting down, u STYLIN [insert a poem about how cool Erlang looks]

Erlang, grinning: what’s up stable boy

Sun Wukong, grinning wider: where’s your mama at

Erlang: HAHAHA FIGHT. ME.

Dude the whole time they are just having their time of their lives

Other observations are just absolutely FASCINATING to see Guanyin orchestrate everything. She’s the one that suggests Erlang. She knows how to get Erlang to go fight SWK because you bet that dude ignores summons from his uncle. She knows how to peak his interest, knows he won’t kill—did you know he wasn’t trying to kill monkey king? Most of the other people who fought him fought with the intent to capture or KILL but Erlang just wanted to fight. Also dude the way Erlang’s strategy was at 500% I could ramble on about how the fight went because it was like, Erlang tells people where to go and what to do, then goes to fight. Monkey King matches everything he does until his monkeys get scared and then he’s APPALLED by that and starts running away. Erlang chases him, monkey king just LEAVES the entrapment, goes and pays Erlangs house a visit, Erlang pulls up, fights him all the way back to Flowerfruit mountain, then tells everyone to stand on guard, all his guys make a circle around them fight ring style to keep monkey king from escaping and they go back to fighting. Guanyin looks down and goes “ohhhh y’know I’d love to help….. I’ll throw my vase down….” And Lao Zi steps in going “Nono your vase will break I’ll do it.” Dude it’s SO WILD how she orchestrates everything. Bro hits monkey king in the head with his bracelet (diamond snare,) monkey king gets bit by dog, then gets tied the heck up and stabbed and they gottem. Like….bro, and then Erlang’s like y’all go home i got this I’ll take him back—DUDE MY MIND IS WHIRLING, listen this is a really really good book y’all should read it. I’m just rambling this isn’t a real analysis post or anything I’m just WOUGH BRAIN FULL, Guanyin is the source of so many things, she’s the reason Sun Wukong was captured, the reason he’s alive, the reason he is freed later, she’s his defender, his doom, she’s where he goes when no one else listens to him, she’s the reason he started a redemption without him knowing, i’M THINKING REAL INTENTLY ABOUT THIS. I don’t remember which translation this is but OUGHHHH it’s crazy.

Chapter 6 man, it’s so good

[off-brand-orpheus]

Am I still the person you loved two months ago?

[wwxsflutesolo]

"Chuuya. Come to your senses. Our fate will not end in a place like this. Because you and I are destined to—"

@/kedreeva// ernest hemingway - the old man and the sea// death cab for cutie - summer years// unknown// unknown// lidia yuknavitch - the chronology of water: a memoir// richard siken - saying your names// taylor swift - gorgeous// unknown// victor hugo - les miserables// jeanette winterson - lighthousekeeping// sylvia Plath - lady lazarus// margaret atwood - power politics// tory adkisson - Anecdote of the Pig//richard siken - planet of love, wishbone// ethel cain - hard times// margaret atwood - variations on the word love

[nenoname]

me: oh i totally get it if some folks dont jive with same coin theory, plus it's strange to conceptualise at first--

me when i see people call it lame:

[heireign]

WHICH LOVER ARE YOU ?

THE COMPOSER,

to you, love is something created. it is born and it is nurtured, and it is entirely intentional. what could be more beautiful than that? we possess the enigmatic power to create deep, impossible, meaningful bonds with other people. it is not something we should take for granted. we choose to care for each other. we inconvenience ourselves with the sheer enormity of the love we have for others. In your eyes, it is the deliberate nature of love that makes it so beautiful.

tagged by: taken from @altarcup < 3

tagging: @loreforged, @arturiusrex , @stormbcrn , @sanctamater , @viernas , @alootus and @eparvier

[ilovedthestars]

here's the thing. yes, some pieces of art are "better" than others. there are many criteria you can measure that with--technical skill, creativity, clarity, conceptual depth, successful execution of the artist's intentions, etc., and i do think it's useful to clarify which ones you're using as a measuring stick. but like, of course you can evaluate art. of course you can be critical (in the "art critic" sense) of art. (among other things, that's one of the most important ways to get better at making art yourself.)

however. when it comes down to evaluating what gets to count as art. what art even gets to have a seat at the table. i will go to bat for the thing that isn't as "good" every single time.

you can say you think a piece of art is bad. you can say you think it lacked technical skill, or clarity, or conceptual depth, and you consider those important elements of a successful work. i might even agree with you. but if you think that means it doesn't matter, someone is going to die on this hill and it isn't going to be me

[poems-of-the-anentomologist]

Trauma Response

I thought you were the one for me

When we held hands together after school

And you smiled at my naive eyes

I thought you were the one for me

When you first asked if I loved you back

And I said yes, over and over

I thought you were the one for me

When we first met, and you hugged me

And I felt warm

I thought you were the one for me

I thought it was you

But it was my ego looking back in a shattered mirror

[trickstersaint]

hey hi hello! first of all i'd like to say i took your patron saint uquiz and it. Changed my life unironically it's so good. i follow you now because every line in that quiz was a gut punch and i loved it. top tier hurt honestly

my question is this - i am a fanauthor. on the side i also write my own original fiction but i specialize in fanfic. Am I allowed to use your poetry for a reference folder? I wouldn't use your poetry in a fic without explicit permission and without linking back here of course, and I'd never use it for commercial work outside of maybe taking inspiration without copying, but I wanna have a ref folder of Things That Made Me Feel Things about a character. It's not planned to be public as of yet, it's just supposed to be a bunch of screenshots in my drafts, but I'd like to maybe one day make it public once the fic was complete. (I already have your blog linked in my drafts actually, so if it goes public I'm not gonna forget.) I just want to make sure you're comfortable with me using your poetry for fanfic of all things

It's cool if not and have a great day! I still think your poetry is great and evocative and all

hi, anon! you're all good, i prommy. so glad you like the quiz + the poetry, and i would always prefer people come and ask questions if they're uncertain! no trouble at all.

my general stance is that as long as it's clearly credited, i am totally cool with my work being used in personal projects. like you said, i've got a tag for the things that people make! i love to see what people create. if it's for a noncommercial creative project then i would say there's no need to ask beforehand (unless it would make you more comfortable to ask, in which case go ahead and i'll almost certainly say yes <3). my only thing is that if you post it, please tag me in it/send it to me so that i can reblog it here for people to see!

if there are any questions about using my work that anyone has, feel free to ask. i don't think i've got anything particular going on outside of common practice! same way you'd treat, like, a richard siken poem or smth: you wanna credit it so that people can find the source material, and make sure you're not using it for profit unless you have an understanding with that author. i trust you all to be decent about it <3 kiss kiss go out and make your cool little things so that i can be delighted and amazed with them

[wavebiders]

Thinking about how most of the time when you have the option to stay quiet during a companion quest you get approval for letting them handle it and sometimes even get disaproval for talking over them

And then with Shadowheart's quest speaking up with Viconia not only gives a +5(while *keep silent* gives nothing) but also if you don't do that she will look genuinely scared when Viconia asks you to hand her over

[crossbackpoke-check]

Dysprosium, Mary Soon Lee

dysprosium, AN 66, is a silvery-white rare earth metal. its name is derived from the greek dysprositos, meaning “hard to get at”, owing to the difficulty in separating and isolating this rare earth element. dysprosium is used to measure neutron flux, to fuel reactors, and to activate phosphors. terfenol-d is a magnetorestrictive alloy, meaning that it changes shape when a magnetic field is applied, and is used to manufacture underwater acoustic systems.

jason “robo” robertson, dallas stars #21 for @simmyfrobby’s nhl periodic table poems <3

[shinakazami1]

Handsome Jack poem 4 - Longing

If this is what love feels like - I don't want it anymore I always long for something, but not for someone, to hug them after they're gone I never thought I would crave a lovely lazy night With you, no longer gone, just by my side What did I do to deserve all this? I never knew I would be born I only ever wished for you to see me for what I could become And now, all that's left are marks that won't get lost in time But your voice will be gone before I can look behind my back Had I sinned so much for you to go through such faith? Who cursed my past life for this one to go in flames? I won't let it burn me - I will make it my Rome to rebuild And you will be proud, proud of me, of what memories I will bring I miss you every day, but no one can ever know They will stain your image, take what you truly were Because they will never see the world like you had shown me before I will build it by myself though, because without you, I'm forever alone

Women, am i right

[bloodbathfortwo]

Like minds coded: Gudnyt.

[audoodle]

the dreamcast was the last console with a soul

my elementary days are the last time I felt happy

I'll never feel carefree again

the gamecube was the last console with any sort of personality

middle school wasn't as bad as it felt in the moment actually

at least I wasn't worried about rent

the iphone 4 is the peak of mobile tech

I miss my freshman year

it was the last time I'll ever have had friends

the wii u was the last system that felt special

I want my old retail job back

it was the last job that I felt I worked well in

the playstation 4 was the last time there was magic in video games

It sucks that every movie is bad now

there's no more magic

art is dead.

it's not me.

I'm not changing.

everything is just wrong now.

it was right before.

I want it to be right again.

let me go back.

go back to when it was right.

[queen0funova]

So I wrote a poem about my struggles with potentially being aro, but when I showed it to someone once, they said "This feels like something you'd give to someone you like."

And then like two weeks later, they made a comment about wanting to meet my partner, and I was like "I don't have one?"

[grumpy-nyks]

The Fernweh Saga by @lacunafiction - Agnes edition

Who would have thought? 🤭

Agnes "Nes" Sigrún 🌑RO: James Corvin

Personality: sincerity // cautious // friendly // merciful Traits: heart // compliance // believer Past affinity: writing [horror stories] Primary ability: empathetic impressions Past susceptibility: receptive

☀️Fernweh: She never really thought about leaving Fernweh… It was her place, near her family and friend(s). She felt good there and assumed she’s gonna spend her whole life happily in this little town. Even if Fernweh brings back devastating memories, she’s curious about what’s happening in Fernweh now, in her true home. It’s always been her dream to work in Turn The Page, and during her ‘short’ stay in Fernweh, she started thinking about it again. Why not stay for longer…? She would love to carry on her grandfather’s work and bring his legacy justice. 

☀️Grandpa Jóhann: When she was young, she had an amazing relationship with her grandpa. They were completely honest with each other, and she loved him wholeheartedly. Some people thought that making her grandpa proud was her main hobby. She used to tell him all about her dreams that she had, which were always wild... and also about the nightmares… It took her by surprise when her grandpa, one of the most important people in her life, started being less involved. She was hurt and began to wonder if she had done something to cause the distance between them. His decision to move her out of Fernweh so quickly after this tragic event made a huge impact on her mental state. She needed time to cope and be with her closest ones, especially her grandpa...but after all she didn't blame him. She often heard that she looked exactly like her mother…like her grandpa's daughter... She assumed he could not look at her, without thinking about her... And she could not blame him for wanting to escape that pain. Agnes knew it was the best thing that her grandpa could do for him, and she accepted it, too eagerly. She always too eagerly took the blame for everything.

☀️Beckett Warrick: After what happened in Fernweh after James she had even more trouble interacting with other people and making new friends… However, Beckett was an exception. He was the first person who got to truly know her after the events in Fernweh. When she got the letter about her Grandpa, she considered hiding the truth from him, because she knew deep down that he would be there for her if she needed him… even if he would not particularly enjoy it. It's a good thing she’s such a bad liar… Her main concern is about Beckett’s well-being. She noticed that this 'little' trip made a huge impact on him. He wasn’t supposed to be here, and it’s because of her that he–... She needs to make sure that nothing happens to her friend. And she will somehow manage to bring him back to his home.

☀️Reese Verner: They had an unconventional relationship. Reese saw her as a rival, while Agnes thought of him as a friend. She was confused about why Verner, someone of great importance, would even look at her see her as a rival. She knew there were better candidates for his games. She had only one question on her mind - “why?”. Despite Verner's playful teasing, Agnes always remained polite and friendly towards him, even when he attempted to push her boundaries. Girl knew how to keep her true feelings behind a warm smile she still does. If I can be completely honest… Agnes was rather shocked that Reese still remembered her… and was actually looking for her, which sounded so unbelievably. His concern for Milton's well-being made her see him in a slightly different light. Of course, she already knew Reese had a good heart, but his behaviour really touched her. Additionally, Agnes noticed that Reese and James’ relationship became stronger and deeper… It’s for the best. James deserves someone as dependable as Reese. He will always be there for James. 

☀️Sofia Dorran: Their bond was formed over a shared admiration for books and... the color blue. It may sound funny now, but these things became central to their lives and deepened their friendship. Sofia was the first person Agnes entrusted with her writing, and valued her honest feedback, knowing that Sofia would not make her feel bad if something needed improvement. They frequently borrowed books from each other's collections. Agnes yearned for the days when she and Sofia had reading sessions together, sipping on their favorite beverage. The only issue back then was when the book ended poorly or their library didn't have any new positions for them to read. She's willing to know how Sofia's taste toward books shifted (if shifted) and how she changed as a person. She's also extremely grateful because her grandfather received constant care from Sofia and her mother.

🌑James Corvin: …Do I really need to tell you that James was her first crush? And that she never found the courage to tell him so? maybe now will be the time? Agnes and James were always together, wherever one went the other followed. They were inseparable. Agnes even used to bake oatmeal cookies for James with her mother's help. They dreamed of their idyllic life together. As friends, obviously. Seeing him again after all those years was much harder than she anticipated. Agnes felt overwhelmed with stress from the moment she stepped out of her car. Every time she heard his surname, she unknowingly flinched. Her mind was full of questions about his well-being, life, and changes. She couldn't help but wonder if he would be happy to see her. …she did manage to hold his hand for a moment, I can consider it as a success

☀️Alex Corvin: Agnes has always looked up to Alex for their adventurous spirit and their willingness to embrace life to the fullest. She has always wanted to adopt a bit of Alex' wild side. Whenever they are around, boredom and dullness seem to disappear. They both share similar values and support each other's life goals. If I would say which person Agnes was the most willing to meet during her stay in Fernweh that would be Alex. She was confident in their friendliness towards everybody and was sure that their kindness had not wavered. Agnes was touched when she heard that Alex was looking after her grandfather's bookstore… It appears that Beckett has a new admirer, which Agnes wholeheartedly approves of.

☀️Mal: Agnes has a sense that Mal might be suspicious, but she is quite naive and doesn't believe that he could mean trouble. Although she is wary of him and finds him a little untrustworthy, Agnes believes in being kind to everyone, and she is willing to give Mal a chance, not judging him by her own impressions of him.

☀️Goldie: Agnes is grateful that her grandfather had a furry companion like Goldie, who probably managed to brighten his spirits. She fondly recalls how her grandfather would tell her stories when he once had a dog, when he was younger and how his eyes would light up with joy as he shared his story. Agnes is committed to taking excellent care of Goldie and ensuring her safety.