For the last few days I’ve been aware that I’m getting sorely behind in my initial goal of blogging at least once every three or four days. My agenda for other projects has me running against deadlines and by the time those muses decide on a break, my mind has little energy left to accommodate this one. However, while a fairly large chunk of time is being committed to painting the cover image for the collaborative poetry book “CREATIVE MISINTERPRETATIONS” (being released in a few months), my mind has plenty of free time to wander.
One mental drinking hole it periodically returns to springs from Design Theory.
I’m especially drawn toward incorporating the Fibonacci Spiral, which is based on the Golden Mean as a hidden element of the book cover. For a better understanding of it, one will have to undertake an Internet search for themselves since this blog post isn't meant to explain it thoroughly. The spiral can be found all around us in nature and is known to have relaxing, subconsciously appealing effects, ergo: it visually assists in marketing!
My thoughts travel from this contemplation to a blog I read in the 'ROTTING POST' on July 10th titled “Worst Sex Scene in a Modern Novel…” (the title is linked if you wish to read it for yourself later). I enjoy reading this blogger, and this specific post interesting too, but in the middle of it I found cause to pause. A quote from Tom Wolfe’s “BACK TO BLOOD” was being referenced and the part of it that made me stop to think was:
“… sounds finally came from her lips…”Ah…ah…ahh…ahhh…Ahhhhhh”
Count the letter “h” in each “ah”: 1,1,2,3,6 right?
Fibonacci’s string (that is used to create the spiral) is: 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34… (wherein the first “1” is repeated once - because 0+1 is assumed - and then, from there, the next number is the sum of the two numbers preceding it). I wondered if Wolfe was subconsciously replicating the string when he got the final one offset by one 'h'. Such things happen.
Now, I do not know if the reviewer saw a semblance of Fibonacci in Wolfe's "ahs" or not but the witty follow up about them (which wasn’t the only issue in the full text cited by the way) seemed to suggest that it hadn’t been noticed. It’s no matter because of all those ellipses… ouch!
I cannot know if Wolfe intended to incorporate it creatively or not either, but I highly doubt it would have worked to his advantage (even if done properly) in this case. Fibonacci's spiral is a more visual thing; paragraph structures don’t serve it well. I have a “Fibonacci Poem” in my collection (used as the image for this blog post) that adds to the syllable count line by line in this way. It was experimental and I enjoyed the writing challenge of it but it was, I emphasize, experimental and isn't a form I'd be inclined to commit much time in promoting; at least, not right now.
So, what’s my point here? It’s not a point, it’s a spiral this time, GOTCHA! Fibonacci and the Golden Mean have me wondering: Could the Fibonacci effect actually be used for functional benefit in wordsmithing too? Could it actually be incorporated through the written word to help ease tension we are witnessing around the globe today? I have yet to form my opinion.
Be well, be one and live in love,
Ronda