The Snail's Tongue
A poetics of slow, small, wild things
I was volunteering recently on a permaculture farm in Patagonia, Chile (more on that to come). Every day we were introduced to a different permaculture principle, by way of illustrated cards. This one struck me: ‘use small, slow solutions.’ It was accompanied by a drawing of a snail.
While teaching a painting class on ‘Abstraction in Nature’ I showed my students a photograph of a snail’s tongue (see above and below).
The slow, slimy, spiralling snail, with its wild, scratchy tongue, is the kind of creature I want to be in conversation with in this moment. Also, snails are deeply erotic.
This is a space for non-linear, spiralling intelligence. There will be poems, there may be prayers and meditations, there will certainly be beauty. There will be strong opinions, odes, laments, and lots of questions. Curiosity is the modus operandi and Beginner’s Mind is the doorway.
My current intention is to post twice monthly, around the new and full moons (inspired by Sebene Selassie, who you should definitely follow).
(Images courtesy of the LA County Natural History Museum)