5 minute read
My modern pillow book
Poetry from a past life inspires modern writers to slow down and honor the simplicity of lists.
by Cathryn Salis
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Sei Shonagon’s lists were never intended to be the blueprint for a form of collection poetry, but as she wrote her thoughts, observations, comments and complaints in her eventually published pillow book, the concept was immortalized and cherished as an exemplary piece of history and art in literature.
Pillow books mirror modern-day journals or blogs and were not an uncommon form of communication between court ladies during the time period that Shonagon lived in (966-1017).
As a lady-in-waiting serving Japanese empress Sadako, she and the other women in her circle participated in the swapping and reading of each other’s pillow books as a form of gossip. In a life so sheltered and different from the ones the majority of us live, Shonagon’s pillow book lends us insight into a time that we have little other record of.
However, her lists are what captures the attention of most readers. Poetic, simple and largely unstructured, her lists contain gentle but not fragile depictions of the world around her. The lists are beautiful. Poems with titles such as Disconcerting Things and Nothing Can Be Worse capture details that are enticing when singled out in such a way.
Poets and writers mimicking the style of these lists has led to the birth of Shonagon’s own genre of poetry. Shonagon’s list poems are characterized by a prompting title and a collection of nouns that respond to the prompt. Simple and striking, this form of list poetry brings alive the little things in life; reminding readers that certain things will always be valued by mankind in this way.
Following are my attempts to create collections of meaningful moments and concepts. I urge you to use this as a writing practice in your own life, perhaps it will help foster your wonder and amusement in the mundane, as it has for me.
My younger brothers.
Trees with fruit on them.
High school sophomores.
Political debates between stubborn people.
Weddings.
Bad days.
Math tests.
Proximity to a bathroom at all times.
Height restrictions on carnival rides.
Pep talks.
Dancing in the headlights of his car.
Biking through the rain.
Singing at the top of my lungs.
The last day of school.
Driving with the windows down.
Barefoot hikes in the mountains during summertime.
Telling the truth.
Getting away with a lie.
Smashing something made of glass.
Following my intuition.
Anger after an argument with someone I love.
Humidity.
Fear of losing someone.
Stubbornness.
Spiders.
Other people’s opinions.
Feeling rushed.
Unhealthy attachments to people.
Cool shoes.
Hunger.
Exhaustion.
The way the afternoon sun falls on her face.
My upbringing.
Lack of balance.
The sound of an alarm over the loudspeaker.
Making the same mistake twice.
Being on the top of a really tall building.
People running in the halls during my class.
Places where the entrance is the only exit.
Walking alone at night.
Being caught in a lie.
The knowledge that my little brothers are growing up.
Being in a classroom with big windows and nowhere to hide.
Public bathroom doors that don’t lock.
Unfamiliar men.
The first sunny day of spring.
When I realize something doesn’t hurt as much as it used to.
Flights to go home.
Being at a concert, making eye contact with people in the crowd.
The last day of work at a really shitty job.
Realizing your best friend used to be a stranger and now you’re closer to them than anyone else.
Finally being able to hug someone I’ve missed for the first time in a while.
Driving down an empty street, screaming my favorite song with my favorite person.
Being able to help a stranger.
Saying goodbye to someone you love and realizing how much their absence is going to hurt.
Technological advancements.
Death.
Taxes.
Mistakes.
Heartbreak.
Love.
Holes in your socks.
The slow march of time.
The need to eat.
Puddles.
Encounters with the Devil.
Country music.
Plastic.
Anything edible.
Perfection, or as close as it gets.
Doubt.
Clarity.
Dreams.
Scary movies.
Nighttime.
Unquestioned faith.
Internalized male gaze.
Authority figures’ perceptions of me.
Trends.
My current crush.
Social media.
Money.
Consumerism.
Job opportunities.
Art.
Self-respect.
The weather.
Tequila is my drink of choice.
I have a scar on my leg because of an accident this summer.
I got my nose pierced, twice.
I broke someone’s heart.
I published that poem I wanted you to read but you never did.
My dad and I are rebuilding our relationship.
I want kids.
I live above the coffee shop you recommended to me.
I don’t listen to the music you showed me anymore.
I started going to therapy.
I met a few someone’s, had a great time with them.
The carpal tunnel flares went away.
I look for your car sometimes when I walk by your normal parking spots.
