Marilyn Stablein


Block Book

                                                                                                     1.

                                                                                           Baby’s Toy

                                                                           Mother kept a baby book
                                                                           for me but never got beyond
                                                                           page six. Her last entry
                                                                           under: baby’s favorite toy
                                                                           at six months was—Blocks!

                                                                                                     2.

                                                                                           Dead End

                                                                           I don’t live on a city block
                                                                           but a dead-end street that
                                                                           slopes to a seasonal wash or
                                                                           creek that flows from Rocky
                                                                           Butte, an extinct volcanic
                                                                           cinder cone in my backyard.

                                                                                                     3.

                                                                                           Four Angles

                                                                           My half acre is blocked off
                                                                           at right angles. No cement
                                                                           squares for hopscotch:
                                                                           “Step on a line—break your
                                                                           father’s spine! Step on a crack—
                                                                           break your mother’s back!”


                                                                                                     4.

                                                                                           Obstructions

                                                                           No Idling. No Loitering.
                                                                           Keep Lanes Open.
                                                                           No one likes road blocks,
                                                                           grid locks or police blocades.
                                                                           No mental, emotional blocks.
                                                                           Keep free & clear.

                                                                                           Colophon

                                                                           The first block books were short
                                                                           books (xylographica) with text
                                                                           and images block-printed in
                                                                           the middle ages ca. 1451. This
                                                                           block book objet d’art is a
                                                                           sculptural interactive visual poem.

                                                                           Book Arts Editions 2017 open edition




Marilyn Stablein is an artist, poet, essayist, collagist, performance artist, author of thirteen books including an art monograph Bind, Alter, Fold: Artist Books (Book Arts Editions) and a Himalayan memoir: Sleeping in Caves, (MonkFish Publishers). She lives in Portland, Oregon.
Visit: marilynstablein.com
 
 
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