Negative Space

In the December '03 issue of The Writers's Chronicle, Jennifer Grow draws a parallel between the use of negative space in visual arts and its similar use in fiction. An interesting idea and one just as applicable to poetry to be sure. In fact, I think poets do this naturally without defining their indirection as defining the "negative space." But it seems like a good way of thinking about the way many of us work. Once we recognize what we're doing, it's possible to critically determine if it will be effective to continue doing whatever it is one did by accident, or to find ways to improve or subvert one's practice. For me, I think I often write the negative space, and leave the positive space entirely open, which is why my process this has so much to do with layering and replacing.