As preparation for our term two seminar in the field - for all of us, the first experience of a SEMINAR IN (SLOW) MOTION - have a look at these short films by David Morley:

Slow Poetry

 TASKS FOR THE FIELD SEMINAR:

WORK IN PAIRS (or pairs and a threesome if odd numbers).

 Explore the area around the ponds and in the woods. Spend some time with your partner(s), sharing observations, but then break off and spend some time walking and looking alone.

 When you feel you have begun to know the place, go somewhere warm and write the following. You must do the writing immediately or the sensory impression will be lost!

 You may if you wish do the writing in the field in the form of notes, then write it up later – but do write up while fresh in mind.

 List 5 species of bird – and their habitat (i.e. where did you see them)

 List 5 species of plant/tree (excluding grass!). For help, see BBC Field Guide

 List 5 instances of human intervention upon the landscape

 List 5 things you noticed that you would not have noticed if you had not been asked to do this exercise.

 And then

  Write ONE PAGE about your walk: it can be in any genre (e,g, a descriptive account of the sort you find in the Guardian ‘Nature Notes’ column; a page that begins descriptively but then becomes more reflective or philosophical as happens in Thoreau’s journals; a poem or piece of very short fiction; a purely critical/analytical piece reflecting on what we are doing; you name it … one page, any genre)

  Either email me an attachment or put a printout in my pigeonhole. BEFORE READING WEEK

 I will read and comment, and we will discuss in wk 7, but no marks will be given.