Anna Montgomery
salience exists at the edge of chaos
where order, complexity and entropy collide
perhaps the random latticework
underlying your strategic contingency
is complex dynamic phenomena
an equivocating nontrivial correlation
apophenia propagates elegant proofs
at the percolation threshold
niches and differentiation
enigmas of probabilistic epigenesis
amidst our cognitive architecture
meta-cognition, 1/f noise, signs of life
coherence and self-organization
leading to philosophical inquiry
on the shores of an island of trickery
limited rationality in domains of disorder
fractals creating a quandary of scale
in this space of perturbation,
phase transitions and energetic states
neuronal diversity the dynamic key
Duomo’s counterclockwise
cathedral clock, Uccello’s unique
ecological contribution
Note: I’m hosting Meeting the Bar: Creativity today at dVerse Poets Pub. Please join us!
Chromapoetica 
the percolation threshold….ha i like that…and signs of life, i would be glad is you found some in my neural pathways…haha…fractals creating a quandary of scale
in this space of perturbation, is a really cool touch…duomo, cathedrals….what a cool word too, did it come from a person? did not see that when i looked it up…uccello’s work in perception as well…
There are a great number of signs :)! Duomo is the cathedral in Florence where Uccello’s clock resides. Love that you looked up his contributions to perception and mathematics!
perhaps the random latticework… as if anything is random… word choice carefully chosen
Perhaps . . .
cool. I dig it.
Thanks Jesse.
Neuroscience, new math, technology–most of it baffles me, but fascinates me at the same time. Your “poetic” POV often leaps into undiscovered complex word imagery landscapes that I feel requires real balance to transverse. You & your work seems to be willing to stretch our pitiful consciousness to new heights; thanks and damn you for your IQ adventures; requires actual concentration & intellect to fathom the depths of your poetic inquiries.
Haha, I do so enjoy these adventures and your fascinating comments!
very cool anna..your creativity in using the most extraordinary words is just masterful… and florence is a place i haven’t been yet.. love the nod to uccello’s clock..
Thanks Claudia, I enjoyed the process very much. Glad you know the clock, I am always jealous of your incredible travels :).
Much of the scientific and intellectual of the prompt post is evident in this. I’ll have to go back and read again to parse out all those possibilities.
Yes, I pulled my inspiration from some of the reading I did for the prompt. Wonderful to see you again!
Your poem inspired mine. I couldn’t think of anything to write but I absolutely loved yours. I have told you this a million times but it is still true… They way you intricately and artfully formulate your thoughts into a layered orchestra of lines continues to both inspire and amaze me.
There are so many memorable lines in this poem. You immediately hooked me with your opening:
“salience exists at the edge of chaos
where order, complexity and entropy collide”
Beautiful.
If I keep quoting my favorite lines I’ll have the whole damn poem in my comment. Brilliant work Anna.
Dave, you continue to inspire and amaze me so the feeling is quite mutual! Thank you for your thoughtful and eloquent comment.
A beautiful write, Anna.
Thanks Ayala, so lovely to see you again!
limited rationality in domains of disorder
fractals creating a quandary of scale
in this space of perturbation
Yes! What an entire philosophy is contained in these few lines. Superb work.
Thanks Nico, great to see you again!
Anna, as always, beautifully crafted.
I’m not a native English speaker and honestly, whenever I visit, there’s some words that just make that big question mark appear over my head… 😀 i love puzzling, expecially when it comes to your poems… looking up the words i don’t understand – it ‘reveals’ the full view of your poem bit by bit. i love to see it unfold.
Yes, this one uses quite a few specific scientific and mathematical terms. I’m so happy to hear you love puzzling as I always enjoy reading that gives me the space to connect the dots as the picture comes into focus. You put that very well, thank you!
I think of Uccello as making the painting with all the lances – is that right? Experimenting with perspective – you certainly do that here – Anna – I confess – it is difficult for me – my mind doesn’t handle abstraction very well, but I do sense the chaos/silence frustration that you write of – and I know your philosophical bent here is very strong. k.
Thanks Karen, he did experiment with perspective and I enjoyed the metaphor of his Duomo clock, tying it to the clockwise motion of perception and the counterclockwise action of imagination. Together I think they open up the mind to creativity and innovation.
It is an interesting approach. For me, the tension has often been between memory and imagination, although perception may be another way of thinking about memory. There is a beautiful night battle painting by Uccello. I’ll look for link – you may know it. k.
I could see that as often memory is encoded perception. Thanks again for the link!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Battle_of_San_Romano
Thank you, I had seen it but not really delved into it.
Well you are the master of these complex words Anna ~
perhaps the random latticework
underlying your strategic contingency
is complex dynamic phenomena
Great prompt for today ~
Thanks Grace, I’m always happy to hear you enjoyed the prompt. I loved your take on it.
“Counterclockwise Cathedral clock” now that’s a mouthful of imagery 🙂 Amazing!
Very true, see my response to ManicDaily about the metaphor :).
Complex and rather wonderful ~ thanks for a fascinating prompt, Anna 🙂
Thanks Polly and especially for joining in today. I’ll be by to read yours after a short break.
Intricacies of clocks and math…. the metronome if you will of the fluctuating flow of creativity…quite involved yet very much a great example of your suggestion for the prompt…
Oooh, I love metronomes and your connection here. Thanks!
Wow…yes and then again, backwards, wow!
Don’t you love palindromes?
The cadence, the music in this is just fabulous…. To the point where the meaning of the words matters less than their sounds. I love the way you are able to do that, it’s genius.
Thanks Kelly, it always has to sound right to my inner ear :).
Complex with so much to digest, Anna, but a fascinating read.
Thanks Mary, I’m glad you joined us today!
Fantastic poem! Thanks for hosting great prompt. Cheers!
Thank you for participating; I look forward to reading yours.
I love the middle stanza- superb.
Thanks!
Limited rationality in domains of disorder…ha ha that sounds like my mind and housekeeping skills! I also love the percolation threshold… I’ve stood there often…interesting poem and love the painting too!
Awesome, I’m hearing you on FM :). Very happy to hear you enjoyed the painting too!
Anna, I have missed you, as has my dictionary and BIG WORD translator ap 🙂 A very nice presentation again. I too wrote about science. But not as well as you I am afraid. Very good to read you again.
Henry! Haha, I look forward to it!
this gives me vertigo like a floor becoming fluid and giving way, sliding between real and unreal like alice.
i mean it is an evocative and powerful shifty thing =)
Yes, that’s the way it was intended and I knew what you meant :D.
Doumo
doomo arigatoo
Capitis in domo Dei
A chaotic, unfair, wild hunt
Sorry, this was in spam.
No one can dive into the sea of scientific vocabulary and create a flowing, believable poem like you, Anna. This is another example of the magical way you think and create. Thank you for the prompt and for sharing this intelligent write.
Thanks Kim, wonderful you see the flow and the magic!
i am enjoying the various edges in your painting. There is a feeling of breaking down and breaking into a structured matrix. Fabulous. Is it oil or acrylic? I’m drawn into your strong opening lines in Systemic Flaws. “on the shores of the island of trickery” and the idea of “cognitive architecture” also ring brightly and do much to shake things up in my mind. wonderful work. It’s nice to see you here.
The painting is oil but it is a digital art collage made in Photoshop so some of the edges were created with a stamp pulled out of the painting. Cognitive architecture theory is aiding the development of AI. I do enjoy shaking things up :D! Always a great pleasure to see you.
You on your home ground at your very best, a treat of a read. Thank you.
Thank you David, it is sometimes good to stay close to home.
“salience exists at the edge of chaos
where order, complexity and entropy collide”
This opening hooked me into this piece, because I think it is in this place that true creativity occurs. The trouble is, too often we get scared of going too near the edge. I wish I had a good scientific dictionary handy for some of the specialist language though.
If you browse with Google Chrome you can highlight words and then right click to look them up online. It’s a great tool. Sometimes I put the links in the poem or notes afterwards but often people find them distracting. Thanks so much for the read!
This really stretched my mind. One to reread and savour at leisure, methinks!
Yes, most of my work requires it and may not be the best choice for a blog :). Wonderful to see you here!
I think poetry needs to be hard, not just poetry. It needs that space, that pause in our lives, to make us question and listen and seek to understand. That’s my problem with blogs – I always want to spend more time on them.
I agree, I prefer books most of the time.
Amazing Anna! It never varies! Your flair for the clever use of different words that bring out the meaning and value is just great. Some I’ve not seen until you’ve highlighted it here! Nicely!
Hank
Thanks Hank, I always appreciate your visits and feedback!
I could have sworn I commented here. I spoke poetically of Duomo. Do you think it got spammed — or perhaps I slipped up.
Found it and restored it.
Another poem that starts from let’s look at the world from this viewpoint to see what can be seen
Yes, I don’t always agree or disagree but explore.
That’s what I was thinkin! I probably would have said it a bit different, but still, it’s amazing how great minds think alike… (are you smiling yet?) ‘Cause shirley you know I’m being facea… faces… facit… oh heck, I’m making stuff up.
I did NOT look anything up, but I still understood the poem and enjoyed it. Love your artwork, too!
I knew it :D. Thanks Charles!
Ouch, my brain is hurting … but I like it. A very interesting poem.
Sorry to hear that but glad it all worked out in the end.
always enjoy your linguistic gymnastics anna…
an equivocating nontrivial correlation
apophenia propagates elegant proofs
at the percolation threshold
niches and differentiation
enigmas of probabilistic epigenesis
always a pleasure to read, and again, i have to tell you, i really enjoy your articles at dverse.
Thanks Woodrow, I really appreciate your kind comment!