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On 3 May 2011, at 15:27, Brian wakeman wrote: > Hello Jack, and Colleagues all, > > I've been working on some ideas about poetry as a medium and method of research, and way of knowing. > I hope I'm on-to-something here....... any way I would be grateful for feedback before I try launching the paper. > > If anybody had a window in busy schedules to read the paper I would value responses. > > Best wishes > > Brian Dear Brian (and All) - I've just enjoyed reading your paper with your discussion of poetry as a means of creative expression, a way of knowing, and means of research. Your poetry particularly helps me to better understand the influence of you being a Christian in the deeply held beliefs that motivate you. I'm wondering if it might be appropriate for you to include some reference to lovingkindness in your paper. From your writings of 11 Jan and 7 March 2011 I think you value highly lovingkindness in your practice and in your understanding of what motivates you: On 11 Jan 2011, at 10:36, Brian Wakeman wrote: What has motivated me, has not been legislation or bonuses, but deeply held beliefs. For all my limitations and failings, they have been hammered out and tested through the fires of forty years of work in education. Briefly they have been "Agape", "Chesed" (mercy, lovingkindness), and "Shalom"(peace, wholeness, human flourishing), and "image of God". Of course justice is agape distributed. Chesed is the motivation for justice. Shalom is the fruit of justice. Image of God is the ground of justice. On 7 Mar 2011, at 11:35, Brian Wakeman wrote: > Lovingkindness > > In a world of competition, > 'My rights' and self-assertion, > There's much to be said > For the Hebrew "hesed": > Lovingkindness, > Mercy and goodness, > Faithfulness, Solidarity > Steadfast Love > Covenantally. > The energy flow.... > Can you feel > The ancient wisdom > That we can know? I think that you have made a strong case for the appropriateness and validity of an action research approach to enhancing the quality of your poetry and poetic communications. In your final section on Poetry as Enquiry, as a Means of Research I felt drawn to your points about 'improvement' and 'to improve the situation'; "...when researching I start out with an interest I want to investigate, generate questions for which I want answers, perhaps more general at first, but then closer focussed, to help me understand, test theories, or propose hypotheses for change or improvement. Different disciplines have their own research methodology, but usually I have worked with a qualitative methodology to improve aspects of professional practice as an educator. Then I begin to collect data, information, about the area of enquiry, maybe from my own experience, from literature, journals, from observation, official documents, interviews, statistics and so on. Then in seeking to answer my questions, to make sense of the information I have collected I analyse, look for patterns, interpret, seek explanations, find key concepts and linkages. Explanatory hypotheses are tested, and action hypotheses implemented to improve the situation.' (p.19) I then returned to your poem 'Day Bag' and your point about 'maybe improving practice': Even the next poem ‘Day Bag’ with its humour and gentle mischief illustrates aspects of a research process of : assembling data , visualising, narrating and portraying direct ‘knowing’ through experience; perceptions; close personal observation and interpretation of the emotional pain of recovering from surgery for cancer; the messy process of coming to terms with feelings of loss of bladder control; managing the medical procedures and equipment; coping and acceptance; a new understanding through writing and humour; communicating to the nursing staff and urology professionals in a way that may assist them in ‘seeing’ a patient’s perspective, and maybe improving practice. Certainly the poem was received warmly, with appreciation, and I was asked if my ‘Hospital Collection’ of poems could be used for staff training in the hospital. I know that it might not be possible to follow this up, but I would like to understand more about the responses of the nursing staff and urology professionals to see if your 'Hospital Collection', has assisted them "in 'seeing' a patient's perspective, and maybe improving practice". Being able to show, through the nursing staff and urology professionals responses to your 'Hospital Collection', an influence in 'improving practice' would be a major contribution to understanding the influence of poetry in improving practice through action research. Many thanks for sharing your paper - most appreciated. Love Jack.