The attention which the poem pays to all that it encounters, its more acute sense of detail, outline, structure, color, but also of the ‘tremors and hints’ – all this is not, I think, achieved by an eye competing (or concurring) with ever more precise instruments, but, rather, by a kind of concentration mindful of all our dates…‘attention is the natural prayer of the soul.’ – Paul Celan, “The Meridian”
I am of the opinion that details matter. Not all the details have to be shared in a single piece of writing or drawing, but they should inform the work. The ones that receive attention should be the most important ones. They are what bring a painting or poem to a life. They are the “anima,” the spirit and verve.
Details can even be an undercurrent to a larger story. They allow for “my” story to be transformed into something meant for a larger audience. That audience may be aware of a personal connection to the piece exists, but they don’t need to know the full story to relate to the work. The details given them are sufficient to involve them and arouse an emotion or question.
Details can allow for humor, too, a facet more often found in my visual work than my written. My art sometimes contain allusions or a detail meant to amuse a sibling. An example: my Junior Asparagus gets a new hat, and his new hat features Texas A&M colors. The pig farm in that same mural is called “Hickory Farms.” While I may be the only one to notice the detail, it amuses me and, during the process of drawing or painting, is a source of motivation to continue onward with the work.
Dealing in details also indicates attention and care. If I didn’t love my writing or art, I wouldn’t spend time on the details. I would give up when the work proved wearisome. While I sometimes grouse about the level of detail I put into a single comic, the level is always worth it at the end. By focusing on the details, the end result is that much better – in most cases, better than I had hoped for.
Remembering details is important, too, at least for me. It’s typically how I connect things, which enriches both my reading and writing. Even the strangest detail is worth keeping in my memory bank because it may serve a particular purpose at the right time.
The key to finding, collecting, and using those details? As Celan says, it’s a sort of concentration. It isn’t a thing to be discovered with “ever more precise instruments”; it’s a matter of posture, of being mindful and attentive.
Image: Kim Love (Creative Commons)
[…] made the knowledge more concrete. More than that. The knowledge has been etched in sharp relief. Every detail matters, from the background visuals for a song to the timing of the […]