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Aphantasia

General Poetry - post, comment, review, critique
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Colm Roe
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Re: Aphantasia

Post by Colm Roe » Tue Mar 17, 2020 7:37 pm

Thanks sam and Aj :)
Hi Dave,
'the first one that refers to the diminished dpi (the definition of which is dots per inch) and the fact that the N says he only reads braille (which is made up of dots).'
Both are indications of how blind (completely) my mind is. Most people have the ability to see very vivid (HD) mind images. So a few dpi is, to all intents and purposes, blind.
As for my mind reading braille...that was more figurative than literal. I was trying to portray something about the nature of the condition, how it's still possible to piece things together with small bits of data.
Anywho, thanks for the read and your generous appreciation.

indar
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Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2018 8:00 am

Re: Aphantasia

Post by indar » Wed Mar 18, 2020 9:43 am

I didn't mention in my first comment on this poem that I had to google "aphantasia" (I thought it might be a Disney film). I had no idea such a thing existed. From your remarks I take it that you deal with the condition: I try to imagine what it would be like and I wonder how you write poetry often with vivid imagery.

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Colm Roe
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Re: Aphantasia

Post by Colm Roe » Wed Mar 18, 2020 8:16 pm

It's thought about 2% have it. And most people go through life without knowing they have it.
I only recently read an article about it, closed my eyes to see if I could picture something...nothing.
Some people become aphants long after birth. I think I used to have a minds eye. Not all aphants
can dream, I do sometimes, but rarely. I struggle to link names with faces, have terrible trouble
navigating roads, and my memory is poor.
There's very little known about it, and it's not considered to be a 'bad' thing. If I was born blind I
wouldn't believe I was disadvantaged unless I was told. And our brains just make a few rewiring
adjustments to compensate. I'm not sure, but I think I 'see' with words. If you keep your eyes open
and think of your favourite place can you sense it? I can to some degree, but it's a knowing, nothing more.
The upside of all this is Frank never became a horror movie that played on repeat. And any other negative
things that happened over the years couldn't take hold and fester :)
If my wife dies before me I won't be able to picture her lovely face when I close my eyes...but some
people are more than just a pretty face ;)
Anywho, I'm glad I'm an aphant.

ajduclos
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Joined: Mon Apr 01, 2019 1:35 pm

Re: Aphantasia

Post by ajduclos » Thu Mar 19, 2020 4:59 pm

...and we appreciate you and so enjoy your writings and critical analysis... and are glad you are an aphant. 

Thanks for sharing.

Aj   

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Colm Roe
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Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2018 12:45 am

Re: Aphantasia

Post by Colm Roe » Thu Mar 19, 2020 8:24 pm

Thanks Aj :)
TTB is an even more special place now as we become more isolated.
Hopefully there'll be deep veins of silver in the current clouds. As Linda said
recently, dolphins have been seen in the now clean canals of Venice...what a wonderful image :D
Maybe some of us will be kinder. A client of mine came in to pay for a job last week, when the reality
of Covid-19 was sinking in. It was only a small thing, but I refused to take his money saying he might
find someone to 'pass it on' to. I might need that money if the shit hits the fan...but I'll feel better
accepting help if I've tried to help others.
On a more serious note, I hope there'll be severe and sustained global pressure placed on China to radically change
the unbelievably cruel way they treat their animals. Most countries fall short in this regard; but few get anywhere close
to the scale and barbarity inflicted on Chinese animals.
Keep well Aj and all TTB members.

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