‘Ma’ or the Aesthetic of Nothing
ruth weiss is on the mic, "Attention, audience. Please respect the silence at the begin and end of this presentation. It could be a rare space to explore your own world" (1). Her rich, raspy voice evokes a sense of importance and mysticism, drawing her audience in with its melodic and resonant quality. Her words prove even more enthralling. In this instance, ruth has invited the audience to experience negative space deliberately. Negative space, commonly associated with visual art, refers to the space between lines or the empty area surrounding a subject. While the concept of negative space is helpful in understanding ruth's aesthetics, I prefer a more precise term: "Ma."
I first encountered the Japanese concept of "Ma" while reading Roger Ebert's review of the extraordinary film, Spirited Away. Director Hayao Miyazaki roughly translates 'Ma' to mean "emptiness or negative space" (2). He describes 'Ma' as a moment of pause between claps of his hands—a moment of stillness, silence, and inaction that falls under the umbrella of 'Ma.' While 'Ma' constantly surrounds us in all those interstitial and brief intervals, it requires a rare artist to intentionally draw it out and create moments or aesthetics of 'Ma.' When ruth invites her audience to be silent, she follows up by saying, "It could be a rare space to explore your own world." In this interlude, ruth reveals her proficiency in and understanding of the power of 'Ma.' She knew that her poetry had evocative qualities, stating, "I like my poems to evoke with just a few words" (3). By employing 'Ma,' she allows the audience to dwell in their own interpretations, opening up boundless possibilities through her deliberate silence.
ruth's utilization of 'Ma' extends beyond her spoken word poetry to her affinity and special talent for Haiku. ruth famously collaborated on Haiku with Jack Kerouac and often employed mixed media to depict her Haiku in paintings and drawings. Haiku embody 'Ma,' expressing the "aesthetics of absence" (4). With fewer words, more is conveyed—a deliberate selection of words meant for slow and intentional consumption, punctuated by frequent pauses. ruth's fondness for Haiku harmonizes with her artistic approach. She recognized absence as a tool for expression, encouraging her audience to fill in the gaps with their own experiences. She respected her audience and sacrificed words she could have written to create space for more life, more art—for 'Ma.'
We are honoring ruth weiss's legacy through our third annual grant competition. We encourage poets, both young and seasoned, to apply for our annual grants via our website. Let your poetic voice resonate in response to this year's theme, "War is bad for children. What is good for children?"
ruth weiss, The Beat Goddess. Melody Miller. 2019.
Ebert, Roger. "An Interview with Hayao Miyazaki." RogerEbert.com, 1 May 2002.
ruth weiss, The Beat Goddess. Melody Miller. 2019.
Takeda, Masako. "Emily Dickinson and Japanese Aesthetics." The Emily Dickinson Journal, vol. 22 no. 2, 2013, p. 26-45. Project MUSE, doi:10.1353/edj.2013.0015.
