The Origami Mage
Origami is a traditional oriental art form done by folding squares of colored paper. In this series -- the most popular of the early series -- the Origami Mage uses her art to work magic, as introduced in "folded wings." The related art of kirigami involves folding and then cutting the paper. A rival, the Kirigami Mage, enters the storyline in "cutting and folding." This series draws on many Asian motifs, customs, symbolism, spiritual and philosophical tenets. In particular, the storyline follows the spiral pattern popular in Eastern writing, rather than the linear pattern favored in the West. The exact sequence isn't finalized yet; poems appear in possible chronological order. The Origami Mage is also an Eastern hero of the contemplative variety, so her strategies differ from the Western heroic approach. Most of these poems use haiku-style verses. Sinologist Marina Bonomi has inspired and sponsored a majority of the series.
Details on sponsoring available poems appear atop the main Serial Poetry page.
"unfolding wings" 2-8-11
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
See an adorable sketch of this scene and its update drawn by LJ user meeksp
"two little girls" 1-21-12 (outside fishbowl)
Sponsored by DW user kengr
"ongaeshibanashi" 5-3-11
Prompted by LJ user thesilentpoet
Sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"master of water, master of wood" 8-2-11
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"seat of the moon tree" 1-24-12 (outside fishbowl)
Sponsored by DW user kengr
"folded wings" 3-2-10
Prompted by LJ user marina_bonomi
Sponsored by LJ user minor_architect
"chop wood, carry water" 1-24-12 (outside fishbowl)
Sponsored by DW user kengr
"cutting and folding" 4-6-10
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"The Folding Boat" 5-11-10
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"flowing water, folding boat" 5-11-10
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"taijitu" 6-1-10
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"the jade rabbit" 3-1-11
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user the_vulture
"The Color of Faraway Mountains" 8-3-10
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"bowls of rice" 10-5-10
Prompted by LJ user janetmiles
Sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"Bā Guà" 11-2-10
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"foxwater" 8-2-11
Prompted by LJ users siege and marina_bonomi
Sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"The Jewel and the Key" 11-2-10
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"wadding" 11-1-11
Prompted by LJ users the_vulture, siege, and marina_bonomi
Sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"Paper and Tiger" 1-3-12
Prompted by LJ users marina_bonomi and my_partner_doug
Sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"the two alchemists" 4-5-11
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"the nature of the season" 5-7-15 (fishbowl spillover)
Prompted by DW user zeeth_kyrah and fills Wellness Toolbox Bingo Card 5-2-15, Genprompt Bingo Card 3-16-15, and Ladies Bingo Card 9-1-14
Sponsored by the general fund
"wings of paper, wings of lace" 3-1-11
Prompted by LJ users minor_architect and thesilentpoet
Sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"tired traveler, busy city" written 1-4-11
Prompted by LJ user siege
Sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"in the market" 1-26-12 (outside fishbowl)
Sponsored by DW user kengr
"going to the ocean" written 12-7-10
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"Advice from the Heavenly Empress" 2-10-12 (outside fishbowl)
Sponsored by DW user kengr
"friendship and enmity" written 8-3-11 (fishbowl continuation)
Prompted by LJ users marina_bonomi and meeksp
Sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"senbazuru" 2-11-12 (outside fishbowl)
Inspired by LJ user marina_bonomi
Sponsored by DW user kengr
"mulberry boys" 11-6-14 (fishbowl spillover)
Prompted by LJ users eseme, marina_bonomi, siliconshaman, and siege, and fills Ladiesbingo Card 9-1-14
Sponsored by LJ user janetmiles
Details on sponsoring available poems appear atop the main Serial Poetry page.
"unfolding wings" 2-8-11
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
See an adorable sketch of this scene and its update drawn by LJ user meeksp
"two little girls" 1-21-12 (outside fishbowl)
Sponsored by DW user kengr
"ongaeshibanashi" 5-3-11
Prompted by LJ user thesilentpoet
Sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"master of water, master of wood" 8-2-11
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"seat of the moon tree" 1-24-12 (outside fishbowl)
Sponsored by DW user kengr
"folded wings" 3-2-10
Prompted by LJ user marina_bonomi
Sponsored by LJ user minor_architect
"chop wood, carry water" 1-24-12 (outside fishbowl)
Sponsored by DW user kengr
"cutting and folding" 4-6-10
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"The Folding Boat" 5-11-10
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"flowing water, folding boat" 5-11-10
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"taijitu" 6-1-10
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"the jade rabbit" 3-1-11
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user the_vulture
"The Color of Faraway Mountains" 8-3-10
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"bowls of rice" 10-5-10
Prompted by LJ user janetmiles
Sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"Bā Guà" 11-2-10
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"foxwater" 8-2-11
Prompted by LJ users siege and marina_bonomi
Sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"The Jewel and the Key" 11-2-10
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"wadding" 11-1-11
Prompted by LJ users the_vulture, siege, and marina_bonomi
Sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"Paper and Tiger" 1-3-12
Prompted by LJ users marina_bonomi and my_partner_doug
Sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"the two alchemists" 4-5-11
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"the nature of the season" 5-7-15 (fishbowl spillover)
Prompted by DW user zeeth_kyrah and fills Wellness Toolbox Bingo Card 5-2-15, Genprompt Bingo Card 3-16-15, and Ladies Bingo Card 9-1-14
Sponsored by the general fund
"wings of paper, wings of lace" 3-1-11
Prompted by LJ users minor_architect and thesilentpoet
Sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"tired traveler, busy city" written 1-4-11
Prompted by LJ user siege
Sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"in the market" 1-26-12 (outside fishbowl)
Sponsored by DW user kengr
"going to the ocean" written 12-7-10
Prompted & sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"Advice from the Heavenly Empress" 2-10-12 (outside fishbowl)
Sponsored by DW user kengr
"friendship and enmity" written 8-3-11 (fishbowl continuation)
Prompted by LJ users marina_bonomi and meeksp
Sponsored by LJ user marina_bonomi
"senbazuru" 2-11-12 (outside fishbowl)
Inspired by LJ user marina_bonomi
Sponsored by DW user kengr
"mulberry boys" 11-6-14 (fishbowl spillover)
Prompted by LJ users eseme, marina_bonomi, siliconshaman, and siege, and fills Ladiesbingo Card 9-1-14
Sponsored by LJ user janetmiles
Extras
Tod Wills (LiveJournal user djinni) has done four icons illustrating the main characters -- you'll see one on the later poem posts as you move through the series. View the Origami Mage with Cranes, Origami Mage with Papers, Kirigami Mage Sly, and Kirigami Mage Happy on my LiveJournal scrapbook.
The Origami Mage series has inspired several discussions about the storyline, which are linked below for your convenience:
"Discussing the Origami Mage" 4-8-10
"Poetry Fishbowl and the Origami Mage" 4-8-10 in Marina Bonomi's blog
"Monday Update" 4-12-10
"Brainstorming the Origami Mage" 4-19-10
"Origami Mage Icon" 4-21-10
Visit the main Serial Poetry page to see more series.
The Origami Mage series has inspired several discussions about the storyline, which are linked below for your convenience:
"Discussing the Origami Mage" 4-8-10
"Poetry Fishbowl and the Origami Mage" 4-8-10 in Marina Bonomi's blog
"Monday Update" 4-12-10
"Brainstorming the Origami Mage" 4-19-10
"Origami Mage Icon" 4-21-10
Visit the main Serial Poetry page to see more series.
