[See Fig. 1 below to print and construct the poem.] 




Fig. 1 An Unfolded Poem

 (on one of its sides) 


Sidenote: An Adjacent Description of Folding
              4. is 
                  this word is written between checkerboard creases 
                  reminiscent of calligraphy worksheets in Chinese class, where
                  a single character is written repeatedly in boxy borders;
                  the result is almost Steinian:
                   “is” is “is” is “is”




              3. box guide 
                  a piece of paper folded and unfurled: 
                  folded until it makes a soundless accordion 
                  first along its width 
                  then along its length:  
                  thirty-two by eight.




              5. unfurl and fold 
                   longitudinal creases dictate the lengthwise pleats
                  (although each unit along the eight is also divided into three with pencil marks)
                   the paper is crimped until it resembles window shutters




              6. fold it again
                  reshape the instrument through its latitudes:
                  the paper is folded again along the guides




              1. idea 
                  i had been doom scrolling on my phone when 
                  i came across a video of a magic ball made from scrap—
                  its motion is filmed on a smartphone 
                  in front of someone’s dining room—
                  while i, 
                  (most likely) prostate on the lounge, 
                  was suddenly enraptured




              7. pit stop: it should be crimped across after (6) 
                  i imagine dragon scales but scales of any creature would be probable and

 inaccurate.




              8. raise and meet
                  pleats or ridges raised— 
                  shark-fin shapes over calm water
                  or mountains pulled from the ground—
                  the act bends the spine
                  creating an arc or the letter C, 
                  let the edges of the accordion meet 
                  until it makes an ellipsoid earth-shape 
                  (9.) glue it and wait




              10. magic 
                  once it is set,
                  let the little paper ball cave into itself 
                  until it makes a new shape:
                  a mathematical form from algebra class—
                  a two-sided trumpet—
                  then fold it onto itself 
                  again and again
                  from ball to fluted shape then ball to fluted shape 
                  again and again

 


              1.5  the word is simple 
                    motion and form depict the meaning of the word
                    my English teacher once said,
                    “poetry is about how things are said”




              11. Fig 1
                   i cut along the line 
                   and repeat from 3. 
                   read the rows of “is” as they overlap—
                   encroaching over borders—
                   and the columns as they are squished in space 
                   or expanded 
                   i think of the modes of is-es
                   maybe those that 
                   i hold on my phone 
                   on 
                   internet
                   stories—
                   people in Zoom boxes 
                   with their cups of tea— 
                   or 
                   those is-es that
                   straight lines 
                   struggle to depict




                   i fold across longitudes and latitudes 
                   home is 
                   14.630238, 121.004109                    
                   here is
                   -33.687340, 150.312842




                   a piece of paper is
                   a shape-shifting
                   being




             2. The Real Folding Guide: YouTube 
                   keyword search: infinity, origami, ball 
                   referenced result: 
                        “Origami: MAGIC BALL – Yakomoga EASY origami tutorial”

                         uploaded by Easy Origami – Yakomoga on Jan. 26, 2019 
                   
A pdf version of Fig 1 can also be found here.