There’s an empty set of lots across from where I live. They’re my dog’s favorite place to play. Unfortunately they’ve been so overgrown lately we haven’t been able to use them. They were mowed yesterday and we were able to have a great game of fetch and I saw the face of unmitigated happiness. I’m firmly of the opinion that dogs are evidence of the divine.
(Note, the picture with this post is not my own puppy)
More musings on creatives and the creative journey.
Today’s poem was inspired by “Rotunda” written by Houston poet Mark Jodon, author of “Day of the Speckled Trout” and “What the Raven Wants.” It was published in San Antonio Express-News and shared with me by my mother. If you have not had the privilege of reading Mr. Jodon’s work, I highly encourage you to do so.
In reading “Rotunda,” I noticed that in contrast to Jodon’s style here, I tend to almost always fill up the available space to me with words. Here’s an attempt at brevity.
For my bride. I love you.
There is power in stories. Hypnotic power that can keep us turning the page long past when we should have stopped to go to bed. Power to transcend the senses and conjure powerful reactions, sometimes even physical reactions. This is what I hope to replicate with my work. For now, I simply wonder at it.
Today’s been a good day.
Forgot my poetry notebook at home today–oops! Got back to it with a notion of writing about the visceral sensation of joy and got interrupted. Over and over. It was kind of funny actually.
Ended up helping my bride cook dinner and a question arose between us. Not a new question, an old one. One which we each have a differing opinion on: which is the priority, presentation or purpose?
That inspired today’s work, which I confess myself not particularly pleased with. I may have to come back and rework this one later. My brain’s a tad frazzled.
One of the first things I learned as a writer was to pay attention and describe the visceral sensations that accompany emotion. Today’s emotion: fear.
Oops! I wrote today’s poem but got interrupted when I started to put it up on the blog. Almost forgot entirely that it still needs to be shared!
My bride and I have been having problems with our technology lately. My computer has been giving me no end of grief and trying to replace it hasn’t been a picnic. Just about everything that can go wrong has. Yesterday we had one of those freak accidents that would be hilarious if it wasn’t so expensive.
Our dog got spooked by an insect biting him on the bottom and spun around. I’m doing so he caught the phone charger hooked up to my bride’s phone, pulling the phone off the table and on top of him. Already panicked, he bit the phone. I could not make this up. The phone is all but unusable. Fortunately the puppy is fine.
The entire affair has me thinking about humanity’s relationship with its tools. We really aren’t that impressive a species when you think about it, not until you begin to examine our minds, adaptability, and ingenuity. Take away our tools and it’s a drastic blow to our effectiveness and capability.
Sometimes we get down. Not in the fun way. Sometimes we start out strong, a few things don’t go our way, and we crash.
My bride reminded me of a secret I learned a little while ago–that smiling tricks the body, the voice, and the mind. By projecting happiness into the world, we take it back in. Our spirits are fascinating engines capable of producing our own fuel.
The Everyday Poet 