Tag Archives: Creation

Day 125: Appreciation

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I was privileged to share a wonderful day with my bride and parents at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston touring their Van Gogh exhibit. Some interesting conversations arose about the way we appreciate art. Yet what stood out to me the most with this exhibit was the recognition it gave to Vincent’s brother Theo, who supported him for years.

It is so easy to become wrapped up in the creative process, the creation itself, or even the creator, that we forget about those who support creatives in the pursuit of realizing not only their dreams but their happiness. I have been blessed with many such wonderful individuals in my own life.

To all of you, this poem is for you.

Appreciation

Day 123: How We Wither

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Heh, today is day one two three. How about that?

Been fighting a bug that likes to strike hardest when I get up in the morning, which is when I usually do my writing. It’s driving me just a little bit crazy.

How We Wither

Day 100: Snowball

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Didn’t post it yesterday but I did write it! Today’s poem will be published later.

I originally thought I might do something significant for the hundredth day of poetry, but then I realized, it’s just another day. A benchmark to be sure, but the journey of a creative is one that doesn’t end just because a milestone is reached or a single project finished. We keep on.

Yesterday I found myself grateful for the blessing of new opportunities, of regaining my momentum, and of having reached a major benchmark in another project. It got me thinking about how much effort it is to create something and how easy it is to destroy. It all boils down to keeping on and working within a system that is designed to challenge us and to be unfair. Life is a perpetual battle against entropy.

Snowball

Day 98: Which Calm?

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My bride and I went to An Evening with Margaret Atwood the other night, which began with her reading some of her poetry. After listening, I took away permission to ask more blatant questions in my own poetry. I’ve made an effort to steer away from that sort of thing overtly, but Atwood reminded me of one critical rule of creative writing: if it works then it works. Sometimes you don’t know if it does or not until you’ve done it. So, which type of calm do you pursue in your life?

Which Calm?

Day 97: Chase the Shine

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Wait, Day 97? What happened to 96?

I missed it.

No excuse, I had an opportunity to do it during my break at work and I passed on. After that, when I got home I crashed. Hard. Been trying to do so much lately. Not the point.

I am proud that it took me 96 days before is missed a poem. New goal: try to go the rest of the year without missing another one. If I am to miss another, try to beat my 96 day streak.

Today’s poem is inspired by missing yesterday’s. I couldn’t tell you why Neverland and Peter Pan popped into my head, exactly, though in this context it certainly makes sense. Those stories are really depressing and downright frightening at their heart. Missed and stolen opportunities.

A piece of me mourns the loss of yesterday’s poem. It will never be written, never grow up, or go on adventures. It won’t even get to die because it was never born. Simply missed. An adventure not taken, an opportunity not explored. On the other hand, I am taking to heart why this is so valuable to me. The pursuit of dreams, seeing beauty realized and brought to fruition. Here is a rededication to never stop chasing the shine.

Chase the Shine

Day 95: Words Spin

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Thinking again about words. Was going to try and get clever by making something out of silly words but the harder I looked the more familiar the words became. Not so sure what that says about me. I gave up and made this instead. Not half bad, I don’t think.

Words Spin

Day 83: Brain Center

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Does anybody else ever wonder about your brain? What distinguishes us from it? When you get down to it, we are the sum of our memories which create our thoughts, electrical pulses zipping back and forth across this squiggly mass of grey matter. Are we the flesh housing or the energy coursing through it? Both? Neither?

Brain Center