I’m starting today with so many things I want to do and even more ideas. It’s both wonderful and frustrating. Certainly invigorating, though also easy to become paralyzed by decision overload. Here’s an attempt to share a little bit of what it’s like inside my head right now…
Baby steps to get back in the habit of daily poetry and blogging.
This is hardly a new concept for creatives—the naturally occurring limitations that necessitate creation and how by defining a thing we take away so much of it. What makes this poem interesting to me, however, was that I was originally thinking in terms of how people interact, communicate with, and relate to one another. Are our relationships really all that different from works of art or acts of creation?
Ever consider how hard it is to separate the creator from the creation? Even when you know the creator? It’s an odd challenge for people on either side, both for producer and appreciator.
Well, so much for every day! Definitely missed the boat on that. Went on vacation and forgot to prioritize my poetry and take into account travel days. That said, I’m back on the horse and feeling energized!
This is going to be an epic year.
Nope, I didn’t forget today’s poem. I woke up this morning, sat in my chair with my notebook and a mug of coffee…and nothing. This doesn’t happen to me. I don’t get blocked! But I did. In large part this was because I couldn’t select my subject matter. Three guesses what I finally settled on. Funny how just picking something and giving yourself permission to suck, just so long as you move forward works. Or at least that’s been my repeated experience. Anyone else?
Was thinking this morning about character agency in storytelling and how powerful a force it is. Remove it and you remove the heart and soul of the story. That got my thinking about agency in our lives. How do we express it and what happens when we do?
Feeling very meta today about the act of creation and the way we play with ideas and stories in our minds. I’ve had one in my head for half a year now, more or less stagnating, watching all my other ideas pass it by. Then a few days ago I had a new idea, one that would be a stretch to make work. It had heart and structure but lacked originality. Then came the old idea, which I think has a great concept but the characters weren’t leaping out at me and the story wasn’t wanting to shape. They came together like they were meant to be. It’s tough letting go of pieces of each of them, but the new thing is far more powerful and I can’t wait to bring it to life.
Lots of changes around me lately. More to come I suspect.
I woke up to the wonderful sight that inspired today’s poem. If ever any evidence was needed that I married well…
Didn’t post yesterday’s poem so it’s joining today’s. On Saturday our friend and neighbor, a US veteran, had to put to sleep his service dog. She had cancer and couldn’t eat anymore. This one’s for them.
And today’s poem is me venting. I’m sure every writer or creative feels from time to time that they’re not playing with a full deck…
The Everyday Poet 