FINDING A WAY IN...

I'm struggling with a poem. It's a full on wrestling match. I flip the poem, the poem does a somersault and I end up in a full nelson...and just when I think I have it cowering in a corner, after some amazing moves including a one-two piledriver -jawbreaker combination - it flips me and I'm the one on the floor not understanding how I got there.

I know what I want to say, the emotion I want to convey. I just can't find a way in.

Every story/poem/novel needs a way in. A doorway we want to go through.


Some opening that offers the writer (and reader) a chance to slip through. And at the moment I can't find it. Words are swirling like falling autumn leaves, images are dancing in hobnail boots, and phrases are clogging my throat.

I've attempted putting down a few words.

A few images.

But they are isolated dots on the page and no joining them together will make the image become clear.

I've tried to leave the poem alone. Concentrated on work, on family. Thought the poem would become annoyed at this neglect and begin to make loud whinging 'look at me' noises.

Nothing.



I'm not giving up. I'm merely allowing other thoughts to take over. I'll rework the poem about my nephew, edit the short story I wrote last week, put down some more words on my YA novel...and hopefully while I'm thinking of something else the poem will appear.

Or perhaps while I'm staring through the opening I will see something else. A glimpse of a shape, glimmer of colour, some movement that will capture me.

That's the interesting thing about doorways - you can never tell what will come through.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE SOLITARY WRITER...

Image
Writers are said to be solitary creatures. There is the age old image of the writer, alone, shivering and gaunt, scribbling away frantically while living in an attic. Frankly I don't know any writers who live in attics, or in fact many who lead the solitary life. Most are surrounded by people- in their daily lives, in their jobs, surrounded by family and friends. And really it is by being part of this social whirl where the majority of ideas come from. People as a species are so interesting, so volatile, so eager to say too much. All fodder for a poem or short story, a play, piece of non-fiction...or the seed for a novel. The novel I wrote for Nanowrimo last year was based on a line my father said. One simple phrase and I wondered 'what if...' and it went from there. The last short story I wrote was based on a mother I noticed at work and how she interacted with her children on one of the last scorching days. Let's just say the temperature wasn't the only thi...
Read more

OBSTACLES....

Image
This year has been a bit of a doozy. A lot of obstacles have popped up, some avoidable (accepting bigger work load and more hours)..some unavoidable (death of family member). So without me noticing it, March has arrived. Summer is gone and we have autumn, and not a lot of writing has been done. But here we are and I'm determined to get myself organised and on focus. I have made a goal sheet for 2018, which is a great start. It only has two things on it but heh, they are two BIG things and hopefully  I intend to get them done.  Last night I attended my YA / Children's writing group. What an inspirational group! Just when I needed a pick up, a kick up the pants (please supply any number of cliches) I was reminded of what can be achieved with lots of hard work. Fellow member Pauline   is about to launch her second book in her Cinnamon Stevens series. There will be a launch at Belgrave Library, Tuesday 10th April 2pm.  Copies can be purchased ...
Read more

FRESH START....

Image
There's something about the beginning of a new year. Fills us with inspiration, hopes and dreams. Lets us believe that anything is possible. That the year to come can be anything we want it to be. And it can. And of course there are resolutions...I'm still debating about what tack to take. Whether to focus on poetry or short story, the novel(s) that I wrote last year....hmmm too hard to think about just yet. I'll let it percolate, ponder on the pros and cons, on what I WANT to do, not what I SHOULD do. Personal resolutions are so much easier- I have plans on health and wellbeing, on the house, on the garden, on myself spiritually as well. The writing ones are so much harder. And of course there is knowing when to stop. There is no point in having a list a mile long ( I so used to do that)... totally unachievable and so daunting. So it's better to have a few solid ones on the list...ones that can be achieved within twelve months. And also goals that I have contr...
Read more