Follow your Words

I learned just recently when writing my poems that they aren't the same as they used to be. I remmeber when I used to gain inspriation from all the negative in my life and I would write a poem out of it. I even started to give myself the name "Dark Poet" But when I needed to write my poetry manusript for my seminar class, I was open to writing about anything that would come to my mind. I found myself getting inspired by many things such as people around me, weather, or anything else. I didn't have to stick to my usual inspriation pattern. If writing is truly something you like to do, it stays with you and follows you everywhere you go.

The Dark Poet

I’m quenched by the stillness

of ignored puddles against a curb

stepped over by those without time

avoiding unnecessary imperfections

My hunger vanishes from the grayness

I welcome and embrace

The sun burns away my thoughts

Tells me to use him for play

where all the world comes out from hiding

A union of laughter displayed

This picture is not my home

I am the cypress, a center piece

Known on an ordinary day.

The only light desired is imaginary

created in me by Erebus

where imagination is sparked

And words of power infuse together

born from the lightning

in the darkened sky

It's important to go with whatever words come to you because they are words full of truth and different moments in our life give us different inspiration. We aren't exactly the same person our whole life. We learn, grow, heal, hurt, and our writing goes right along with it because our words are who we are. When you try to go back to working on what you previously wrote, it may be difficult because it's not aprt of you at this time. So it is possible to write new things at different times or put aside what you previously wrote to go with something else. Follow it.

Day dream

Picture on the wall.

I'm there, framed inside

where I touch the cold ledge

slightly wet from the facing sea,

swaying in its sparkling dress.

The tingling salt on my face

I feel from each new current.

The sweetness of flowers

doing back strokes in the water,

waving their stems

back at me.

The twirling breeze brings me

back to the days of freedom.

A child's summer delight

to stay out until the setting sun,

welcoming the new day.

The seagulls call.

I hear my name

in their continuous song.

Sounding clearer now,

I turn away and sit

outside the painting again.

What are you trying to say?

Sometimes it is possible to get caught up in our own work that we start losing what we are trying to get out in the first place. Maybe we are afraid of it not sounding good so we try to get it to look better but then we lose the meaning completely. It may be difficult to write without worrying about it not getting done or looking close to perfect but we need to first write out what we want to say as if we are talking with a friend. Just jot some things down first kind of like a pre-draft. Another idea is to start writing a poem or story the way you normally do and if you get stuck then try explaining what you want the reader to know or what you are trying to say. And then, start making it fancy if you like.

The same happens with titles. I find it extremely difficult to write titles in my poems because I'm focusing on what would look good and make the most sense BUT I'm forgetting that I need to remember why I am writing these poems- I am trying to express something meaningful and maybe I need to just get away from the abstract thinking and tell myself what I'm writing about. It helps me to understand what I am reaching for. Titles really are like the extra link of the poem to make it all come together.

It also helps to visualize the story or poem you are writing. In a story, picture yourself in it and ask yourself, what would I do if this actually happened? Then, write what you see and feel. In a poem, live through what you are writing and actually go right along with the feelings an emotions and try to see how you can relate to them. Maybe some images will come up that you can use in your poem- imagery in poems makes it come alive and a reader will be able to connect with what you are writing.

It is good to ask a friend, teacher or family member for their opinion to see what they learned from your work and what they understand from it. If they are confused, maybe it needs clarifying or a stronger focus or image. This may help you think of a title or something else to add into your piece. They can explain your work in a new way in which can give you more ideas.

Write what you see

So Lately, I have been feeling so blocked and every time I try to write something, I'm not into it because nothing comes to me- no thoughts, no inspiration. It is a terrible feeling especially when you need to write something and this time you can't just let the ideas gradually enter your mind. You begin to search for paces to go, looking around for ideas as if they are hiding in corners or on shelves. And then the settling comes. You begin to say, "Well, I'll just write about this then." But when you do that you aren't really interested or fascinated about what you are writing and your body and mind knows this so then they don't feel like helping out either. So now, you stop writing and you're back to figuring out what to do while thinking of all the work you still have along with deadlines, deadlines, deadlines!

It happens to everyone and this is exactly what I have been dealing with the past couple weeks. My best friend reminded me that when you really want something to happen or you're waiting for ideas to come, they usually won't come. This is because we are putting our energy and worry on not getting ideas so how are they supposed to come when we don't think about anything else? It is the pressure and doubt that festers and it is difficult to get back.

So what now? Well, the truth is, I need advice in this department too and sometimes it doesn't hurt to ask others what they think or what they do to escape the dreadful writer's block. Perhaps, other people can offer some suggestions about your own writing.

This is what I did actually. I vented a little bit in my Seminar class last week and I told some of my classmates that I'm stuck and I haven't been writing lately. One girl said that I should try looking at an object and writing about it; just focusing on this object and trying to describe it- how it looks, feels, etc. I thought about it and it is true. This can really help because we aren't focusing on the ideas we don't have- we have one right in front of us. This will present an opportunity to be more creative, exercise our minds to thinking differently without worry and maybe even being a little silly. If you want to use this as one of your poems go ahead, but don't put the pressure that it has to be a certain way. This is a pre-writing, getting out of your block exercise.

This can hold true for really anything we do. Whatever we see or do can be a poem or way for us to get our thoughts centered to see what we would like to write about. Sometimes it is about time and writing many things to see where your thoughts are or what you would like to write about. It's a process after all but once you write something new, it's a wonderful feeling.