Persistence Pays #ROW80

January 26, 2015 — #ROW80, ancestor, poetry, story

ROW80

I have managed to slip out of my creativity rut, just a bit. I admire the way so many writers in this program work on several books or projects at once. I rarely start a post that I do not finish in a day, so this longer attention span on a written piece is intriguing. I heard an interview on PBS radio with a professor of creative writing. He shall remain nameless, in part because I do not remember his name. He described two distinct ways of working on a story. He starts by just grinding out the words, and later in the day he edits them. He says the later session in which he edits can be relaxing and easy. I see this advice as a basic guide for me to expand my ability to tackle different subjects and new kinds of forms. I not only need to just do it, as they say at Nike.  I also need to just edit it. I have written poetry this week that is not all about soul and butterflies, so that is a start.  I spun a little story into a poem about real life.  This is something I might try with matching prose and poetry posts.  Starting with beheading was just too tricky, but I did relate to my grandmother’s craft work and extreme busy-ness with a short tribute.  I still reserve judgement because I have not been doing this for very long.

Two goals are eluding me, but I think I can find ways to accomplish them.  I want to be loyal to my dream journal by writing before I get out of bed, or even stir.  This worked well for a while, but during the last week my dog, who has end of life issues, needed me to let her out during the night 4 or 5 times, including first thing in the morning.  I can keep a little bit of the memory while I walk down the stairs and give her the relief she needs, but it is difficult.  I have tried to capture specific words and colors from dreams to inspire the poems. I am sad about the kidney failure of my darling dog, so a certain sorrow takes over as soon as I think about how often she needs to go and how much water she is drinking.  She has had a good life, and is not in pain, but this is a shadow covering the early morning dream memory.  Maybe I need to write about my dog.  I have also failed to physically visit the U of A Poetry Center.  I keep planning to dedicate Friday to Venus, to revere all things of beauty and love.  I think sitting around the Poetry Center reading is a total dedication to beauty, but my daily routine has not capitulated enough to allow this to occur.  I will overcome, although maybe not on a Friday.  I know that once I establish a habit, a ritual, I will enjoy it.  I do love the podcasts and the apps that read to me in the comfort of my home, but I believe the pilgrimage to the poets’ place will change my perspective.  I am not taking these failures too much to heart because the whole point was to write poems, and I am doing that.  Onward and upward..

I am chiming in one day later than some because yesterday I made a stunning discovery in my family tree.  I do think that since many of my real family members have been the subjects of fiction and even operas and poems, I should look more closely at making stories based on fact, or even on imagination.  These characters are already alive in my thoughts and dreams and do some predictable stuff.  I enjoy all the time I spend learning about the family facts and the supporting evidence.  I notice that fiction writers develop their characters out of thin air, perhaps with a culture or time in history in mind.  I can start with facts and the skeleton of what is known to  make my stories real. I can also write about my dog and stop whining about my precious dream journal.  Soon enough she will be only in my dreams.  Now is my chance to see her in real life and help her with her dreams.

Artemisia the wonder hound

Artemisia the wonder hound