Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The Poetry Conveyor Belt



I'm amazed at the rate some people can turn out poems on various social media sites.  I even posted the following on my Twitter this morning: "Some people are conveyor belts of poetry.  I'm more like Lucy at the chocolate factory and I'm ok with that." 

Wrapped chocolates are the finished poems.  They come down my Twitter stream quite rapidly.  I admire the dedication these writers have to their craft.  I do try to write every day, but I can't say I have a wrapped chocolate ready for the eating at the end of each day.  Like Lucy, I tend to go at my own pace, eat a piece of chocolate yet to be wrapped here and there either by placing a poem in my "waiting-to'happen" pile or by chunking it all together (which I try very hard not to do in a fleeting wave of frustration) and continue with my work.  Sometimes, the chocolates I'm wrapping aren't my poems at all but those of others, and I like to stuff them in my shirt and sometimes even my hat for the reading.  The poems I'm reading and writing will all get wrapped eventually, and I may consume one too many calories, but I'm happy with this pace.  Chocolate is to be eaten and enjoyed, and I'm trying to delight in every bit of the process!

How often do you write a "finished" poem? 

Happy wrapping!  Andrea

P.S.  A little over a week and a half left for the book giveaway contest.  See details on how to win your own copy of The Memory of Water by Jack Myers by clicking here:  I want this book!

5 comments:

  1. I don't "finish" poems as often as I like. It bothers me, but even when I write on a regular basis, they don't come any faster. The finished poems come at there own pace.

    *sigh*

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  2. I agree with you. I have a pile of poems I don't consider finished, and a couple of them have been in there for years. When it comes to my writing and a lot of things in life, I try to "practice being present with what is."

    Looking forward to reading more of your poems!

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  3. It's tricky---I do write every day, and post every day, but I'm not always in love with what I share. It's doubly tricky because I change my mind about what I've written (as does everyone, I think!).

    At some point, I'll definitely experiment with writing poems over longer periods of time (maybe work on one for a week, or a month?). Although I tend to overwork my writing if I take too much time....

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  4. I enjoy your poetry, so keep sharing! A lot of people write every day, and I think that is a great habit to cultivate. I don't share my poetry as often, so I guess it is up to the individual and what they are comfortable with.

    Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and for the time you took to comment as well. :)

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