Shoot. I’m in poetry mode and can’t find the off switch. Not good, mind you. But in keeping with my prolificality:
We dress ourselves
in mystery
accessorize
with poetry
and beg the world
disrobe our being
to reveal
our naked self.
(I suspect the influence of the old Edgar Guest rhymes creeping in.)
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology
I’m not sure why you’d want it to stop unless this poetic journey is distracting you from other, more pressing needs? For me, the love of words defies the form. Sometimes I’m in love with fiction, then jump to essay and other items poetry. I suppose as long as there’s enjoyment to be found what does it matter? The only sticky part being, that if you’re goal is to be “successful” or make money in one of these writing forms, jumping around probably isn’t benefical. But as a reader of your blog, I liked the change up – it’s interesting to see the various journies that everyone takes to finding themselves. As a writer of poetry, I enjoyed and appreciated reading some of yours.
Lauren, I see it as a cop-out right now; a diversion from the necessary work of editing and revising some of my short fiction.
I am embarrassed by my poetry, and yet willing to throw it up here for public view, and that bothers me. While I can see it as a good practice, I understand that while I might have caught on to certain of its concepts, I am hopelessly unable or unwilling to put the effort into it. By the same token, is my stalling on the fiction being done with this in mind as well? I’m beginning to wonder if any talent I possess does not rather gear itself naturally and more comfortably to this journal style of writing. And yes, my goal is to be published–the money incentive isn’t there, but the desire to gain acceptance by having someone both willing to pay to publish and pay to read my words would, I’m sure, be an ultimate sign of validation. And while writing for my own pleasure is something I have and can always do, at some point you must consider whether it is a waste of time when you can be more productive with something you can share with other people.