A few months ago I discovered a local writing group. I’m not crazy about writing fiction, but I’ve recently started writing poetry. I’ve also never had the chance to write or critique outside of academia. I’ve been to three sessions so far and it’s been an amazing experience talking and listening to a diverse group of writers.
Senior year I took a poetry class and it opened up my eyes to a completely different style of writing and mentality for how to perceive situations in life. I always thought poetry had to be a structured piece with words strategically put together. I just couldn’t grasp it, but I also never tried.
I wrote my first poem after leaving a funeral. I posted it here about a year ago. It didn’t look like how a poem is usually structured. It was mores so a flow of thoughts. At the time, I felt feelings that were overwhelming and on the car ride home, I couldn’t think about my anger anymore. I replayed the situation I was in over and over again, but I just described it in detail. I was chewing gum, stride gum, but I wasn’t allowed to because I had braces. There were layers to each word and every sentence folded into each other from out of my mind.
Since then, I plan to get to 100 poems and publish my second book. I’ve also started reading work by notable authors like Charles Bukowski, R.M. Drake and Rupi Kaur. I’ve found an appealing style just as I would for a genre of fiction.
But, as with any writer, there never seems to be a good time to find the time to sit down and write. The first prompt at the first writing group session I went to was “What what you write about if you had nothing else to do in life but write?” Almost every single person talked about all the things they would do before they took the time to write: i.e. construct a cabin in a forest to have a quiet place to write, find a desolate spot in the house, etc. There’s never a right time.
I decided to take to technology and use my notes app to write on the go. I’ve learned that with poetry, it can’t be forced. Emotions streamline the entire thought process. In the past I’ve found various subliminal drunk messages hidden in my notes and there’s never a better time to write than after a few drinks.
After joining the writing group, I found that other people do the same thing. They also tend to have the same inspiration as I do behind the craft. One individual keeps a tiny hand held notebook in his pocket at all times. The unfortunate part about using my phone to write is that it’s difficult to put pen to paper anymore. The only time I have to is when interviewing someone and its shorthand. It’s definitely less traditional and maybe it takes something out of the experience of creating a piece of writing. Painters certainly don’t create masterpieces on a screen, however, its convenient and makes the words more authentic, at least I think.
That being said, I’m at 62 poems in a year and a half. Some are ridiculous and others will need lots of editing before publication, but in every one there’s a story, a moment and an experience.
#27
how crazy to think
people impact each other,
in ways that are memorable.
when we’re about to sink
positivity reins,
vocal cues and physical comfort.
never hard to link
the connection.
it requires no effort.
ample time, we wished would go by,
now at the end, moving forward
flashing back.
More drinks,
can’t count,
the stars at daylight.
confusing shadows,
we forget.
reliving alter egos,
on the net.
ror now,
we live,
for us, today.
-MCM