Reflecting |
Having to think through the latest stage of my journey through poetry. The
grant hasn’t come off (good on those who were luckier) and the juggle is too
much (the balls are crashing down – lucky it’s not chainsaws and cats). How
much more can I adapt to fit creativity into circumstances!
I have already adapted by writing mainly micro poetry for about six
years. By the beginning of this year I had outgrown the small but often just as
challenging micro poem. I was needing the scope of more average size and longer
poems and the elbow room of prose poetry again.
Result: yet more micro poems early in the year (see Hospital Poem in the
cloud menu) and, resisting the micro poem from then on only two prose poems
since. I am spittin.
I am eager to grow as a poet. I want to write consistently and well
about themes of interest to me. I want to develop those interests through
poetry (next year’s plan … if only). I am desperate to experiment.
Do I have to ask myself what’s really going on. How much is it about the
re/direction I thought I was naturally bending towards? How much is it about making
a mark, how to get another book out or how to scoop an elusive prize (y’know -
for the dolleroos not to mention the invitations)?
The micro poems were a return to my early days of writing. Although
pushed into it, for a great time I loved being back in that space. Getting two
collections of wee poems published by PressPress (and another pending) was a
bonus.
What else belongs to that time … Trying different things. Learning. Focusing
on having poems published rather than being too bedazzled by big prizes (they
are tantalising though aren’t they). Above all, just writing.
Thanks to a recent chain of events that I won’t go into here I met a particular
Indian man who, after I mentioned the Kolkata/Calcutta Book Fair,
gave me a link to an article by Eric Weiner titled ‘India’s chaotic lesson in
letting go.’ I will paraphrase him paraphrasing Lord Krishna: Give 100 per cent
to the job at hand and zero per cent to the outcome – have no expectations.
So back to that time. Writing without expectations. Any thing, any how.
Somehow.
Watch this space.
© Lizz Murphy
Ref: ‘India’s chaotic lesson in letting go’ is published in the Travel
section of bbc.com on September 15, 2015.
And now I've found the full url: http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20150901-indias-chaotic-lesson-in-letting-go
For the record: I write for myself, I write the poem. The other stuff is just a wrestle that happens somewhere in my head from time to time.
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