Yes, friends and neighbors, it's National Poetry Month (here in the United States). But it can be Self-Declared Poetry Month anywhere in the world, as far as I'm concerned.
So, have some poetry. Hope you enjoy
how to be a writer
by: Meg Freemanstep one:
find a tool and surface, make your mark
ink is cheap, but runs. blood lasts longer
skin and paper work equally well, especially when wrinkled
but most important, the marking
remember, you're changing the tool, the surface, yourself
existence
step two:
be unafraid to throw down gauntlets
and stir words
be even more unafraid to pick up gauntlets
and let words stir you
kick, bite, throw your head like an unbroken horse
chomp the bit, throw the rider
be toothless and gentle as an old dog at the bed's foot
sit close when invited, cultivate loyal quietude
break left when the group goes right, find wilderness ways
be always in rebellion
follow beside, keep up, stay with, lock step, get along
be always in harmony
listen to everything, consider all advice, take all comers
keep the doors open
shut out the noise, keep your own counsel close to the chest
shutter the windows, shush the world
stay young and agile and spring-green and newish and unmarked
emerge cocoon-fresh each day
get old while you can, press smiles into the skin of your mouth and eyes
be gray as owls and wintery trees
contradict contradictions, rule rules, catch and release
have everything, have nothing
most importantly: when you see giant footsteps, step up
do not be overwhelmed by the difference in size
step three:
repeat as needed; as possible.
how to be a writer by
Meg Freeman is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at
fiction-theory.livejournal.com.
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