I’m not really here right now, but I wanted to be so I could maintain a 30-day streak and I’m getting close.
Sharing an interview I did in 2017 with one of the writers I follow who’s taught me some lessons about writing and relaxing the inner critic (that person in parentheses who snoops around your dining room looking for dust).
Here’s an excerpt from the interview with Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer at A Hundred Falling Veils.
I used to not want to write a poem unless I knew that it would be good. And sometimes that meant that I would go months without writing a poem. But if you are writing every day, then you know there is no way you will write a masterpiece every day. Basically, it allows your inner critic to relax. On the other hand, if you write every day, your chances of writing a good poem go waaaaaaay up. If you sit in the aviary long enough, sooner or later a bird will land on your head. I think Billy Collins said that.
Check out the interview and her blog, and don’t forget to look out the window.
Bill Pearse 
♥️♥️♥️♥️
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Thank you for this! That’s four of a kind, or a royal flush! Peace out my friend!
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Mmmm! I need to move my workstation nearer a window (something I’ve toyed with many odd moments) but for right now I’ve been browsing the “window” of my poetry keepers … when I read something that really resonates, I snag a copy. I snagged your Rosemerry interview back in 2017! (I’d been following her since 2015.) I snagged my first Pinklightsabre poem “Near To Fall” in 2018. Not sure when I found your blog – maybe from the Rosemerry interview? The WordPress web is a window – lots to see given gazing time.
All of which is to say I enjoyed reading this post (and rereading the interview with Rosemerry). I’ve considered several years doing the poem-a-day in April thing – and finally this past April I did it. I wrote a poem to/for my son every day. I ended up with 32 in 30 days. None “finished” or necessarily ever going to be shared. But now rereading Rosemerry’s perspectives I nod YES, daily practice keeps the gears running smoothly. Hats off to you for tackling such. And thanks for stirring my thoughts.
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That’s amaze-balls Jazz! How cool, I had no idea…I often write stuff and never, literally ever, go back and read it. So that’s cool, I hadn’t realized you’d read that post from four years back, wow! And I like your notion of windows like that, the virtual kind, that’s cool. Hope you’re having a good weekend. Was offline a couple days and it’s nice and refreshing to actually be back on, connecting with friends here too. Be well!
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A very important tip for writing skill development. Thanks for sharing.
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Who knew that I would find one of those sneaky near invisible male tears in my eye so soon after I woke.
Thanks.
(Is that odd to say thanks for a tear?)
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Tears are just fine by me David. Very fine indeed, pleased I could evoke!
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It’s a great interview, Bill, and Rosemerry’s generosity of sprit and the wisdom of her comments are obvious. That test/ path metaphor resonated with me and I wish I was 35 years younger when I came across it!. But nevertheless I’ll be sharing those ‘tips’ with my son, Charlie (29), who has done lots of writing (in a Rap style that I reckon is witty and meaningful) but he is too scared to publish. Those tips ought to make up for the shortcomings of my ‘The Seven Deadly* Habits of Poetic People’ lecture.
Thanks again,
DD
* ‘Deadly’ has a culturally significant and ironic meaning in Australia.
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Thanks for sharing this David and so glad you read that and took something from it! Cool that it might cascade down to Charlie too, love the rap style thing…must be super fun for him to do that. Blessed by creative forces, are we! Joy to you, as Rosemerry said.
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For some reason I thought of you when I read Joseph Campbell, reflections on art of living and saw this, that somehow seems to suit the bird on the head–
“Vegetarianism is the first turning away from life, because life lives on lives. Vegetarians are just eating something that can’t run away.”
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Ha ha! Look at that quote! How funny. Just got back from the Washington coast Kim, my favorite camping spot — where a river comes off a glacier right smack into the sea, and there’s a graveyard of driftwood, trees, rocks, eagles common as gulls! Was out there solo one night with the frog song downwind from a whale carcass. Wow…a scent I really can’t describe but I’m going to try to here. 🙂 hope you’re well and happy weekend to you, thanks for thinking of me and sharing this!
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Maybe I wasn’t paying attention earlier in the month, but I hadn’t realized you were pushing for a 30 day streak. Kind of makes sense, as I was previously looking down the Bill well for some time and seeing infrequent droplets. Of course, I stick my head over that well one more time and am flooded (or waterboarded?). Thank you for all that your create. I do agree that daily expression can produce little to nothing but can also produce the inverse of that. Some of my favorite musicians pushed the selves to write every day, and it only makes them and their work better. Keep it up friend!
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Hey you old scoundrel…I’m going to darken your doorway soon, or you’ll darken mine, or Brad’s. Looking forward to that, and picking up this thread live! Thank you for being there and listening into the conch shells with me…
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Enjoyed and learned.
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Hi Keshav and thanks for reading! Was happy you were able to read this and thank you for letting me know! I hope you are doing okay and your family and loved ones are well. Best to you, Bill
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