Who's Good At Poetry?

[anni]

Holy crap. That's genuine, if rather an unlovely way to say what a good bit of writing!!!!! I hate to attach the word 'pretty' to something of depth but it's that, also.

 

[Deleted member 5760]

Awww thanks anni. But do you ever find with painting that you can't force it? I'm definitely like that. Like if I wake up and I say 'ok, today I am going to write 3 songs' I wont write any. I'll just sit there and be like 'oooooh, perhaps I could do the washing... again'. Everything else gets done when you force it. Most of the time I'll write really early straight after I wake up. Or really late at night when my mind's starting to wander.

I'm also really thankful for it because if I couldn't do it I think my self esteem would be well below zero because I'd wonder what on earth I can do with the rest of my life. Being a writer allows PTSD to be a little more manageable I think - because it's something you can do in your own space. I tell myself often 'oh well, at least I've still got that'. Which is my greatest love anyway.

 

[anni]

'Oh well at least I've got that'. Yes. Frequently. Funny, isn't it? Oh my, no you just can't force this stuff. Some of my work IS mindlessly simple, so if I have to finish something for a client and am just not into that zone, it's do-able, but if I had to sit down and creat it from scratch? No! Funny too- mornings are wonderful to invent things- like the head just goes there without any help. I'm useless at night- ridiculously so!

That really is a very lovely bit of work, there! Somewhere is a thread we should dig up again, with various art in it. It belongs there. too! I think maybe it was one of James? Can't remember. I suck at finding old threads. :)

 

[Deleted member 5760]

Anni I know the thread you mean. You are spot on about forcing. It's like it causes some kind of blockage in creativity. There is this TED talk by Elizabeth Gilbert (wrote Eat, Pray, Love). She's talking about writing but I think a lot of artists are the same no matter the medium. I really think you'd enjoy it. In fact the first time someone called me an artist I was like 'huh? But I can't paint'. I didn't realise I was painting - I was just using words instead of colours/brush strokes/tiles.

Here is the talk - I've got it bookmarked.

[DLMURL]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86x-u-tz0MA[/DLMURL]

You'll have to cut and paste into a browser I'm afraid - my connection times out before I can add the link as media. Either that or I'm just doing something wrong (if so, apologies).

 

[Deleted member 5760]

Oooooh, it worked as a link :) *slaps head* ...This computer stuff has a magnificent way of making me feel stupid :oops:

 

[anni]

HA!! Preaching to the choir there- I grew up way too late to be good at this comp stuff, but that's just my excuse. My husband's older than me and he's IT so..... yea. My TWELVE year old fixes crap for me.

Yes, that's the thing- I'm not being stupidly complimentary, you'd be an artist- writers evoke emotion in exactly the same way as paint/canvas folks, it's just kind of pre-translated, for what that observation's worth. There was another thread recently where this was a little bit discussed, as in please writers, use your powers for GOOD. :) You know, dreary literature and poems, etc. Shakesphere got brought up ( Hi Ayesha! :) ) Just artists having the ability, whatever the medium, to evoke emotion. I kind of thought everyone clumped you writer types in with artists, but of course, do they WANT to hang around in that club? Hee- it's poorly paid, plus, there are musicians in here, too. We get rowdy. :)

I'll wander over to U Tube when everyone is awake, and the resultant noise will do no harm here. It's just me and the dog at the moment, although have bored him with my monologue.

 

[shadowchaser]

I am able to when the mood hits.

 

[shadowchaser]

Untitled spur of the moment work

For all your grace
You've fallen now
Left the stage
Your final bow

Like a rose
Your petals fall
Softly to white linen
Count them all

One by none
Gone in the breeze
Do as you like
Do as you please

The world is yours
To have and to hold
Shout to the wind
now let's make it bold

They took it all
The innocence, the trust
But remember one thing
And this is a must

You are still here
For the world to see
One thing they can't have
They'll never take me



It's intended to be a mix of my past and my beliefs. Saying that yes this happened but it won't make me give up. Either that or its the insomnia talking.

 

[Deleted member 5760]

shadowchaser - Ooh I love a good off the cuff freestyle

For all your grace - Through time and space
You've fallen now- You’re tumbling wow
Left the stage – Out of the cage
Your final bow - Recovery’s how

Like a rose - From a dim to a glow
Your petals fall - To the crowd’s loving call
Softly to white linen - No longer hidden
Count them all - Never again to fall

One by none - The pain is done
Gone in the breeze - Lifted with ease
Do as you like - Handed the mic
Do as you please - You’ll do it with ease

The world is yours - Destiny calls
To have and to hold - It’s your’s to mould
Shout to the wind - A new way to begin
now let's make it bold - To have and to hold

They took it all - Gone with the crawl
The innocence, the trust - Walking is a must
But remember one thing - You’re queen and you’re king
And this is a must – In yourself you shall trust

You are still here – All of it now, so very clear
For the world to see – Let it go and just BE
One thing they can't have – Of that I’m so glad
They'll never take me – You can BET, watch and see

 

[shadowchaser]

Cool beans

 

[Deleted member 5760]

I kind of thought everyone clumped you writer types in with artists, but of course, do they WANT to hang around in that club? Hee- it's poorly paid, plus, there are musicians in here, too. We get rowdy. :)

Yeah I always say writing picked me, and not the other way around. I was in my third year of law school when it grabbed me and refused to ever let me go. I was at a dance party with several friends, and I had been looking forward to this party for so long. I paid $60 for the ticket. I know this might not sound like much, but to a law student who is wearing worn jeans and packing grocery shelves to pay for textbooks - $60 was a huge investment for something that was 'just a night of fun'. I got there and about an hour later this thing came over me. I cannot explain what it was. But I had to leave straight away. My friends were like 'huh?'. And my best friend at the time was like 'Jen, you ok? You really don't seem with it'.

I got in my car, I drove home and I sat at my desk with this thing without a name hanging around me. Finally, I asked it in my head 'ok, so you dragged me all the way home from a party I've been looking forward to for 6 solid weeks. This better be good. Now what do you want?'

'Write a movie', was it's reply.

3 days later I'd written my first screenplay. I'd never ever once in my life contemplated screenwriting. I didn't even know how to do it. I downloaded and printed out the screenplay for a film I was very familiar with and read it, observing how the script had been translated onto the screen ( that V.O. meant 'voiceover', etc). This nameless thing would not leave my room until I was done.

I had never felt more alive in my entire life. I knew right then and there that law could go and find someone else to bother (though I did finish law school because I'd invested so much time and money into the degree it seemed really unwise to not finish) and that writing could most certainly stick around. I suppose that's how I can say 'it picked me'. It's fantastic to be able to talk with other artists who have met that thing and understand why it makes for such amazing company that you'd never ever tell it that it is not welcome in your space. Awesome Anni!

 

[anni]

It takes a lot to say that publically. I hovered, when I joined here, over 'occupation'. If you SAY 'professional artist'. well, you better have the stuffing to back it up, you know? I am, in point of fact, but truly, truly, it's just plain NOT some big studio, with employees, phones ringing off the hook, gallery appreances and press coverage. My work is very simple, fun little 'neo-folk' ( ok that WAS from a press blurb, it's just a good description ) stuff, encompassing a wide range of 'Oh, look Henry, wouldn't that look cute in the bedroom?' things. The box you click when you join here doesn't include the disclaimer..... :). It's all just me, ticking over here and there, selling bits purely on reputation and commissions. Not a lot, and seriously- nothing which will ever end up bringing tears to the eyes of a wall street agent. So- 'professional artist' gives me the willies, but I AM, so did put it down. It's also a thing I met, as you say- and you just plain cannot get away from it- you cannot. I'm LUCKY in that the I was able to torque it into something which brought in the $. Hee- yours could bring in the $$$$$, although no- it's not the intent always- it's helpful since then you can spend time doing MORE! I started because I was a single Mom, with a child with asthma. I lost 2 jobs because of employers who objected to me leaving work to meet my son at the hospital.I was also having to go to court frequently at the time for other things- equal lack of lee-way there. The only answer was to work for myself. I took ANYTHINGGGG. Cleaned, cooked meals for old people, walked dogs, painted, hung wallpaper, then started selling some pots I'd thrown in college- like you sell your old jewelry when desperate. ( I'd already done that ). They sold well, so found a place, took the kids at night, made more- sold them, too. Meanwhile found hanging wall-paper, decorating to be lucratice, someone wished to know 'Did I know anyone who could paint a mural in thier baby's room?'. Hee. Well as a matter of fact, yes, yes I did.The murals and pots got to be the main thing, then got to concentrate on allll art slowly-working for myself. All because some *sswipe beat me up and left me with a ton of bills and children to take care of, and more *sswipes disallowed me from even doing that properly.

Honestly? I'm picking my wotds carfully- do not wish to seem disengenious ( which I can't since am not spelling it properly ) but think you're several light years ahead of me on 'getting there' since you were able to recognize the things when it tapped you on the shoulder and said 'Um, NOW'. I liked art, did it all my life, went to 'art school' briefly before switching majors ( hated commercial art ) but failed to recognize I pretty much HADDD to do it. :)

Just please come back here and preview the trailers for that movie, ok? :) I kind of feel it to be inevitable....