If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry. ― Emily Dickinson

Today I have a question for all of you poets out there.  I follow quite a few, and am amazed at the quality of your words.

My question: are you a poet in the educated way? I don’t mean did you go to college and MAJOR in poetry, but do you understand the various types of verses — not just the usual free form, ballad, or rhyme, but a tanka, lyric, and haiku?

Or do you just write what you feel and cut it up into short words or stanzas?

I had to look up some of the poetry styles above. Each form has its own rules. That’s the beauty of the outcome. Following the rules makes you understand the difficulty of the style. And from difficulty (usually) comes understanding and appreciation.

I have a computer full of poetry. Yet I’m not comfortable calling myself a poet. When I reread some of them it feels more like the second style — writing what I feel and cutting it up into short words or stanzas.

My second question:  What is your goal when you write a poem?

Is it to vent emotion? Show appreciation of something concrete? To let the ethereal run through you? Is every emotion yours? Or a pretend someone?

A lot of the poets I follow use poetry as a way of keeping a memory alive. Or an occasion. Others’ dark poetry opens a door to their own (possible) darkness. Others sound more like a story in stanza form.  And I am always curious as to what prompted those poems.

I wonder if writing poetry is like writing stories/novels. Most novels are pretend people and pretend situations, yet the emotions of the writer often takes over one of the characters…maybe even two. Novels need to make sense — they need a beginning, middle, and ending.

I see poetry as more of a passing thought.

I ask these questions, not to call you out, but to understand the world of the poet. You should be proud to call yourself a poet, whether you write “by the rules” or not. Whether you’re published or not. Whether you are Poet of the Year or not.

Let me know how a poet thinks!

#wordlessWednesday

It’s Friday Night.

What are you doing? What are you watching?

Friday night is the crash point of anyone who works full time Monday through Friday. Somehow it’s become the psychological barrier between work (madness, determination, exasperation) and freedom (creativity, socialization, family and friends).

We all deal with Friday in our own way. Some go out on the town. Some go to the movies, some to the local bar. Some make a pizza and beer night (I have been known to participate in such). Some just jump into jammies and watch whatever is on TV. Others run to the book they’re reading to catch up on the next chapter.

Does Friday night mean anything to you? Is it a change from one world onto another? Is is psychological change, a metaphysical change? Do you turn from Dr. Jekyll during the day to Galileo during the night? Do you turn from data clerk or accountant to a creative entity worth mentioning?

I always have felt like a different person during the day. Methodical, calculating, creative when I need to be. It’s nothing like my science fiction, cerbrial, not-making-sense sort of person. I always thought I was the same person day in and day out. But the last few years have proven otherwise.

It doesn’t matter what your creative field. Painting, crocheting, writing, calligraphy. Rarely does your day time job allow your muse to come front and center. That’s why it’s always amazing that an accountant becomes a poet. Or a stock trader becomes an internet and Food Network sensation.

We all do what we have to do to make a living. We may be cement contractors during the day — a director or an accounts payable clerk or a cashier

But that is not who we are.

Pay attention to your inner voice. THAT is who you are. Your basic skills may be typing or graphic design but your real self is so much more.

Don’t ignore what your inner voice is saying. If it is screaming to paint a thought or moment on canvas, let it out. If it is telling you there is a poem in your daily grind or in a sunrise, let it out. Life is too short to be limited to one column, one state, one being. You all know what I mean. The way the world rolls, we usually are one singular person during the day and someone totally different afterwards.

Back to the original question — what are you doing this Friday night? Are you vegging, dreaming, writing, painting? Are you watching your favorite TV shows? Science fiction? Reality shows? Game shows? I believe we all are drawn to that secret part of our personality.

Happy  Friday, everyone. Get moving with those dreams!

For those of you brave enough to start New Year’s Resolutions, how are they going? I know its only January 4. But resolutions have been made and broken in less time.

Those of you who read my blabber blog know that I do not make resolutions. Why put all that heart and soul into promises you might not keep?

One of my friends and followers Jane Gealy from The Planet According to Dom commented on my no resolution blog thus: ” I’ve not made a NYR for 30 or more years, but from this point on I will make an exception: to reduce the amount of plastic I buy/use and to be more ‘earth conscious.'” And I replied thus: “It doesn’t have to be “NY resolution” — let it be a lifestyle change! ”

And that got me thinking. Resolutions are made for shorter periods of time. Six months. A Year. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything say they were making resolutions that would last five years.

But I have heard of people making life style changes that lasted five years — or more.

People with diabetes (my husband) or high blood pressure (my friend) have to change their way of life — eating and drinking and exercising — if they want to live. Period. They have to make a lifestyle change. Maybe it’s not eating a hot fudge sundae every day. Maybe it’s learning meditation. Maybe it’s taking a walk after a busy day.

I wanted to lose weight. That was all health-related, of course, but one day I just decided not to eat every treat that was brought into the office. Not to eat potato chips while I watched TV. Not to have cookies and ice cream before bed. I might have “resolved” to change my eating habits, but I didn’t NYEve them. It was a day to day thing.

Of course, I’m 65 and have this thing about premature death. I believe I should live until at least 96. The thought of not growing up with my grandkids kicks me in the chest harder than any football tackle. So one step at a time I’m doing something about it.

Another source of stress is my daily job. It’s not what it used to be, and I’m ready to retire. But I need to get my finances in shape first. So I don’t have a NYEve resolution to retire in a year — I have a lifestyle goal.

Your lifestyle goal can work for anything. You want to get published? Put it on the lifestyle list. Want to move to a different neighborhood? Visit Paris? Be able to jog around the block? New job? Don’t resolve to do it — just work every day towards those goals.

Jane hit it on the head when she said: “I will make an exception: to reduce the amount of plastic I buy/use and to be more ‘earth conscious.” To be more of something. More aware. More active. More inquisitive.

Anybody can make a conscientious effort to change their life. Don’t draw the line in the sand and say all or nothing. Do what you want to do — need to do — one day at a time.

You’ll be surprised how far you will go in a year.

#WordlessWednesday