Inspiration

[agraceblue]

I try to keep a notebook I record any stray thoughts or lines that occour to me. Of course I rarely have that notebook so it is stuffed full of envelops, napkins, scrap paper, receipts written over, toilet paper and tickets written upon. I read this collection and see if any two lines of thought intersect if they do I go hunting for the other two to form the foundation. I look at the four lines (rattle the knuckle bones) and cast them to see what happens. That is one way. Another is to spend a day actually looking at the world. To this day I find myself looking at something I have passed by humdreds of times and thinking - "I haven't noticed that before" whatever "that" is. Other peoples poetry is a third source as are novels, even newspaper articles. Events that create a strong emotional response in use can make effective poes if we have enough editorial disciple to distance ourselves from them - if not we write great rabble rousing copy but not poetry. A fifth way is to actually get out from behind the picure window of our life and get to know nature and feel the natural rhythm of a life-by-the-seasons- as it were. This works in different dosages for different people. Another way is to join online groups like this one - I had never heard of a Ghazal before and most people I know consider me knowledgeable about poetic form, so I learned something new. That is another way - pick anything you don't know about and then go learn it. Write it. Good hunting. Agraceblue

[Agnes]

[agraceblue]

[Jabberwhacky]

How 'bout you write about cockroaches and I will do a car poem. Deal?

[Jabberwhacky]

Wait a sec, you just posted about cockroaches didn't you? Ptooey!