“Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.” ― Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own
Dear you,
What a good thing writing is! Whether writing journals, novels, short stories or poetry ( or articles!) there is something quite magical about pouring your heart, your guts in each of your words. Writing is for me the quintessence of connection, it is as though you create a link, an invisible link between your soul and the readers.
Today I want to talk about writing poetry and why I think we should let the "poetry rules " behind us for a second and why you are a writer, a poet and not a writer wannabe or a poet wannabe.
𝓁𝒶𝓉𝑒𝓈𝓉 𝓅𝑜𝑒𝓂:
I heard the song of the beach
sweet nights and cold sun
whispering through my ears
this good old story
of a sailor falling for a lighthouse
And I heard the song of the beach
For I was myself becoming
the quintessence of the feeling
a lost sailor who fell
For a red light kissing the sand
and my fingers whispered to the sea
the song of the meeting
And I couldn't breathe
For when I heard the song of the beach
I saw the lighthouse
and I smiled
For when I finally heard the song of the beach
Like a sailor I fell
For your red light
And you smiled
For you heard the song too.
I heard the song of the beach - an original poem
Let's be real for a second about writing poetry and the whole creative process which surrounds it.
Inspiration is a tricky thing
It took me two and a half months to find inspiration again to write, especially poetry. I had not written any poem since I left the South of France at the end of August. The thing is, I am mostly inspired by nature and the uniqueness and authenticity I find in the ocean for instance. So coming back home was for my writing like a fall in the hole of lack of inspiration.
The writing process of poetry isn't like the process of writing an article. If inspiration doesn't come you can not write. Personally, I need to find those little moments when sitting in front of a lighthouse, for instance, listening to that one song, I have the first words of a poem coming to my mind, to be able to actually write the entire poem. On the other hand, some people can take a theme a build a whole poem around it, which I envy because If I could, I would.
Forget about the rules, feel the words
Being French, I have read and fell in love with poetry. Poetry holds a very important place in French Literary works yet we are not here to discuss French poetry... ( let me know by sending me a message if You'll be interested in reading an article about French poetry)
There is a whole structure depending on the Artistic movement and rules on how to write poetry but... You know what? Let's forget about them for a second. What's poetry if the pure expression of one's soul and experience?
sounds are important in words
If I had to give you a point which is very useful when writing poetry is that sounds are important. No matter how you put them because in the end, you are free to write however you want, the sounds in words are what resonates with us and give this melody to your poem!
find your mark, that one thing which will make people say '' that's his/her poem"
For this one, I cannot tell you what's going to best suit your writing, all I can say is that it took me a lot of time and practice to find my marks in poetry. I love the repetition of that one phrase at the beginning which gives this continuity in my poem, stages in the story I want to tell through my poem. It is my mark, my way of expressing the story, my way of putting words together to transform words together into my poetry.
Give yourself some time, write and write and write, there isn't any other way to find your own writing. I sincerely believe in you.
find your source of inspiration
This goes with finding your mark. There is something quite magical about finding this neverending source of inspiration, whether it's a lover, the woods, the inner city, yourself, when you find that source of inspiration, your poetry will flourish into this magnificent work of Art.
why diminish yourself by saying " writer wannabe"?
Do you write? Do you enjoy writing? Does writing make you feel alive? Then you are a writer, not a wannabe writer. You don't need to diminish yourself by saying and thinking that because the mindset is everything and once you believe in yourself, you will flourish into the writer you already are!
Believe in yourself as I already believe in you and your writing skills. We Heart It is a great platform to practice and just be the writer you are!
Thank you all for reading, it means the world to me!
If you liked this article, don't forget to check out some of my poems:
and my Article collection:
With All my Love,
B.
This article was written by @iheardcrickets on the We Heart It Writers Team.
