Ever felt like this?

[Leanne]

God knows why you swore off writing, its like saying "Today from hence forth, I will no longer poop".  Now you are constipated.  Have a big stinky one and then you're cleared out.

More like "henceforth I will no longer masturbate" Newbies are more than welcome to offer input, especially when it's clear they're in the right place.

Stop whining and write a bloody poem.
From Tom the Pom (Hell, your moaning monologue was poetry in itself. Just punctuate it to perfection,  chop it up in to bizarre enjambments, centre justify it and post in Serious. Of course, there is always the possibility you have suffered a micro-stroke, Can you stick your finger up your bum and whistle "Dixie"? In tune, that is )

If I stick my finger up your bum, how good will your attempt be?

But the struggle always pays off, because the struggle is the only thing that's real. Most more practical things than writing poems and stories and all the experiences that go into working on these things aren't worth the time and effort.

I have never been a fan of the practical... I've often been criticised for a lack of emotion in my writing and I suspect that's part of why I feel my voice is lost. Also, maybe it's that it takes me less time to write a poem now, so I'm not appreciating the effort. I barely raise a sweat

Hey, Leanne, I can't quite put myself in your place because I think art for me comes after the processing. It is more my way of grabbing private time when I am fully enveloped in my own thoughts as in Leave me alone, I'm concentrating on this, not the rest of you.

I haven't been finishing anything lately, edits go unposted, each occasional new piece temporarily abandoned. I've been reading fiction more, which is nice, and I bought a new iron and have filled my head with quilting patterns but haven't picked up a needle yet.

I don't stress about it, I know something will start up. I'm looking forward to NaPM, writing bad poems sometimes leads to a good one.

Aaargh, the idea of poems not finished is physically painful to me! I don't get OCD over housework or keeping my desk neat (to the chagrin of many), but leaving words half-punctuated and hanging over an abyss -- that's a horrible thought. I envy you this ability.

Don't worry - your next poem is an arrow. You are drawing it back on the string of your bow.

Thanks Grace

Yes, I feel this way off and on. I was reading, Best Words, Best Order by Stephen Dobyns, and he framed writing poetry and fiction in a way I hadn't considered. Paraphrasing (and probably going too high level to give his position any justice): If he hates people and the world he can write fiction but not poetry. He needs to at least love others or their plight to write good poetry. I don't think that has anything to do with the content of the poetry (which can be all over the emotional spectrum and the content can be biting) just the impetus to write in the first place.

I go through what your talking about each year at some point. The reason differs: life's demands, skill deficit, not inspired, inability to get the right level of distance, or a variety of who knows why reasons. There are times, I feel like I can write anything and other times that I can't make anything come together. I've been more in that latter camp at the moment, but it always comes back.[/font][/color]

Oddly enough, I've always written my funniest stuff when I'm most miserable and hating everyone. When I'm content, I can't write for shit. I suspect that's not because poets aren't supposed to be happy, but because that contentment is a veneer through which poetry has no wish to seep. I am not content to be content...

It's like quitting smoking, the first 2 months are the hardest.

I never started smoking, but you know, some times a cigar is just a cigar.