Portrait of Clara (as a chemist)
3 weeks ago
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Once the spigot opens....
I am on record in various places (including here) noting that, for me, writing poetry and writing critical prose are not distinct activities, but rather the same activity expressed in two formally different modes. So it shouldn't be a surprise that, in the last couple of weeks, as I've been able to focus on the scholarly stuff full-bore, the poetry-production side of things so long dormant (put to sleep, no doubt, by class prep and all those bad student poems I have to respond to) is roused as by a jacked-up rooster. I've finished 3 very, very slowly percolating poems in the last two weeks, which for me is an astonishing rate of composition. I'm spending all of every day my kids aren't with me thinking about how language works. It's only natural that I should, you know, think about how language works, even when the computer is turned off for the day.
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3 comments:
Hi there. I'm a new reader, but I'm just telling you I'm going to be back! In two posts, you've hit on two things I want to read about: writing a scholarly book and writing poetry. Do write more! Please!
You say that poetry and scholarly work are related to you. So interesting because I find that for me they are different orientations -- the analytical self who labors over scholarly ideas and prose can't seem to loosen up enough to play with language and try things out poetically. You know something I don't -- or you approach something differently and more productively than I do. I'm going to keep reading to find out. I would love to figure out how to fit poetry into my life. Of course, if I want tenure I better also think about how to better fit scholarship into my life!
Looking forward to more!
I agree, RG. Although on different sides of the spectrum in a way, I also find that the more I write in one mode, the more the other activates somehow.
Something to do with honoring voice, maybe? Or having the time away from the distractions you mention?
Thanks, EE, and glad to have you drop by. In fact, I was thinking of posting today an apology for how this blog seems to be becoming, for the time being, a self-debrief after a day of writing--the academic version of vacation slides. But this kind of self-reflection is useful for me, if only because I can sort out where I am and what's happening in the process, so I guess I'll keep at it.
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