Category Archives: Writing

Don’t Read Poetry, by Stephanie Burt

Posted on December 29, 2019 by Jeff

Back in the 80s, I lived and worked for a month outside London. Weekends and a few week nights I’d ride the train into Waterloo Station, hop on the Underground, ride part way, then walk the rest to a museum, … Continue reading →

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Agenda

Posted on November 9, 2019 by Jeff

As my practice deepens, my agenda deepens with it. What I do and what is off the table is key. For rank and file cloistered monastics this is not a question. A higher-up or the tradition decides when they rise, … Continue reading →

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Rituals

Posted on October 10, 2019 by Jeff

Most creatives have rituals to get them started. Steven Pressfield blogs on the writng process. He writes fiction and creative fiction, but most of his advice applies to any creative endeavor. His latest, “Get Up! Begin Your Day!”, details his … Continue reading →

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Beauty Every Day

Posted on October 9, 2019 by Jeff

My chiropractor recommended I look at something beautiful every day to get me out of my (rational) head more. I’ve been using the Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) for several years. A recent post on Brain Pickings, The Stunning … Continue reading →

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Misheard and Misread

Posted on September 27, 2019 by Jeff

Mishearing as a creative act lays out the case for misinterpretations of other people’s words/lyrics/statements as potential sparks for new creative works. I’ve several poems in progress like that: I knew my wife said, “You can’t lead where you haven’t … Continue reading →

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Going to Work

Posted on September 11, 2019 by Jeff

This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal. … Continue reading →

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Poetry and Politics

Posted on August 31, 2019 by Jeff

Poetry has always had a connection to politics. Much of the Hebrew prophets are recorded in poetry. In an interview with poet Michael Astrue, politically conservative, who goes by the pen name “A.M. Juster” he cites “For the Student Strikers” … Continue reading →

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Original vs. Unique

Posted on August 21, 2019 by Jeff

Annie Neugebauer does such a wonderful job of explaining the difference between original and unique, I’m going to just link to her post of the same name, Original vs. Unique. They are not the same and the distinction is important … Continue reading →

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Level of Difficulty

Posted on May 16, 2019 by Jeff

Poetry contest winners are frequently about violent, traumatic, scary circumstances. I could imagine or make up such, but the result probably wouldn’t ring true. Why spend time and money pursuing something that’s unlikely? My wife and I recently sponsored a … Continue reading →

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LeGuin on Dystopia

Posted on March 19, 2019 by Jeff

Earlier I wrote about several of Ursula K. LeGuin’s books in Dystopias with Light Visible. In Words Are My Matter (an excellent collection of her essays about writing, book reviews, etc.) she says: Dystopia is by its nature a dreary, … Continue reading →

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