Finding a Voice

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

poem initiated

Caring
November 22, 2005

Silence
after sharing
and, having shared,
I hold my breath.

Silence –
you unnerved,
unnerving me.
I hold my breath.

Silence –
do you care?
You’re avoiding
being careless.

Release my breath.


Margaret Avison, Writing Philosophy
(NOT Prescriptive) Initiate a poem only under compulsion. Hear the meaning, writing with a fix on the focus. Monitor the voice of the piece. If the focus lingers, overnight e.g., add or cut to clarify or simplify or complete the statement of the focus. After time has elapsed, reread rigorously, and revise--learned late from not doing it enough.
posted by Colleen McCubbin at 5:08 PM

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