dVerse~ Poets Pub OpenLinkNight #196
Can’t Write Scared
At university
the stoned poet said
“you can’t write scared”–
I continued
each word precisely penned
attuned to imaginary readers
whose lips curled derisively
on occasional lapses
of censorship.
I was an egg
concealed in a flimsy shell
like another half-dozen
cosseted caricatures
playing writer
spinning trite phrases
of sweet sounding words
imaginings of pink packaged
saccharine sentiment
but then I succumbed
to non-consumption.
∼∼∼∼∼
On rebirth I cried
“you can’t write scared”
and I didn’t, for a while
developed succinct style
of hewn craft on drafts
pinched words like pennies
wanted bennies, not
in my twenties anymore.
Fear pervades the core
bores into the brain
insane unremarkable drivel
pours through pores
I wrote scared
but scarred surfaces
surge upward
like polished wood
trampled on daily
til frailty exists no more.
5/18/2017
Sascha Darlington
(oops. I had farce in there, but deleted it.)
Interesting poem. I think many writers have gone through this as well.
Thank you. I bet most of them don’t have to keep reminding themselves to just jump in and take the risk though…as I do. I appreciate your reading! 🙂
I love the sentiment of not writing scared, and the connection to scars.. maybe we need those to know.
I find that even though there are scars that it is sometimes hard to remember to write unafraid. Thank you for reading, Bjorn. I very much appreciate your commetns. 🙂
Never listen to stoned poets! I love the lines:
‘I was an egg
concealed in a flimsy shell
like another half-dozen
cosseted caricatures
playing writer
spinning trite phrases
of sweet sounding words’
and
‘developed succinct style
of hewn craft on drafts
pinched words like pennies’.
Thank you so much! I appreciate your comments. 🙂
Nicely done tribute to the person who encouraged “not writing scared”…
Thank you. 🙂
Good word, everyone writes scared. Maybe the scarring allows you to shut out the voices and just write, interesting
Thank you. I appreciate your comment. I do feel like there are writers who write with abandon, but I could be wrong. Maybe it’s a level of self-censorship.
Very inspiring and vital reminder! Gave me chills
Thank you. 🙂 I appreciate your comment!
I used to be very self-conscious of my writing. I can relate to this poem because I have gotten less scared, less frail, over time.
I think it’s a good thing. I have to keep reminding myself to take risks and what have I got to lose?
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Of course you can write scared. I get what he may have been trying to say in his ‘stoned’ way but the truth is you can write anyway you want to. Scared, sad, happy, confident, terrified….all words.
You write beautifully.
Thank you. 🙂
Fantastic piece. I love these sections:
“like another half-dozen
cosseted caricatures
playing writer”
“then I succumbed
to non-consumption”
“but scarred surfaces
surge upward”
Thanks so much for your comments and reading! 🙂
I believe we should write what we believe in, and that includes scars as well ~
Thank you. You are very right! 🙂
Intense!