Pain & Poetry

[WickedEve]

Y'know, I have my cats toeing the line. I know how to deal with recalcitrant felines.

You are perfectly welcome to like it, and I am honestly glad to see that you appreciate it. I was just making the comment that I never could get that one to speak properly.

Okay, it's a wee bit better in a cheesy Scottish accent.

Tell me that you like one of my poems and my usual response is that it could be better or it's not that good or something along those lines. Well, there's the occasional, "My God, I'm brilliant and I must touch myself now!"

 

[WickedEve]

Seriously. I can't be the only one with this problem. If I am in pain, I can be a brilliant poet. Happiness dulls the wits or the senses or something. I've written about it repeatedly!

[...]

So where does the poetry flee to when I am happy and the sun is shining on my life? Why can't I have poetry and happiness?

Weigh in here! I want to know if I am alone in this mired little mess or if I am merely normal.

Bless you poets, for you have bled!

Syn

I was thinking about what kind of poems I write. I used to write a lot of bob bob poems about my ex-husband. They were usually disturbingly funny. I guess that was a way of dealing with pain. I write Southern poetry, because I want to tell about my life, my town, share the stories I've been told by my grandparents. So, no pain there. I write about my dildos. Those are love poems. lol I write about my kids. Usually funny poetry about the kids. Some of it is kind of sad when I write about Katy -- autism. I love to write my dark and creepy poetry. Oh, and there is my bdsm poetry. I guess some of that is about physical pain, which can be good or bad. Anyway, there is so much out there to inspire us. Do you ever write about love, family, humor?

 

[Homburg]

Tell me that you like one of my poems and my usual response is that it could be better or it's not that good or something along those lines. Well, there's the occasional, "My God, I'm brilliant and I must touch myself now!"

I need to see one of the poems whose reviews caused you to touch yourself.

 

[sassynyc]

Seriously. I can't be the only one with this problem. If I am in pain, I can be a brilliant poet. Happiness dulls the wits or the senses or something. I've written about it repeatedly!

i don't have to be in pain in order to write, but i do understand the feeling. i find writing cathartic. for that reason, i may be more intense in my writing, but i'm no less creative when i'm happy.

here's something to consider. writing as a catharsis allows you to purge yourself of whatever is plaguing you emotionally. writing it out, at the very least, relieves the pain. it's a release. when you're happy, you may want to express your happiness, but it's not something you need to be relieved of. maybe your creativity isn't as urgent,in that instance, because you're not seeking relief from anything. if anything, you want to bask in happiness.

i must say, in my opinion, suffering enhances art, regardless of the medium.
even happiness feels more intense, once you've been through a significant amount of pain, and come out on the other side of it. you appreciate it more.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

When I'm in pain, all I want to do is curl into a ball and be put out of misery. Poetry is the last thing on my mind. I'm a much better poet when I can actually think about what I'm writing, or at least sit up and write.

 

[Liar]

or at least sit up and write.

Yeah, there's that. It's pretty had to position both screen and keyboard to so you can write comfortably from a foetal position. Believe me, I've tried.

 

[jimequfa]

I forget who said it. It's been a long time ago, but someone said "Winning never feels as good as loosing does bad!"

It's true and since writing requires we draw on personal experiences, empathetic or otherwise, it stands to reason that the easiest source to draw on are the strongest.

For me, I have to concentrate twice as hard on finding empathy for a subject when I'm blocked or on unfimiliar ground.

 

[CeriseNoire]

Yeah, there's that. It's pretty had to position both screen and keyboard to so you can write comfortably from a foetal position. Believe me, I've tried.

That's when I go old school and pull out a notebook and pencil.

In all seriousness, I think this year is the first time I realized I could use the emotions more effectively. A few months ago, I got really upset about something. By the next day, I'd given it some thought and realized it just wasn't that big a deal. Still, during that one angry whiny day, I wrote pages and pages of syrupy histrionics. I've long since stopped caring about the events themselves, but I've been plucking lines from those pages to work into poems for months.

Now my next goal is to write a really happy poem.

 

[AChild]

Words are worlds without a line

Words are worlds without a line. Once you put it down on paper it becomes an imperative rule for you. Consider this: When your happy you usually have things to do. Going out with friends, singing songs, whistling. When you are depressed you usually have nothing to do except consentrate on your emotions. I don't know about how others feel about it but taking that seat is hard. That seat to begin writing. Yeah its all marshmallows and marmalade pies when I get into it, but to begin is a bummer always. If their are other things I wish I could be doing then it's even harder. You get good at what you practice. Some writers sit down and write for x amount of time a day no matter how they feel, no matter what comes out. Maybe you should try writing everyday. Make yourself rule the pen through habit and maybe you could see some of those other emotions come out.