Writer Friendly

Poetry & the Daily Practice

by Ti Klingler

This morning’s poem was late. I started at 8:04 and it sputtered out at about line thirteen. Turns out I had gotten the opening image of wax on a nightstand right and went in the wrong direction after that. So I deleted it, typed out a new poem between putting on mascara and brushing my teeth, posted it on Facebook, and was out the door to work by 8:30.

For those who perfect their work before releasing it into the world, that may seem a quick turnaround time. For me, it’s a habit. I first participated in National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo) in 2009, responding to prompts on the readwritepoem.org website to create a poem every day in April.

I had previously finished a 50,033-word novel during the better-known National Novel Writing Month.  I gained a huge amount of confidence and learned how to blast through my inner critic’s barriers. I’d written a scant handful of poems in my life, but a month of poem writing seemed intriguing. No one warned me it might be addictive!

I wrote every morning, using the suggested prompt. I had so much fun, I decided to keep going in May. Without prompts, I found myself looking around my bedroom, fingers on the keys, curious to see what would emerge. As the poems kept coming, it became easier to drop into the quiet observing mind from which my best work springs.

Nearly a year and well over 300 poems later, I no longer doubt I’ll produce a poem every day, one worth reading most days. I’ve been known to mutter to the Muse, “You know I have to leave in ten minutes. Let’s go!” She hasn’t let me down yet.

The biggest gift of the poem-a-day practice is the release of perfectionist pressure. No one poem has to prove my skill. I no longer hoard phrases.

I think most writers have a perfect metaphor, plot or image socked away in a journal or file. We visit them like heirloom jewels, afraid to waste them in a piece that is not equally brilliant. At this point, I don’t hesitate to set a diamond in pewter.

An image or opening line that sets me on fire is likely to inspire another; if not today, then tomorrow. I’m often astonished at what I produce, at the absolute reality of the voices and characters that emerge. I’ve used words whose definitions I had to look up after the rush of writing and found, every time, that I’ve used them correctly.

Having a daily expectation and time limit forces me to access every part of my brain and vocabulary.

For those who would like to start a daily poetry practice here’s what works for me:

• Begin by using outside prompts. You can find these at readwritepoem.org, here at writer-friendly.com, or almost any writing website or how-to book. Outside prompts are training wheels to help your poetry muscles develop. Once you’re in the habit of writing every day, you’ll find yourself looking at the world as a prompt machine.
• Write at the same time each day, if possible. Even on weekends, I find it useful to write first thing in the morning, before my head is full of to-do lists and conversations.
• Don’t save images or phrases for your “real” poems. Here’s the truth: The more fearlessly and regularly you write, the more images and phrases you’ll produce. I once wrote ten poems in a day and the next found me grinning at my latest creation at six a.m. Writing feeds writing.
• Don’t try to polish coal. Save your editing and rewriting time for the poems that shine in first drafts.
• Share your poems with a carefully chosen group of friends or writers. I’ve been amazed at the impact some of my poems have had on the lives (and writing) of others. I’ve also been dismayed when poems I’ve thought of as particularly clever fall flat. Which brings me to two pieces of general poetry advice:
• Don’t be clever, and
• Don’t always know where you’re going

Clever, predestined poems will never have the impact of poems that are allowed to grow organically, syllable by syllable, image by image, those that surprise you.

I’m looking forward to this year’s NaPoWriMo. Want to join me?

NOTE: Ti has graciously invited us to watch the action as she continues to write a poem a day through April.   All you need to do is Friend her on Facebook.  Be sure and include a message in your Friend request to let her know that you were directed to her from Writer Friendly, so she’ll welcome you with open arms.