It is not like me To dwell here inside my flesh; My mind is often An aptly chosen abode, Words my finest furniture. You, however, call Me into reality, My visions react To your being with growing Hopes, you may one day love me. Time beating unkind Reverts to seeming stillness When you hold me near; Better dreams, futures appear, We, together, display promise.
What you see is quite different from what came out in my journal (in Kindness Pink ink), but I think it serves well. Again, I used the syllable counts for tanka and strung three together.
I keep thinking I will find some other forms, but I have almost always been a Free Verse poet. It is hard to break the habits of a lifetime.
What forms do you like? Can you illustrate one?
If you are another type of writer or artist, what patterns do you see in your work? Can you break with those, change things up?
I went to the library yesterday. Oh, what a treasure trove I amassed. I appeased my dragon self with a horde of books. No zombies though, no, done with those for now, maybe ever.
Doubt drives, boring a hole, through The midst of dedicated lives searching For fortunate answers, viable ideas, Told in the harmony of truths, Caught fast in the discord of loss. We can open ourselves – Gift one another with reality Wash deception away with positivity Discover the best of who we are – Building value into each heart, soul. Dancing as we are joyful, Hugging when we need support, Facing our dragons together, Rising like Phoenixes from the ashes Where nearly slain, we conquered pain. No weapons fatal required, but reason, Wisdom studied, prepared, applied, Freely shared to light a path through Spaces inhabited by shades of darkness Securing the light of generosity, kindness, Love to every area, corner, portion, All quarters where precious humanity In gorgeous beauty survives on Earth.
The grass, sky, trees are Without us freely growing, Notice we rarely give to What they might require, They are and will always be. What about creatures such as Are we? Constantly complicating Everything we are becoming And who we were before; Wanting, needing, asking more.
Dogs know life, it loves them, Such diversity, specialization, A wolf in all the lines, blood, Hunger, thirst, making puppies, Eliminating, sleeping to while away Moments remembering tomorrow With bright eyes, attentive ears, floppy, Wagging tails, living life, dogs prevail.
Here we doubt all there is, even What is not, we place puzzles to Cause confusion, misinterpreting The illusions we support as fact; Looking forward, facing focused back. No one knows because the power – Within us is scaled down, rerouted, To that which we cannot comprehend Not visible, beyond the touch of hands. Ideas espoused, but unreflected in The materials arrayed before us; The grass, sky, trees – integrity, love, life.
One thing that is beneficial to gaining skill in your art is studying those who excel in doing it. Also, those who are less apt can teach much.
Reading voraciously and a wide variety of forms, genres, and styles will lead you to handle language with more facility when you write. It will improve your editing ability as well. There are a plethora of writing craft books that can provide instruction, especially if you do the recommended exercises. Writing every day is a practice any serious writer does well to engage. If the current creative project is stuck writing something else, even a journal entry will keep the imagination working.
Artists and photographers can learn much by observing the work of others and others at work. We live in a magic time when we can watch videos of many things which may be instructive.
Daily practice in a sketchbook or taking photos can significantly improve the craft. Books and manuals are also instructive.
A website or blog used for exposure and to challenge one to work regularly is an ideal practice. All creative endeavors require daily work and devotion—acting, musical instruments, singing, well, really almost anything.
As you will find elsewhere on Haphazard Creative, I do not constrain creativity to the liberal arts. I have a strong and unshakeable belief that every person has creative skills. If we, as created in the Creator’s image, genuinely resemble Him, we have creative abilities. So, even if one is not into liberal arts, cooking, organizing, parenting, homemaking, mechanical skill, and all else requires creativity.
Feed your creativity with things that bring you joy and nourish your soul. Music, long drives, dancing, swimming, hiking, telling jokes, the things you consider guilty pleasures all fill the well. If you keep the well full, you will find yourself in the flow when you attempt to create.
I hope this inspires you. I do believe creativity is a working of love, and our world needs love tremendously. Be well, and take care of the spark that ignites creation in you.
I finished my journal today and had the pleasure of choosing a new one. Volume Eight of However, Whatever, Whenever, Wherever, Why? I believe I began using that title in mid-2017. With a title like that it is inspiring just to open it. I need all the help I can obtain.
Haphazard Creative 
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