  Poetry
This week: Get Naked! (No, not literally!) Edited by: fyn  
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“It is not length of life, but depth of life.” ~~Ralph Waldo Emerson
“The depth and strength of a human character are defined by its moral reserves. People reveal themselves completely only when they are thrown out of the customary conditions of their life, for only then do they have to fall back on their reserves.” ~~Leonardo da Vinci
“In the depth of my soul there is a wordless song.” ~~Kahlil Gibran
“Truth is a gem that is found at a great depth; whilst on the surface of this world,
all things are weighed by the false scale of custom” ~~Lord Byron
“Surely there is grandeur in knowing that in the realm of thought, at least, you are without a chain;
that you have the right to explore all heights and depth; that there are no walls nor fences,
nor prohibited places, nor sacred corners in all the vast expanse of thought...” ~~Robert Green Ingersoll
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Writing good poetry is a lot like standing naked on a stage. All our faults are there for the world to see...the saggy tummy, the flabby arms, the effects that gravity has on the human body. In our youth, read as in prewriting days, perchance, we were shallow enough to stand there and say, "Here I am, world." We didn't care that, with living, our bodies would change, and become a map of our excesses, indulgences, children, and, well, the effects that living a life has on us. Some, to be sure, exercise their muscles, run endless miles and still fit into what they wore in high school. But that isn't the point here.
A depth of writing comes with living. The having experienced the losses along the way in a death of a loved one, the stretchmark badges of courage left behind after giving birth, the separation anxiety forehead furrows as children leave home or head out on their first day of school, the crows feet of unbridled laughter and the gnarled knuckles and joints of the physical labor done to feed and roof a family. These tolls on us may not make us feel secure in letting it all hang out (so to speak) and letting the world actually see what usually is kept hidden from view. Yet that, in a sense, is what the writer must do in sharing the thoughts, wisdoms and foibles we've accumulated over the span of our lives. We have to get naked and let the world see our thoughts, the layers underneath them and not be afraid to let the emotions show, the wisdom gained and the inner selves that most keep safely hidden away in a dark corner bundled in security blankets. We have to drop those blankets and let the fears and foibles show as well as our fortes and successes. Now, none of this is to say a younger writer cannot write with great insight, passion or deep-seated intuition. We all live, experience pain, joy, sorrow, triumph and loss. It is all in how one is willing to dig, to let the towel fall away and express these things. No one lives in a vacuum, but some writers dig for the fresh ways to express, look at an incident, happenstance from varying angles and directions and aim to project a new perspective or way of looking at a place we've all been before.
One can write on a multitude of levels. The writing can be all on the surface. A quick skim/read all too often garners all the poem has to offer, all the writer revealed because they, in truth, did not reveal all that much. Nor, did they take the time to create a multileveled piece that upon a third or fifth reading begins to let the reader peel away levels such that beyond the surface words are nuances and levels of additional thought. There needs to be texture and dimension. Varying 'tastes' and nuance. We are wordsmiths, and as such, need to play with words. An expanded vocabulary comes in handy because it allows the writer to have numerous variations of words at hand. Sometimes, trying a variety of differing words will open up a new stream of thought or allow for a deeper understanding or make room for additional insights. Using words with multiple meanings or pronunciations can often have a subtle effect that will allow for additional translations, so to speak. Tear. A ripping or a drop of salt water? Cleave. A staying together or a breaking apart? Think about it! Think too, about words that are similar to what you may want to use. Sometimes a sideways-slanted word can dip beneath the surface.
Literary devices also can add to the levels and depths. Much like a poetic claw, covered in seaweed, barnacles and primordial ooze, dragging a struggling swimmer into the depths of the ocean: alliteration, consonance, assonance, the use of metaphor or personification. When using personification you need to become. You need to BE the piñata. I recently read numerous poems using personification of a 'thing' one would see at a birthday party. Many picked piñatas. Only one truly shone because ... well, think about being a piñata for a moment. All goodness, joy and light? For the kids maybe. But, for a moment, BE the thing being bashed and smashed, having your sole purpose to be a container to be ripped open, torn apart so all the goodies (your heart?) can fall to the ground. Yeah. It is a different perspective now, isn't it?
Truth is displayed through the writer's vulnerability. As a writer, there are times you need to (not literally!) flay open your heart or mind and let the reader see, touch, smell, feel...experience what is beneath the skin level, below the smooth surface of the still pond. It is the blood pulsing, jaw-snapping turtle times that the real, the inescapable truths are flung into the light. Shining a beam of light into the dark corners of ourselves can reveal so much! Light up your psyche and see what waits within! As poets, we often hide behind the words. Is everything we write some excellent, life-changing truth? Of course not. BUT. Letting enough of the writer into the words can only create more of an impact on the poetry we write.
Let's face it. We have all read those poems that leave us flat. Handed off a three star review or less or, decided to go on to read and review something else. Why? Because the poem touched nothing in us as readers. It sparked no flame, didn't open a window or raise a shade into the writer's mind. They were little more than words spilled haphazardly onto a page, with little or no concentrated effort behind them. Writing is work. It requires thought, energy, heart, inspiration, moments staring into space seeking just the right way to frame that thought and the desire to do so in a way no one else has.
Sometimes we do need to stand there and 'let it all hang out.' We need to, to use a cliché, 'bare our souls.' Just remember, words only become clichés because of the grain of truth behind them. So behind closed curtains, deep in your writer's cave, hiding in the 'necessary' or prancing unconcerned in the back yard, 'get naked!'
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LinnAnn -book writer  says: A very lovely newsletter. I loved the description, and the being awake in the middle of the night. lol I want a picture of the other desk. It sounded more like mine. lol
kevinopheim wrote: I absolutely enjoyed reading your visit to your mountain home, the fort made of brambles and your back porch. It reminded me of various favorite spots I hung out at while growing up. Maybe I too will write about these experiences. You wording really painted a vivid picture of where you were. Thank you for allowing us to share your alone place!
ANN Counselor, Lesbian & Happy  comments: Thank you for this excellent newsletter; and for highlighting my blog for Image Prompts.
Julie sniffs: Your story about returning to your mountain made me cry. Thank you for sharing Smile
Thanks all! :)
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Poetry: September 09, 2015 Issue [#7206]
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