Poem: A Feather

I am going to try a different tack as far as writing goes. I have been saying lately that I have no difficulty with ideas for poems however I am just worried that the subjects are not "big" enough for a poem.

I have been writing one or two stanzas and then getting stuck. Is it writers block or the wrong subject? So I have decided to post just the one "beginning" and then come back to complete it - if I can. What will this achieve? Well I hope it will focus my mind on completing something before moving on leaving it unfinished which is too easy.

So here goes. I was sitting at a bus stop on my way to work and of course being autumn and windy the streets were awash with leaves. There was however one, well two actually, feathers which I noticed blowing about in the wind. Bingo, another poem was started. As has been the case recently, I got as far as verse two and simply left it because it became difficult to move on. Wish me luck to complete it before next week's post or sooner.

The Feather

A single feather on the ground,

Wind blown and tossed

Amidst the leaves that gathered there,

Alone and lost.

Who knows where or why it dropped,

And at what cost.

But up above a pigeon flew

Home to its roost;

Perhaps a feather from its tail,

Some mishap, I trust.

Of course this is pretty well how it came out and will require editing before it can be said to be complete, but first what is the rest of the story. The "So What?" which I will have to answer. I am hoping that I can move forward on this and break away from writing so many fragments without completing anything.

Fingers and toes crossed, I will be working on this tomorrow. However, as a last thought, am I spending too much time on other things - writing blogs or painting for instance? These are a few paintings from the past couple of weeks. Posted on my Blog, Painting With John. I need to make sure that I spend a little private time when I can work on the poetry properly perhaps. Some scheduling may be necessary, LOL.

More poetic fragments

I am still not finding the more weighty themes which I need to get my teeth into. I am finding it difficult to find time to write poetry and am looking for inspiration as I walk to the local shops or on my way to work, about the only free time I can use for poetry at the time.

I need to schedule some quiet time to see if I can get over this lack of progress. Six months ago I was finding themes which did provide me with enough material for a poem - at least one per day when I started the project. I must decide wether this is important to me and if the answer is "yes", then I must find the time.

Some of the fragments are given here:

Walking home from work in the dark:-

I walk a long and lonely road,

I carry a weight, a heavy load.

I walk towards the dream.

The same again:-

Night dark

Shadows stark

trees surround me

like some unseen enemy

Walking TO work in the rain:-

Rainfalls

with dragging feet he trawls

puddles on the ground

Walking along a beach at Shaldon:-

Don't swim here!

Exclaimed the warning signs.

Dangerous tides,

Was the reason to fear

Who would not heed

that advice for their safety.

But it happens you know,

as we all to often read.

Walking to the local shops:-

I walk along a tree-lined road

with head raised to the sky

there a bird atop a tree

watched with critical eye

Once more on the way to work:-

The autumn trees in colours bright

orange, red and yellow

such a sight, to his delight

an artists' dream 

to see them row on row

Walking on a sunny November morning:-

The day had just begun

I walked head bowed, by the morning sun

accepting shade from each tree I pass

relief from that blinding ball of gas

There is a definite lack of variety in the situations I am finding that first stanza for. As before, I have more for each start but do not think that they are worked up far enough to post them for the world to see.

I will be trying to write in a specific time and place to see if I can do something about this "writers block" if that is what it is. I also have found a good book which offers advice on how to go about overcoming this issue. If it works I will write about it and let you know the book next time. But for now - I am going into battle.

If that is the right attitude?