Write a poem a day before you get out of bed?

Spiral Jacobs · Jun 11, 2013

I was listening to The Writer's Almanac on NPR this morning and Billy Collins mentioned that the poet Robert Bly wrote a poem every morning before he got out of bed. Not sure how great my morning efforts would be, but it sounds like an interesting experiment, and I would love to try it over my summer vacation (beginning next Friday, w00t!). I don't know how this would work on AW, but maybe others would like to try this challenge? Thoughts/ideas/comments on my sanity?

Diomedes · Jun 13, 2013

I don't know if I could do it in bed! But certainly sitting down and writing a poem each day - however bad - does generally, for me, lead to better work. It somehow opens up that portion of the mind and get you thinking in the way you need to in order to write good poetry.

Spiral Jacobs · Jun 13, 2013

Diomedes said:
I don't know if I could do it in bed! But certainly sitting down and writing a poem each day - however bad - does generally, for me, lead to better work. It somehow opens up that portion of the mind and get you thinking in the way you need to in order to write good poetry.

I want to try the "in bed" thing as an experiment. That quiet time between waking up and the rest of the day is a liminal moment, a transition between worlds that might offer some strange inspirations. Also, it would designate a specific time for this little bit of writing that I would not allow to be eaten up by something else. My buddy is going to do it too, and we are going to blog it. Could be interesting, I think.

thothguard51 · Jun 13, 2013

Coffee-coffee everywhere,
but not a drop to drink.
Coffee-coffee everywhere,
get me one before I shrink...

Spiral Jacobs · Jun 13, 2013

thothguard51 said:
Coffee-coffee everywhere,
but not a drop to drink.
Coffee-coffee everywhere,
get me one before I shrink...

Brilliant. I am going to call the blog "Uncaffeinated Poems."

CrawdadJokeSoon · Jul 1, 2013

I think we need more poems about writing poems before getting out of bed. Here is my contribution.

A yawn, unfinished
A night, diminished
Poems, pillows, and limits.

FoidPoosening · Jul 2, 2013

Spiral Jacobs said:
I was listening to The Writer's Almanac on NPR this morning and Billy Collins mentioned that the poet Robert Bly wrote a poem every morning before he got out of bed. Not sure how great my morning efforts would be, but it sounds like an interesting experiment, and I would love to try it over my summer vacation (beginning next Friday, w00t!). I don't know how this would work on AW, but maybe others would like to try this challenge? Thoughts/ideas/comments on my sanity?

William Stafford wrote a poem a day for decades, I'm not sure when or if he had a routine but he produced literally thousands of poems all the same.

I personally have mixed feelings about the idea, but I might try it for a week and see what happens.

Write a poem a day before you get out of bed?

Spiral Jacobs

Words. Words. Words.

Diomedes

Spiral Jacobs

Words. Words. Words.

thothguard51

A Gentleman of a refined age...

Spiral Jacobs

Words. Words. Words.

CrawdadJokeSoon

FoidPoosening