Monday 9 July 2012

Inspiration

For the past few months I have been totally lacking in inspiration as far as my writing and poetry are concerned. It is very frustrating because I do still want to write and I do enjoy going to my Writers' Group each month.

This month I am really making an effort to get back into it and so my resolution is to read some good poetry every morning over my coffee. Having just read a quarter of an hour of Ted Hughes's Lupercal book I am not sure whether I find it inspiring or whether it makes me feel that there is no good me trying!

I had forgotten just how brilliantly he uses words, just how - in a few lines - he can dredge up so many ideas. There is a poem called "Mayday on Holderness" in which he talks about the Humber Estuary and its entry into the North Sea. I can't print it here because of copyright - but maybe it is possible to read it somewhere on the internet. I love the way he describes night falling - he says 'The stars make pietas. The owl announces its sanity The crow sleeps glutted and the stoat begins." So much better then 'Night falls'.

There is little poetry in the weather at the moment - although I have no doubt Ted Hughes could have found some. Here it is dark, cold, damp and thoroughly depressing. Thank goodness for blogland I say - it is always good to meet blogfriends and share one's thoughts - so thank you to everyone who reads this blog and to all those who give me pleasure when I read theirs.

15 comments:

Elizabeth said...

Horrid being in a writing slump.
Actually I recommend reading not such wonderful writers --then you can say: Gosh, I could do that!
Sorry your weather continues vile.
I will not tell you what it is like here......

Heather said...

Any kind of artist's block is awful, especially when one is usually good at that art and enjoys it so much. Don't give up and don't try too hard - things will improve when they are ready. And above all, don't measure your own work against a Poet Laureate!!
Damp and dismal here as usual.

Dartford Warbler said...

I do sympathise. When you have spent your life reading ( and teaching) good literature, it seems almost pointless trying to write anything! Hopefully the Muse will return when the sun does..........This cheerless rain is so dispiriting.

Speaking of Ted Hughes, I would love to take an Arvon Foundation course one day.

MorningAJ said...

I've joined something called Thinking Ten, because I was in just the same state. I couldn't get enthusiastic about stringing words together at all.
It gives you a prompt each day and you have ten minutes to produce something in.
You might find it useful. I can't say I've written anything I'm specially proud of since I started - but at least I'm writing.
Good luck!

Pondside said...

I find that inspiration comes and goes - but it always returns!

Joanne Noragon said...

Not that I'm any great shakes, but I scrabble for pen and paper when I think of something. Now, if I were organzed, I keep writing material handy.

Jenny Woolf said...

Some people are always an inspiration. Ted Hughes doesn't do it for me but I always click with Tennyson!

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

"Dark, cold, damp and thoroughly depressing." - you're sounding like Ted Hughes already!

Dominic Rivron said...

Re reading poems, one good prompt is to take the title of a poem you like and see what you can write using the title. When you've done, change the title.

ArcticFox said...

if you want to try something different, perhaps you could look up some Simon Armitage poetry.... he is a local lad from round these parts, and you might enjoy some of his stuff? Mind, Ted Hughes and ~Silvia Plath have local connections too - Hardcastle Crags being a firm favourite haunt of mine!

Rachel Phillips said...

Write as you speak and some poetry will come before your eyes. Even if it is prose.

Crafty Green Poet said...

I think inspiration comes in cycles and I'm sure you'll be in a writing phase again soon enough!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thank you for your ideas - I shall try them out.

Hildred said...

So sorry you are in a slump, Pat. I think you are doing the right thing in reading works that you enjoy and admire, - eventually the beauty permeates the time we take to read and inspiration arrives along with it. At least I believe that is so.....

Gwil W said...

Pat, I'm reading thriller writer Dan Brown. I know it's not poetry. But sometimes a change is as good as a rest, as they say (whoever 'they' are).