I refuse to wear a hat because it's almost April. But it's still freezing here! Gack! Enough already. I'm also avoiding my heavy coats, but that means wearing the beige coat that is all ripped up and the arm is falling off. People think it's a nice coat at first, and then they realize it's a mess. I am trying to pretend that it isn't a metaphor for anything.I am charging into the next six weeks. The last six weeks of the semester. On Thursday Cate Marvin and Jay Hopler are reading here, so that will be a treat. Next Monday (3/31) I'm reading with Zachary Schomburg and Michael Dumanis. Are you going to come see us? 5:00 pm in the U Akron Student Union, room 335.
Last night I wrote a poem in fifteen minutes. It's not going to change the world or anything, and I guess you might count the prior ten minutes of drinking a glass of wine as part of the process, but I was still proud of myself. I think of so many things when I'm out walking my dog. Sometimes (okay, often) I sabotage my writing by telling myself that I don't have enough time.
How long does it take you to write a poem?
Last night's results were atypical for me. Sometimes it's 1.5 hours, in addition to days of mulling and percolating. Some poems I pick at like scabs for weeks. But most were written in about 45 minutes, I'd guess.
6 comments:
First drafts: 30-45 minutes.
Revisions: The rest of my life.
No matter the inspiration, I always try NOT to write the poem first, or as long as I can. I try to resist it. Then, when it's all too much, I sit down to write it. A poem probably takes a me at the least an hour and a half, maybe two hours. Usually, by the time I sit down to write it, I know the first few lines, and some words I want to use later. Not much more. And I think I finally write the poem because it's become a question I need to answer before I can move on with my life.
PS--I have given up my hat today too, despite the rowdy wind. It's spring already. The world just hasn't realized it yet.
The initial draft of all my poems, including all of my best poems, take 20 minutes or less to draft with very few exceptions.
After, I will work on them over the course of several days five ot ten minutes here or there. After, I try, but am rarely successful at leaving them alone for a while.
I usually do the scab-picking for weeks thing. There's a draft right now on my blog where the poem basically just leaped right out on Sunday, though. Not my usual way at all.
I'm glad I am not alone!
First drafts take me much longer which perhaps makes me an exception; although I'm guessing there are others like me. My last rough draft took 1 hour and 21 minutes but typically my rough drafts take 5-6 hours of writing over the course of several weeks. And revision...well that takes a while. By the way, I've been reading and enjoying your blog for quit some time and got me started on the Steel Toe catalog.
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