Well said, and all true. Writing focuses the mind to learn well and truly. Putting ideas to “paper” compels critical thinking, as nothing else does quite so well.
Writing as the structure that makes learning happen is just as true when the subject is inward. I never know what I actually feel about a thing until I have written it and watched the first three drafts be wrong. Approaching eighty with a growing appetite is the most encouraging thing I have read this week.
Hi Marc, thank you for your writing and your posts. I am recently disabled by a spinal cord injury. I had an interest in writing since I took an English elective in writing while I was in college. Now that I must live my life differently, I turned to poetry to relieve my stress. Below is a poem I finished this weekend. It would bring me joy if you would read it. Thanks Patrick Paules
The Dämmerung and a Mysterious Lady:
As I sit on my porch looking around admiring the sight.
It is the time of evening between the day and the night.
The birds stop their chirping as the light begins to fade.
A peaceful time to relax from the strain of the day.
I see a herd of deer grazing with cautious woes.
I watch them feed, a buck with several does.
Their eyes catch my gaze as the deer turn to go.
Leaving only their memory in the night's early glow.
My mind continues the easing of the strain the day.
Perceptions begins to distorts as the stress fades away.
My thoughts wander from reality to unconscious themes.
The in-between worlds of self-awareness and dreams.
I have a vision of a young woman her face difficult to see.
Standing on the edge of a dark forest calling for me.
I do not recognize the voice or her mysterious call.
It's a sing-song tune with the power to enthrall.
I move slowly towards her crossing distance of time and space.
My thoughts filled with visions of the beauty of her veiled face.
I feel goosebumps on my neck as I draw ever nearer.
The images of her are like reflections in a mirror.
My heart is full of hope, my mind with filled with anticipation.
An enigmatic woman waiting on me is such a rare occasion.
Why do you summon me here in the dämmerung of light.
Is there something you need before day turns to night.
She stares into my eyes, her gaze penatrates my soul.
My hands reach out for my essense that she stole.
Lady of the woods why do stare at me and not say a word.
I am frightened of you and this soul stealing is absurd.
Please release my essense that resides in my soul.
It is not yours to keep and without it I'm not whole.
Her eyes are bedazzled and full of suspense.
Return my soul to me and all its contents.
What will become with my essense and the soul that you stole.
Am I damned for all time waiting on eternity's bells to toll.
My mind wanders back through the of halls of time.
The conscious life I lived mixed with the sublime.
Wandering through dreams leaves only questions for me.
Beautifully said; I agree with it all. I tend to write about my emotional struggles, mostly with intermittent severe depression, as a way to better understand why I get stuck and learn new ways to become unstuck. I find it's much easier to solve problems when I concretize them on paper, rather than attempting to figure them out all jumbled in my head. Keep up the good work. I enjoy being a passive participant.
Thank you so much. My writing is in the form of journaling, but you are spot on. When I write I become curious, which leads to learning. Never thought of it this way. Thanks for the revelation!
Thank you so much for the compliment. I plan on upgrading my subscription when someone else's subscription is finished next year. I am on a fixed income and must watch the dollars
Well said, and all true. Writing focuses the mind to learn well and truly. Putting ideas to “paper” compels critical thinking, as nothing else does quite so well.
Writing as the structure that makes learning happen is just as true when the subject is inward. I never know what I actually feel about a thing until I have written it and watched the first three drafts be wrong. Approaching eighty with a growing appetite is the most encouraging thing I have read this week.
Thanks, Zach
Hi Marc, thank you for your writing and your posts. I am recently disabled by a spinal cord injury. I had an interest in writing since I took an English elective in writing while I was in college. Now that I must live my life differently, I turned to poetry to relieve my stress. Below is a poem I finished this weekend. It would bring me joy if you would read it. Thanks Patrick Paules
The Dämmerung and a Mysterious Lady:
As I sit on my porch looking around admiring the sight.
It is the time of evening between the day and the night.
The birds stop their chirping as the light begins to fade.
A peaceful time to relax from the strain of the day.
I see a herd of deer grazing with cautious woes.
I watch them feed, a buck with several does.
Their eyes catch my gaze as the deer turn to go.
Leaving only their memory in the night's early glow.
My mind continues the easing of the strain the day.
Perceptions begins to distorts as the stress fades away.
My thoughts wander from reality to unconscious themes.
The in-between worlds of self-awareness and dreams.
I have a vision of a young woman her face difficult to see.
Standing on the edge of a dark forest calling for me.
I do not recognize the voice or her mysterious call.
It's a sing-song tune with the power to enthrall.
I move slowly towards her crossing distance of time and space.
My thoughts filled with visions of the beauty of her veiled face.
I feel goosebumps on my neck as I draw ever nearer.
The images of her are like reflections in a mirror.
My heart is full of hope, my mind with filled with anticipation.
An enigmatic woman waiting on me is such a rare occasion.
Why do you summon me here in the dämmerung of light.
Is there something you need before day turns to night.
She stares into my eyes, her gaze penatrates my soul.
My hands reach out for my essense that she stole.
Lady of the woods why do stare at me and not say a word.
I am frightened of you and this soul stealing is absurd.
Please release my essense that resides in my soul.
It is not yours to keep and without it I'm not whole.
Her eyes are bedazzled and full of suspense.
Return my soul to me and all its contents.
What will become with my essense and the soul that you stole.
Am I damned for all time waiting on eternity's bells to toll.
My mind wanders back through the of halls of time.
The conscious life I lived mixed with the sublime.
Wandering through dreams leaves only questions for me.
About life, stolen souls, death and eternity.
Quite beautiful. Thanks so much for sharing it with me. Keep writing. Sitting and writing like I do daily helps me to get to know myself more deeply.
I totally empathize with your response
Beautifully said; I agree with it all. I tend to write about my emotional struggles, mostly with intermittent severe depression, as a way to better understand why I get stuck and learn new ways to become unstuck. I find it's much easier to solve problems when I concretize them on paper, rather than attempting to figure them out all jumbled in my head. Keep up the good work. I enjoy being a passive participant.
Thank you so much. My writing is in the form of journaling, but you are spot on. When I write I become curious, which leads to learning. Never thought of it this way. Thanks for the revelation!
Thank you so much for the compliment. I plan on upgrading my subscription when someone else's subscription is finished next year. I am on a fixed income and must watch the dollars
Free is fine