Most mornings, usually when I take the dog out at the ungodly hour of 5:30 AM, some kernel of a wisp of an image will fly in my ear and wake me better than any old mosquito could.
I’m Joe Hesch, your host for tonight’s dVerse Open Link Night, and this is how most of my poems begin life, as a no-see-um jot of inspiration. They gestate on the ride into Albany, and are delivered in the 15 minutes it takes for my computer to boot up and for me to settle into work at 7:30.
Barely any poems get written at home anymore. That’s where the fiction farm is. Poetry just won’t grow in that soil. Must be too acidy.
Most folks who know me have heard me spout about how I find inspiration as poet from the life and work of American poet William Stafford. On my fiction side, you’ll find most of the usual suspects on the inspiration list. But right around the top is the short story writer and novelist Ron Carlson.
Carlson teaches students at the University of California, Irvine, and teaches me in his stories, novels, and (twice a year, without fail) in his fabulous book, “Ron Carlson Writes a Story.” He has said, “The writer is the one who stays in the room,” which is so true and so cool. It gets harder to do that in these days of run-run-run, social media time-sucks, and the noise (both literal and figurative) that surrounds modern life.
I envy writers who can do it, though. I know there isn’t a heck of a lot of time for me to stay in the room during the week. I have that fifteen or so minutes of writing time in which I furiously turn loose my poetic wolf on a yellow legal pad. I don’t have time to edit. I just scribble furiously, type and post on the blog. Maybe you can tell I work kind of fast and tend not to look back.
But you know what? I think I’m always writing, just not on paper or a keyboard. I don’t need a room when I have a place to walk, when there are people shuffling by deep into their own compositions, animals and clouds crossing my up-and-down vision and all-around hearing, and memories of so many things that have happened in my life, could have happened, should have, or might-maybe-ought to happen yet.
Tonight you get to share with us what you have accomplished by “staying in the room,” be it a bedroom, darkened office, front seat of a car while dodging commuters, or anywhere you connect your heart, mind and soul with a notebook in your hand or head.
You’re doing a heck of a job, too.
Here’s how you can share:
- Link your OLN poem – one per blog, please – by clicking on the Mr. Linky button just below and cutting and pasting in your link.
- Don’t forget to let your poem’s readers know where you’re linking up and encourage them to participate by including a link to dVerse in your blog post.
- Visit as many other poems as you like, commenting as you see fit. This is where you get to express yourself about this poet’s work.
- Spread the word. Feel free to tweet and share on the social media of your choice.
By the way, if I look like I’m staring right through you tonight while I’m pushing over your libation, don’t be too upset or worried. You know me. I’m just writing.
kelly said:
Happy Open Link Night to Joe and everyone! This is one room I am always happy to stay in….
Joseph Hesch said:
And you always make if a brighter place, Kelly> ~ J
lovemorestudio said:
Thanks, Joe. A great opening for the night– I think I’ll be staying in to work on some paintings….
As for writing…normally, I take my notebook and camera with me wherever I go. Every idea, big or small, gets jotted down or its picure taken. My poems get written over periods of days, not hours or minutes. I am way too slow for that.
Happy Open Link, everyone 🙂 ~peace, Jason
Joseph Hesch said:
Yep, but they’re getting written, Jason. That’s the important part. ~ J
MarinaSofia said:
My time in the darkened room tends to be at 4 a.m. when I can’t sleep and adjourn to the guestroom (if we don’t have guests) to scribble mad fragments which sound even madder the next day.
Joseph Hesch said:
That sounds like how so many of my mornings used to be, Marina. In both cases, poetry comes on the dawn.
claudia said:
ha – very cool on writing mentally on the way to work… i do this as well…typing a lot of poems on walk on my iphone – happy OLN everyone…
Joseph Hesch said:
Yeah, The Adirondack Northway’s not quite the Autobahn, but the commuting public isn’t really thinking about driving at that anyway. My thoughts are at least creative. Happy OLN, Claudia.
Madeleine Begun Kane said:
Happy Tuesday and thanks for your interesting post. I too am always writing, often at inconvenient times and places — the shower comes to mind, followed by a mad, soaked, towel-wrapped dash to my computer. (When you have a bad memory, speed is essential. 🙂 )
Joseph Hesch said:
I have the same issue. Probably why the notebook goes with me everywhere…and I mean EVERYWHERE. 😉
claudia said:
oh – IMPORTANT – we wanna make a photo collection with pub folks and the new dVerse anthology and post the pics on then next or so OLN …. means… once you hold your copy in hand, take a pic of you with the book and send it to dversepoets@gmail.com – ha – that is going to be a fun collection….smiles
marilyncavicchia said:
Hi, Joe (and everyone). Happy Open Link Night!
Joseph Hesch said:
Good Tuesday to you, Marilyn! 🙂
Anna :o] said:
Thank you for you words Joe.
I think I’m always writing too – that is apart from, as of late, where the great barrier builds itself across my thought process. Although often inspired by prompts, most writes itself in my head, apparently arriving from nowhere. Often too, I find myself without pen and paper and the ideas are lost, almost always, forever…
Anna :o]
Joseph Hesch said:
First poem I ever wrote (first one on my blog, too) is about that very subject, Anna. It’s a terrible feeling to lose those thoughts in that moment, isn’t it
Beth Winter said:
Hiya, Joe 🙂
I recall my ungodly 3 am musings and composition as I drove to work, tapping my thoughts quickly into my cell phone as I stopped at the intersection of nowhere and the no-signal-zone. Luckily, that has changed except now the no-signal-zone is my own home. My Internet is down 😦 I intend to link up even if I have to hijack wi-fi at a store. I will be back in a bit. Happy OLN! Save a powerful beverage for me. I believe I need it today.
Joseph Hesch said:
And suffice to say it will be a cold one, Beth! I’ll keep a seat open for you! 🙂
Susan said:
I enjoyed your musings, Joe, on “the no-see-um jot of inspiration” and how it develops into poems. Thank you for “staying in the room.” I just now received the dVerse Anthology from the UPS driver and will bring it to the Pub tonight to get autographs. Yours first, Joe, and then Brian, Claudia, Grace, Mary, et al. Prepare for a fun night!
Grace said:
I am envious Susan ~ I am expecting mine tomorrow ~ How do you get the autographs from all the writers ???? I want mine to be signed too ~
brian miller said:
smiles…glad you got it…not home yet so i dont know if mine is there…
hey i want signatures….smiles.
Joseph Hesch said:
Err…I’m not in it. But I’d be happy to sign as a dVerse dude if the rest of the poets want me to. 😉 In the meantime, what’ll ya have? It’s on me. 🙂
Grace said:
Hi Joe and everyone ~ Happy OLN and cheers for the D’verse Anthology ~
I will be making my rounds after my drive ~ Wishing you all Happy Tuesday ~
Joseph Hesch said:
Hi, Grace! Safe trip, m’dear! We’ll be waiting for you! 🙂
Tony Maude said:
As many of you will have realised, writing is not something I’ve been doing much of recently. It’s not that I don’t have time; it’s not that I don’t have ideas; it’s just that I don’t seem to be able to get the two to coincide with some actual bona fide motivation.
Happy Open Link night Joe – and everyone else at this wonderful establishment.
Joseph Hesch said:
Oh, you’re not alone, my friend. As that inspiration poet of mine, Bill Stafford, said about writing every day, you just have to lower your standards. 😉 Quite a relief and you’ll be surprised with what happens. And you’re always a creative force, Tony! 🙂
C.J. Black said:
Cheers Joe, glass always half full the only way to approach this writing lark me thinks – going to enjoy drinking in all that spills out when I start browsing.
Chris.
Joseph Hesch said:
Thanks, Chris. I like that point of view. I used be glass half-empty, then just plain cracked. 😉
C.J. Black said:
Try the Guinness method works for me as you may have noticed!! Still trying to push the right button to gain entry to the D’Verse bar have not succeeded as yet what is the secret code??
Poet Laundry said:
Happy OLN all 🙂
Joseph Hesch said:
Happy poetic Tuesday! Enjoy your time with us tonight!
brian miller said:
hey joe…great opening…and now putting carlson on my list to look into…staying in the room…i like that…luckily i just escaped the room…a whole day of HR training….oy vey….glad to be out and ready to get my poetry fix for the week…sorry i am late…back in school…its my reality…smiles
see you out on the trail…
Joseph Hesch said:
I was in training last week, an all-day meeting on how to run meetings. Bureaucracy, baby!! Glad to see you, Boss! 🙂
brian miller said:
oh my…that sounds like a beast…
Robbie Pruitt said:
Glad to be joining you all tonight!
claudia said:
great to see you Robbie
Joseph Hesch said:
Welcome, Robbie! 🙂
Myrna said:
Nice of you to host tonight Joe. I think I used to write more when I worked and life was more hectic. Maybe there’s something to be said for stress – it may help us think faster.
ninotaziz said:
At 2.00am today, Sting was on my mind. And the world we are leaving behind.
Joseph Hesch said:
I think stress makes us focus more, Myrna, or maybe just react in a natural, instinctive manner. Either way, it’s always a remarkable miracle, this writing process. 🙂
brian miller said:
no where near caught up…off to dinner and will read more this evening…
Pamela said:
Hi Joe, and thanks for hosting. I am always writing or reciting words in my head, even while I am work, which gets a bit distracting. I am late getting here as I was without cable service for the past 24 hours. Happy Open Link to all. See you a bit later as I still have one more class today.
Pamela
Joseph Hesch said:
Hello, Pamela. Life, the real, acid-soiled one, carted me away from the Pub, too. Welcome back.
Oloriel said:
I think this writing style you use is a gem of it;s own.I would not agree completely about staying in the room,sometimes you just want to jump and bite the cloud instead of waiting for rain to fall and make you not feel thirsty. I sometimes wish I could write straight with my mind,so much gets lost sometimes by the time I press the pen or keyboard key.
Joseph Hesch said:
No matter how we get it done, O, it’s only important that we DO get the writing, the transfer of expression from thought to shared memory, done.
Ruth said:
that particular kind of no-see-um is welcome to bite me anytime, anywhere… 😉
Joseph Hesch said:
They can be darn annoying and loud, too. In winter, they’re replaced by a shiver of wind down my neck. 😉 Welcome, Ruth!
Ginny Brannan said:
Just coming in from work, and happy to see you hosting tonight, Joe my friend!! My writing takes place either early morning before work, or late at night when all is quiet. My best inspiration seems to come on my half-hour drive to work, and the challenge is to write the idea before I get out of the car and forget it!! Never seem to have the time I’d really like to spend on writing though. Am just happy when I can finally complete and share something new! (Oh, and honestly Joe, your writing stands just find as it is! Would never know you jotted and shared it so quickly before settling in to work!)
Joseph Hesch said:
I know those long hours you work, Gin, and it amazes me how much wonderful and expressive creating you accomplish ALL THE TIME! That drive is the respite between home and work, no matter the crazy traffic. Just be safe while you’re creating all those feelings and images you share, OK? 🙂
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX said:
Dear Joe H.
Huffing and Puffing to make the deadline–only to find out today is STILL Tuesday not Wed. night!…so I breathe deeply, AHHHHH!
OH! And I broke a rule, I think. Two writes (not even poems–you’re gonna kick me outta this place?) on one blog–BUT, but, but…they DO belong together. Maybe nobody will read it an ya won’t have to bar me from the bar!
THANKS for this wonderfu weekly opportunity to sound off, or whatever!
PEACE and LIGHT!
Joseph Hesch said:
The great thing about The Pub is that there are no rules, within reason. And your pieces fit just fine, Steve. *whispers* My poetry is merely stories I write whose sentences I break into bite-sized pieces and stack like Ritz crackers. Our secret, OK? 😉
shanyns said:
Thanks Joe! My poem was inspired by what happened while I was mowing the lawn tonight. Will be reading and commenting more tomorrow! Time for sleep! Great job hosting tonight.
Joseph Hesch said:
I think work like mowing or (gasp) shoveling snow puts into some sort of Zen or contemplative state during which the heart and mind can wander within to reap what we have seen and felt…or would like to. Great work, shanyns!
brian miller said:
i will be around today…sitting in training again so it may be sporadic—but’ll i’ll be looking for those that join in today….
Gary said:
Late to the party and walking in while all the cool people are walking out…
Joseph Hesch said:
Yeah, but I’m still here… Hmmm, wonder what that makes… Hey!
Welcome, Gary! Glad to see ya!
Gary said:
Likewise!
Imelda said:
am late again – the first words came while I was helping dry the morning dishes. 🙂
Joseph Hesch said:
The open mind aspect of drudgery-occupied hands. Works almost every time. 🙂
Liz Rice-Sosne said:
Enjoyed your words of wisdom here this AM (for me). And, this one is in the bedroom,
Joseph Hesch said:
My words, true. But I leave the decision of their wisdom to the reader, just like how I leave and accept their impressions of my poetry. Thanks, and welcome, Liz! 🙂
Lisa A. Williams Poetry said:
My first time here, have so enjoyed what I have read so far.