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Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Day Ten: Draft-a-Day

79 deg ~ below 80 and after 9:00...must be a cold front!

Today was a true test of this 14-day journey.  I usually write best when I have no obligations until much later in the day (late afternoon/evening), but today, the man and I have plans that begin quite soon.  I didn't know if I'd be able to concentrate on writing with a bit of a deadline in place.

As usual, I cast about my desk for some place to begin.  I always clear my desk of everything except some poetry books, my journal, and my pens.  I set my monitor to sleep and push my keyboard out of the way (until I draft enough lines in my journal to gather the momentum necessary to make the jump to the computer).  One of the books I picked up for inspiration this morning was Oliver de la Paz' Requiem for the Orchard.  I only read three poems and a line began in me:  "What was taken from me then... ."

I turned to my journal and started scribbling.  The lines in my journal look like one thick stanza, but as I transferred them to the computer, I saw the tercets forming naturally.  My usual method is that about 2/3 of the poem begins in the journal and I have to shift to the computer to finish it.  This may be due to the size of the journal and my handwriting.  I need to be able to see the whole thing at once, apparently.  In any case, that's what happened today, and I'm really pleased with the leap and turn the poem took once I was composing on the computer.  It is titled "Requiem for the Girl with Sparrow Wings for a Heart," obviously influenced by de la Paz' title and the mood of the pieces I read in the book.  I'm definitely looking forward to sitting down with Requiem for the Orchard and reading the whole thing straight through.

That's one drawback to this draft-a-day journey.  I've lost some of my reading time.  But I'll be back to my "What I'm Reading" posts in a few days, I'd wager.  Until then...thanks for stopping by, Dear Readers.

9 comments:

Nancy Devine said...

sandy,
your diligence is inspiring me to work. (i'm not at a draft a day, though)

Sandy Longhorn said...

Thanks, Nancy. It's been fun.

Martha Silano said...

you're an inspiration, sandy. i hope to try for 10 days in a row as soon as I turn in final grades. btw, are you living in arkansas? that's some hot weather! it still hasn't reached 75 degrees here in Seattle this year.

Sandy Longhorn said...

Thanks! Hope your writing time goes well.

Yes, still in Arkansas. Hot even for us.

Kristin Berkey-Abbott said...

Ah, the fruits of summer! Both literal and poetry fruits--you lucky woman. I have a few weeks of vacation that start soon after tonight's graduation ceremony (we're on a strange quarter system), and you've inspired me to be more focused. Thanks!

My word verification is abledoll, which I'm taking as a cosmic sign that I'm able (and capable of beauty, when all dolled up!).

Sandy Longhorn said...

Kristin, congrats on finishing the year. I'll sens all my writing vibes your way.

Sandy Longhorn said...

Marie posted this comment yesterday and it got hung up in blogger limbo:


The "You have the coolest titles" comment goes double for this one!

In any case, big thanks, Marie!

Jessie Carty said...

I tend to just keep writing in my journal but I really like this idea of starting it on paper and then moving to the computer before revision. Hmmmm


You got me thinking!

Sandy Longhorn said...

Hey, Jessie, glad I got you thinking. Whatever works for you!