"Onward and upward," I've heard said. Upward like this palm tree. Vertical aspiration. But there's a lot to be said for lateral growth. The Royal Poinciana tree grows laterally and blooms like mad. It's also called "Flame Tree."
This morning I got stuck working on a poem, walked away from the computer and lay down. I went lateral. Forgot about the poem, drifted into reverie, then the first couple of lines that had given me so much trouble sorted themselves out. I'm all for going prone.
What do you do when you're stuck? Tell me.
Hey Mim
ReplyDeleteI think the best thing when stuck is to walk away.
...the words will come.
Prone is good too! :)
(but walking away is not always easy.)
And I adore that flame tree.
Hi there, Nasim--
ReplyDeleteI agree: let go in one way or another, a form of trust, I think.
Yours for not forcing . . .
Mostly I make some black tea with a trace of lemon and clean the dishes.
ReplyDeletePlease have a good Thursday.
So down to earth, Robert!
ReplyDeleteLoved your post and as it happens I read something about that phenomenon yesterday in the paper.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/apr/06/neuroscience-bob-dylan-genius-creativity
I hope you enjoy it. It's all to do with our right side of the brain apparently! :-)
Greetings from London.
Yours for the right side, Cuban.
ReplyDeleteSometimes when I'm stuck I reread some volume of poetry that, for whatever reason, leaps to mind.
ReplyDeleteToday it was Akhmatova whose voice I longed to hear. I couldn't find that book anywhere, though, and thought of "to know we are living" which I picked up blind (as is the case with most of my books) for a few dollars at a used book store.
It served just as well, and I was more than a little surprised to see Akhmatova quoted there. Did some part of me remember that connection? Who can say...
At any rate, it feels so strange to me to find that you have a living presence on the internet, even though it's really the most normal thing in the world.
You may have done it almost 40 years ago, Mim, but thanks for getting me unstuck today.