Abstact Art with Rhythm: The Poet is a Dancer

My writing is a slow process, you could say infinitely slow. That's because everything is always a work in progress, without exception. I'm a perfectionist who likes to nit-pick, contemplate the placement of each and every comma. To me a piece of writing is a work of art, each word or punctuation a stroke of the brush. When faced with the enormous pallet that is the English language, it's difficult for me to select the right combination of words to create just the right tone and accurately depict the concept in my mind. Sometimes those concepts are too abstract for even me to grasp. Sometimes, especially if I'm overly excited about a project, I get far too wordy and repetitive and need to thin it out considerably. I'm jealous of creative geniuses who can spontaneously speak or write, succinctly conveying their message in one beautiful, deft stroke. My writing takes time and effort, lots of both.

I need time to set it down and walk away from it. I always come back to it with new perspective, sometimes hours later, sometimes years. I'm not afraid to jump in and make changes, even after the paint has dried. (Although I do keep all copies of my drafts because it outlines the progress of my writing skills.) Sometimes after multiple edits a piece gets jumbled and turns out worse. If that happens it's because it was never a strong work to begin with; there was no clear vision or sense of purpose. The great pieces evolve over time along with my writing skills as I chase perfection. None are perfect, but some are close, in my opinion. I'm sure others would disagree, but I love that. I love that people can read the same poem, as if looking at an abstract painting, each seeing something different. It's all subjective! Of course, most of my writing would be considered more representative than abstract, but I love the metaphor.

Besides the visual and emotional, I also love the rhythmic aspect to the written word. Music is as much a part of me as my own skin. I can't read well-written poetry or prose without feeling its rhythm in my chest. Each author has a unique style of flow, each piece its own beat, captured forever on the pulsing page.