I was asked when I started writing seriously. I have to
confess it was long ago. I was six and had just learned how to form the
letters. I wanted to be a poet, so I wrote:
THE FLOWER
The flower grows and grows
And so it goes.
Something like that, for it was in Hebrew, my native tongue.
I think it’s improved a bit in translation.
My parents had a close friend who was a more or less famous
poet. Well, at least he was published and we had his books. So when I heard he
was coming for a visit, I sat with my notebook in front of the door, waiting
for him, so I could show him my poetry.
The published poet gave my poems serious consideration. It
exceeded the consideration I have gotten from most slush piles since. But the
verdict was the same. In fact, he went one further. “I don’t think you should
be a poet,” he said.
And this is my excuse for rarely writing poetry. But he
didn’t say anything about writing stories, so I continued to write those for
many years. I did this until I reached that strange age, the age where nothing
you do seems good enough. Then I stopped.
But time didn’t stop, and finally I reached another age,
where getting anything done seems miraculous. I started writing again, and this
time I was thinking about sharing my writing with people I didn’t know
personally.
Writing for publication is a much more disciplined sort for
me. But in a way it connects all the way back to a six year old girl, sitting
on a door step, waiting for her reader.
16 comments:
Absolutely brilliant post. My favorite of the week. I must share this one on Twitter and FB.
Thank you, Karen. You just made my day.
What?! How could this poet say that to a little girl? For shame!
I love that you still have your poem. And it sounds pretty good to me!
I loved storytelling when I was little, and I'd make up all sorts of adventures. As for writing, not so much. Sometimes I'd start to write the stories down, but got easily bored. I wish I had had an adult push me to write more at a young age.
I always admire people who knew what they would be when they were little, and follow their dreams. I don't think adults realize how seriously kids take their words. I imagine many a dream has been squashed by some thoughtless remark.
As for me, the dream began when I was 12 and I read Adventures in Two Worlds by A.J. Cronin. I wanted to be just like him -- country doctor turned writer. I always thought I'd be grandmother before I started writing (one has to live first, you know) but it was my children that led me to the page (about ten years ago). Funny how life works out.
Vijaya
What a lovely post. And a good reminder of just how powerful words can be.
A darned good poem to my way of thinking. I'm still a girl too (in my head, of course) writing and waiting and hoping someone will walk down the street, stop and ask, "May I read your story?"
I love your poem, Mirka. It's both explicit and enigmatic. It's no longer than it should be.
Mirka, it was fun to read how you became a writer! And I'm amazed you still have that poem from your childhood! Very cute. In fact, my son wrote his own poem today in about 2 minutes! I was flabbergasted!
Touching story Mirka. You were a poet and still are!
I like that poem! I see a commentary on how simple things just continue, day after day, year after year. That's pretty profound at age 6. I remember wanting to write at a similar age, picking up a pen with a particularly pretty shade of blue ink, but not knowing what to put down. You did good!@
^Removed for re-phrasing^
Mighty Mackerel! My poem is getting favorable reviews… And now it’s published too.
I wrote tons of poetry as a kid and was actively encouraged by family friends and relatives. Looking at the utter slop I churned out, I often feel they'd have done me a good turn telling me to STOP. But I agree with others: your family's poet friend should have known better. I don't think there's any such thing as a poet who is letter perfect from the word go.
This is just beautiful. I'm glad that little girl found writing and that you found that little girl again.
I'm late coming to your post, but that doesn't change my delight in getting to read it. I like your poem. It's beautiful in its simplicity. And I'm glad you became a writer. You find wonderful things to say and wonderful ways to say them.
At the age of six you learned how to form the letters, great poem just keep on writing..
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