When I was in college, I planned to be a poet. Oh, I knew I wouldn’t make a living at it, but I wanted to see my poetry published and to even have a book of poetry one day. I wrote and submitted and got a few things published. I took workshops and read my favorites and even did a reading or two.
Then God tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Now write a book. And make it about Me.” Um, what? Books are LONG. Poems are, well, short–manageable. But God, in they way He does such things, gave me a desire to write a book. So I did. Then I wrote another one. Now I’m writing the third. And poetry? I pretty much gave it up.
But now it’s occurring to me that I can do both. Some of my favorite authors do both and they do it really well. Ron Rash. Wendell Berry. So on September 8 I’m taking a poetry workshop with Fred Chappell–the former poet laureate of NC who has written novels and poetry. (He’s something of a literary giant and even if I didn’t want to rev up my poetry writing, this would be too good to pass up!)
I’ve also found that YOU, my blog readers, really seem to like the occasional poem. I’ve read a good bit about how blogs should have added value–something the readers can take away–interaction, advice, recommendations, news, etc. Seems like poetry might be my added value.