Poetry inspiration: a running entry of my thoughts

A poem sometimes comes through with a clear passage from start to finish, requiring little thought or effort. As was the case with my book about grief, Part of Everything. To sound cliche, it seemed to write itself through me.

But more often, snippets sneak into my mind. Or an item catches my attention. Or I notice something I've not noticed before, or that is fleeting. An abstract philosophical connection. A plant. A beautiful bee or bug. A strangeness. Sometimes an entire building!

It's embarrassingly true. Left to my own devices I regularly walk around in my brain, not my body. I'm too busy looking inward to observe (much of) out there.

If I miss catching these clouds of inspiration, they will float away. Lost forever. So, I take notes on my phone or write them on a pad (or napkin, receipt, crumbled piece of paper, or whatever's handy). I snap photos or videos. I record audio.

This isn't about writing "good" poetry. It's about capturing a potential interest or muse and keeping my poetic mind at play.

Some of what you read in this "in process" category might strike you as awful. Wonderful! There may be a single verse that doesn't develop any friends. I'll possibly enjoy the exploration of a word. You could even wonder if my mind is sane at all. (It's a good question!)

But this is my process. One I'm happy to share. Because when I'm asked, "How can I start writing poetry?" or "How to get poetry inspiration," there is no single correct answer. We each create ways to collect (to trap) inspiration for future use.

I often find that the future is almost immediate because when the moment flows, I want to ride that wave. But not always. And everyone is different.

Whether my weird ramblings, images, and videos inspire you to write for yourself (which I hope they do) or simply give you a peek into the curious brain of a writer and poet, I'm glad you're here.

Let's explore together!