as I was
putting
the words on paper
they didn't feel like
my words.
Something or someone
was dictating in my head
what they
wanted said.
I complied without questioning
at the time.
The voice said,
"stop being sorry
for every breath
you take.
be who you are.
no shame.
no regret.
shine from inside
and believe
you are good.
live right for you."
After much
consideration and
contemplation,
I believe I will.
8 comments:
I like this one
Not that you need my opinion.
Joe, I always value your opinion. Thank you.
The voice. I've heard it. Reminded me muchly of Richard McKenna, a real China sailor pre-WWII who wrote one novel, The Sand Pebbles, but did not live to see the movie come out, dammit, once wrote about his writing process. He had developed a "little man" who kinda took over his work, directed it, directed him. Or perhaps just discovered the little man in his subconscious. Maybe worth looking it up. It's a bit of a hike to drill down through it but maybe worth it. Helps to be a McKenna freak; you may not like it; that's OK. "be who you are" and etc.
https://pulpflakes.com/blog/2024/01/richard-mckenna-how-to-become-a-professional-writer/
Will definitely look this up after today's appts.
Thank you, Www. I've seen the movie, didn't know about the book.
I read it. Quite the interesting man. I like his explanation of 'the little man' in his head helping with his writing.
When I saw the photo of him I did a double-take. Thought I was seeing Truman Capote!
Www, you must be a man of many interests. Very accomplished. Highly educated.
Thank you for spending time here.
The Sand Pebbles is one of my favorite movies and I loved the book.
The writing process he described akin to what I experienced when trying to write. Some days the words flowed of their own volition. Others, not so much.
But you kept at it and made it work very well.
We lost him far too soon. The Naval Institute Press edition of The Sand Pebbles is the one to get, if you can find it, because it has an excellent biography of the man. He also wrote a number of short stories and essays about service life that were quite good and are out there, and there is a good biography, The Sailor's Homer written by another sailor. Now as far as being "accomplished and educated" thanks but that would be fraudulent of me to claim, really. I just tend to obsess on those things that interest me.
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