Reading, Writing, and Self-care in strange times.
The kids are (finally) asleep. The family, the healthy food, the shifting, migrating career, school, and simply staying sane. You’ve done the impossible. Again. It’s time to stop being superhuman and have some me-time.
And for those of us who live and breathe stories and adventures of the written word? For those of us who write, read and find refuge in our languages? Well, there are few things more soothing than getting lost in a book. Or in a story you are writing. . .
Something small, something informal. Something just for you. It hardly matters. What matters is the way you feel when the world stops and it’s just you and your creation.
And one of my favorite writing techniques is the incredibly simple (and yet so wonderful) one-line poem. Especially, one-line ‘found’ poems.
What’s a one-line poem and how can you ‘find’ one?
A one-line poem is just what it sounds like:
Take one sentence,
play with it,
snip out extra words,
add juicy little details from real life,
play with the line breaks until a poem emerges.
Here’s an example of a one-line poem I wrote from a line I loved in a book…
I remember
holding my first
when he was a baby, how happy
he was a white basket, fresh
rice cakes on New Year’s —
soft as warm
dough.— One-line poetry adapted from a line from the novel Pachinko by Min Jin Lee.
One-line poetry: you can do this.
One-line poetry is such a soothing and relaxing ritual. And yes, as life often has it, a habit that’s good for your life? Is also good for your writing.
What I love about this habit? It’s one line. One.
You can do it. You can do it tired or scared or in the face of uncertain times. And because you really can do it? It has the power to turn into habit.
The tiny, beautiful rituals that change us as writers (and people) forever.
Why found poetry is great for your writing...in any language.
So many of us here write, read, live and love in more than one language. We may be more comfortable in some of them...less so in others.
It is a quick and lovely way to plunge yourself into language and then take all of those beautiful words you’ve been reading and relishing...and see that you can use them too.
Sometimes, I write in French just because the words seize me and I want to. A poem comes, it happens to be in French...there it is.
But when I write a ‘found poem’ in French? I push myself into uncharted new territory.
And if you try this in your native language with writing you find astounding, or beautiful, or otherwise breathtaking? You will push yourself into new territory there as well.
Isn’t that what writing is? The quest to always see and find something new in your words? Whatever language you are using?
Where to look for one-line poems?
In any and every book you are reading (like the example above). This has become such a habit of mine that I often spot poetry in novels, non-fiction.
And once you see poetry? You never stop seeing it. Poetry is everywhere…(Psst. Think you only like writing prose? If you blog or write online, there is something beautiful about knowing when to stop an idea, when to break a line…when to leave out a word, or add a delicious detail.)
In the paper. You’re probably reading the news a lot lately. I know I am. But here is a chance to look into the stories and find beauty, forge meaning. How do you think your writing would change if you did that? How do you think you would change?
Here’s one I wrote on Sands from the Sahara from a newspaper article in French.
In your own words. In your journal or on your blog. One of my favorite writing habits? Going back over my own writing from time to time. You’ll find things in there you can’t even believe you wrote. And then? You can play with your words until they are poetry.
If you write a found poem? Be sure to link back to the reading that inspired you.
You don’t have to publish your work, but if you do, be sure to credit the source you are citing and link back to it. You are basically quoting someone else’s work. So just make that clear, share your process, and give credit where credit is due.
In fact, you might be helping someone discover a great book, story, or author you’ve just read...
Is writing something that gets you through?
I’d love to hear your favorite, go-to writing or reading habit. Tell me all about it in the comments.
And if you’d like to stay in touch (and get started with a free creative journaling prompt) you can sign up for the newsletter here.
And if you’re interested in more creative ways to keep your words flowing and use your reading as inspiration for your writing, check out my piece on Blackout and Collage.
Photo Credit: Ksenia Makagonova on Unsplash