Writing on the Double

#OctPoWriMo Day 23

The challenge suddenly appeared and I wasn’t expecting a moment of inspiration, but…

My reaction to a challenge like this is less physiological and more psychological.

First, I thought: “Can I do this?”

In their blog posts, Morgan and Jordan have encouraged us to write one poem a day and not be hard on ourselves if we aren't writing everyday. I know I am a poet but am I really capable of that level of production? 

The answer is “yes”. I can produce at least one poem a day and have been doing it for a while.  Yes, they're mostly haikus. I have missed days and the directors of this project say I should "be gentle" with myself.

Being gentle with myself was very necessary with news of three deaths in as many days (and a fourth person receiving hospice care). But the poetic challenge I saw was to laugh (mid-month). #save4later

Because I didn't know about it, I was late to #OctPoWriMo, and though I am glad I found it, I’ve never done anything like it before. Well, OK, I do #GH4A but that is a much smaller and (excruciatingly) slower endeavor.

So, why can’t I keep up? I am a poetess and I do love words! I have a very encouraging set of accomplishments that keep me from shying away from an on-line poetry challenge where poets encourage and help one another grow. I love this kind of environment.

Am I alone in thinking every poem should be a masterpiece? Of the few I have posted, most have barely qualified as "pieces" (forget the mastery), and the entire internet has access to them!? I could just crawl under my desk and hide after re-reading some of my posted poems.

But, my palms aren't sweating. I know how to write poems and if I want to post them before the Linky Tools interface expires for any given challenge, I have to get to writing, on the double. These challenges are good for me and I know it. (I also know I will probably write for at least one of these challenges in December).

We were asked to record audio or video of our favorite challenge poem we’ve written so far in this month of poetry prompts and entertaining video examples. In response, my body doesn’t seem to be going through any changes as I consider how I will accomplish the task set before me. I’ve never posted audio or video of me reading my poetry before. How do I do that? After all, I know it can be done. 

I looked on my computer and found something called “Movie Maker”. It seems easy enough.  OK, I picked my poem “Autumn Good-bye Song” and wrote down what kind of images I will put with the audio of me reading the poem. And instead of just my voice for audio, I could record a track of music to play softly behind the poem. I have a plan. (hear this poem read by the poetess)

Since this will take more time than what I have today, I dusted off my Sound-Cloud account (yay, I remembered the password) and read the poem into an audio file to post with this blog.

My reaction to a challenge like this is less physiological and more psychological. First, I thought: “Can I do this?”  Then my mind started to answer the question. My last thought before writing (for 25 minutes and editing for another 15) is:

“I CAN DO THIS!”