Thrive Thursdays: Last Minute Right On Times

 

 

It is often "funny frustrating" to me how the creative process chooses to work, how and when it chooses to make you the "creator". As though the creative process takes on a life essence of its self and, not bothering to whisper, shouts loud and clear "You there! You are MY muse. Now it is time to have my way with you." This means rain or shine, 8:30 morning calls or burning the midnight oil...you are essentially the creative process's bitch. My what a whirlwind adventure that can be is!

 

I have had words brewing and mingling with the season's inspirations for a couple of days now. It was unclear whether they would present themselves as a poem or an essay of sorts. After the lazy day I had (thank you Hulu for helping me discover you have America's Next Top Model...a weak spot for me) I was left wondering what the heck is Thrive Thursday going to be about. Let's take honesty a step further...I was in tears. The creative process timing can be discouraging, but there is nothing like the words of your Mum and a humbling prayer "Lord give me words for thriving today," to turn things around.

As my tweet from post-Thrive stated "A walk in the woods demands a camera, flip-flops (a girls gotta be 1 w/ nature ;), note taking apparatus (ie phone w/ #Evernote) #prepared." When in doubt...take a walk on a beautiful Autumn day, camera in tow and let the moment take ahold of you. Remember the brewing words? How about a poem?!? A poem? How sweet. What poem would that be?*

Autumn Is

**

Autumn is

A hailing specimen from the halls of

Eric the Red, they call him blood

His might unquestioned

Festooned with a warrior's reapings

He is a crisp and bone depth nectar of his ancestors

 

Autumn is

A walking figure among the throngs

Of knowledge hungry Yale and Harvard minors

He is hidden there, silent and bidding

Donning fishermen sweaters and rimmed wisdom

Giant and unwavering as a tree

Fire branded roots and bearded fiercely

Perhaps a pirate, searching for earth's time, that he may bed her

Capturing, besting that which he would have always

 

Autumn is

A musk pervading the senses with his harvests

He is basking baked delight

A glowing presence in the window of a chilling breath

The shrill echoes of a child's memory

Weaving savvy, a sweet containment

 

Autumn is

Patient as he salvages

Kissing Summer's envy

The punching crunch heard on every corner

You must not forget him

 

Autumn is

Thin steel fingers mercifully cold

Bone chilling, larger than mine

His grounding is inducing

Beard trimmings littering the ground

Mementos left for finding

Piled high for leaps and bounds

His fire left to warm the rough comings

 

Autumn is

Soulless

Bit by bit shedding his soul

Sacrificing to an unrelenting earth

His heart it be not black, but a frenzied canopy of a red sire's offspring

The fire and flesh, the dying and the sleeping.

 

Autumn is my master.

 

 

Is it obvious I'm quite infatuated with Autumn? (insert wink)

Photography me got to have some fun too!

 

 

Thriving Moments: Letting the creative process take its good ole' sweet time. A poem and pictures.

Tweet with me. | Snap some shots. | Listen to the music. | Get to pinning | Up, Up and Plus

 

 

“I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”

~L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

 

 

Footnotes (who wants to knit me some socks?):

• *Matilda of course!
• **This is an original poem by ME, Maddie. Victory Dance
• Music - Liz Lawrence. You must listen to her music!

It Sung the Song of my heart....Music

(Note: I wrote this Saturday night, January 15, and am just now getting around to posting it....sorry)

It is easy, common place, to find your area of expertise in writing and stick to it. Branching out and embracing subjects that aren't necessarily your forte is the true challenge. At times I shrink away from these unfamiliar territories and other times I look forward to a new subject. I typically write about books and movies. I've written about music in the past and tried to sound as though I knew what I was talking about. I don't think it worked out too well for me. I'm up to trying again though.

Music has been on my mind lately. I've always liked it. Whether it be listening or dancing, it literally feels as though it flows through my veins. That is a great feeling. Music has long been about the beat, the sound, the feeling it gives me. My friend always would go on and on about this or that song having amazing lyrics. I would just look at her like she was smoking something. Sure I would sing along with the words, but paying close attention to what was actually being said wasn't important to me. Music after all is about the sound, right, not the words?

However, I have started to really listen and appreciate what is being said in the music I listen to. When you stop to process what is being sung you connect on a new level with the music. Certain songs you play more because now their lyrics touch on what you're feeling, what you're going through at that very moment. Some songs feel like they were written with my life situations in mind. I have a strong desire to claim them as my own, royalty check perhaps?

Stumbled across this gem about a month ago and I can't stop playing it. The song is simple, but it puts my feelings out there so much better than I could.

Sleepless by Until June
(excerpt)

Did you ever love someone
So much you couldn't bear the thought of losing them
Well I remember the sleepless nights
When I'd lie awake
If only I could tell you how I feel
....
Well I would walk around the earth
To have another chance with you
Spend the evening, painting thoughts of all you do
Well I remember the sleepless nights
When I'd lie awake
If only I could tell you how I feel

I'm already humming the song, pondering what it means to me.

When you gain this new perspective of music your ears are on constant alert. Listening, learning and even frightening yourself at times to what you never took the time to hear. A good beat is just that good, but we get too wrapped up with that, that the music continues to lose its flair (Hence the downward spiral of music today.) Words are powerful.

Safe to Say by Vanna
(excerpt)

I'll leave my heart there by your bedside
If you swear that your eyes won't stray
To be honest, I've been hoping
To find the words to say

I'll leave my heart there by your bedside
If you swear that your eyes won't stray
And honestly, honestly
I only let go for the sake of you

Ask anyone close to me, I abhor modern poetry. There is a yucky taste it leaves in my mouth, to say nothing about the writing style. "I can't like it." However, the more I listen, really listen, to music I realize that these musicians out there are the next wave of poets. I don't know if they know it, but they are.

A hundred years ago lovers would exchange verse with one another. They would even quote famous poets in letters or memorize lines to capture the attention of their lucky man or woman. What do we do today? Another friend told me recently she used to spend hours making mix tapes (CDs) for guys. These collections are work. Thoughts and heart are poured into what is being put out there for another person to hear. Yes you aren't the writer of these "modern poems," but you're putting a piece of you into it. The songs meant something to you and you're hoping and praying the lucky receiver realizes what it means. Wake up! The songs, music, lyrics are this generations whispered love poem.

If I'm James Dean, You're Audrey Hepburn by Sleeping with Sirens
(excerpt)

They say that love is forever
Your forever is all that I need
Please stay as long as you need
Can't promise that things won't be broken
But I swear that I will never leave
Please stay forever with me

I feel like there was more I wanted to say. It is late, after 12, and my mind is on shut down. I'm almost tempted to get online and gobble up some more lyrics. I am becoming a lyric junky and to make matters worse my iPod is full. I even discovered how to put lyrics on my iPod so I can read and listen. This may end up being bad just because it takes up space, but I can't help myself.

A quick playlist I've thrown together for this post (the lyrics are great of course):

- Mariella by Kate Nash
- These Walls by Trapt
- The Funeral by Band of Horses
- Jolene by Ray LaMontagne
- Rise & Fall by Carlotta
- Eyes on Fire by Blue Foundation
- Safe to Say by Vanna
- 9 Crimes by Damien Rice
- Innocent Tears by David Thornton
- CrushCrushCrush by Paramore
- Cough Syrup by Young the Giant
- Sleepless by Until June
- Winter Winds by Mumford & Sons
- Audience by Cold War Kids

Oh I could add so many more! :)

One last recommendation before I let you off to LISTEN to music. The Bible has beautiful poetry (and wisdom) all throughout. I have recently read the book of Ecclesiastes twice. It is becoming my favorite book of the Bible. I may even be reading it again soon. Read it, ponder some and be prepared for perhaps not the most encouraging read, but certainly thought provoking.

Ecclesiastes 7:29
This only have I found: God made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes.