mise en place for writing?

It’s a grey day,

here,

in the city.

I finished,

Anne Lamott’s,

book, Bird by Bird,

yesterday.

It is a special book,

I promised,

it to someone,

but,

I hesitate,

to part with it,

so soon.

It has made,

me think,

it has brought me,

joy and insight,

I recommend it highly.

So many parts,

rang true,

spoke to me.

I believe,

it will speak to anyone,

who writes,

aspires to,

or,

even,

reads.

Lamott writes it,

more clearly,

I think,

than I,

can say it,

    There are lots of us, some published, some not, who think the literary life is the loveliest one possible, this life of reading and writing and corresponding. We think this life is nearly ideal. It is spiritually invigorating, says a friend, who converted at eighteen from Christianity to poetry. It is intellectually quickening. One can find in writing a perfect focus for life. It offers challenges and delight and agony and commitment.

I know,

it’s silly,

and,

perhaps,

even,

a little,

pathetic,

that,

the words of,

 a perfect stranger,

somehow,

validate?

illuminate?

elucidate?

your wandering,

meandering,

path.

As if she is saying,

BB,

don’t worry,

about,

spending,

your life reading,

and,

and seeking,

it’s all,

mise en place,

for writing,

at least,

I hope that’s,

what she’s,

saying:-)

Later girls,

BB

Author: Bookish Butch

I am a bookish butch in my mid early fifties. I live in Montréal and always have. I used to run a small used bookstore. Reading keeps me sane. My latest jiggie is photography, book project in the works, living the dream

2 thoughts on “mise en place for writing?”

  1. Speaking of agony and commitment, in another book about writing, Annie Dillard says (quoting from memory) “No one would say that a day spend writing is a good day, but a life spend writing is a good life.” I think Dillard exaggerates a bit, because I have had some good writing days, along with many bad ones, but she has it about right. Writing is hard work, and it can be tedious and frustrating, but in the end there is no deeper satisfaction than discovering what one thinks about something by getting it down into accurate, vivid words.

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