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compost, creative writing, creativity, gratitude, imagination, joy, nature, soul food, spring, well, well being, writing prompt, writing workshop
“The aspiring poet is constantly lowering a bucket only half way down a well. coming up time and again with nothing but empty air. The frustration is immense. But you must keep doing it anyway. After many years of practice, the chain draws unexpectedly tight, and you have dipped into the waters that will continue to entice you back. You’ll have broken the skin on the pool of yourself.”
– SEAMUS HEANEY
Welcome to this regular slot each Wednesday, which I call Writers’ Well because: it’s intended to be a source of nourishment and inspiration for the writer in you, it expresses my belief that creative writing can benefit our well being on many levels, and…I love the above quote from Seamus Heaney. It gives me goosebumps every time. It also resonates with my own intention when leading writing workshops. It’s not about producing good writing, it’s about brave, real writing. Writing that goes down deep within to draw up something unexpected.
Writing Prompt:
Each week, I share one of the writing prompts used the previous Friday in my weekly workshop, along with an example of what was written in response. Today’s prompt (allow about 15 mins total) is…A Poem about Spring
Begin by making a list, speedily and spontaneously, of about 10 things you associate with Spring. If you’re doing it in a group, you can pass your list round to the right after each item and add to each others so you get some creative cross pollination of imaginative ideas.
Here is what I wrote:
The air is full of it
sounds, sights, smells
the very taste of life’s joy
rising, flying, singing itself back
through brave green shoots
and fluffy white lambs
playing with a land
that is waking up
***
Feeling tender
yearning to grow
stretching my spirit
beyond the known
for life force itself
holds no guarantees
other than expressing itself
through trees dressing up
in new season’s leaves
it can’t hold on, hold back
press pause on rebirth
only celebrate the cycle
that turns with the earth
so dance barefoot
on sun warmed grass
and drink in the extra
warmth and light
to give spring
a worthy welcome
What does Spring mean to you?
If you enjoyed this prompt, then you can find more here:
and here:
https://wordsthatserve.wordpress.com/writing-prompts-the-elements/
Nice! And just so you know, it’s 25 days, 19 hours, 51 minutes, and 7 seconds till Spring!!!
LOL – thanks for that! I know I’m not the most patient person, but just thought writing about Spring with love and joy might, you know, chivvy her on a little bit 😉 How long is it now? Are we nearly there yet….. ??? Blessings dear friend, H xxxx
The quote is spot on. Keep dipping into the well, ever deeper.
It really is isn’t it. Thank you 🙂 I shall indeed endeavor to do so. Blessings, Harula x
I love how you can create so spontaneously Harula. Spring means flowers, growth, opening, joy and the celebration of life! 🙂
Thank you Brad! For me spontaneity is the life blood of creativity 🙂 Wishing you bundles of beautiful blooms, graceful growth, jubilant joy and the cultivation of celebration for all that life brings… Blessings, Harula xxx
To creativity and growth…
Creative cross pollination – love the idea and the phrase you made up here. I try to keep Spring in my heart – and my writing – every day. Sometimes the darkness of winter creeps in. Then I sit and breathe in, breathe out, and smell the newly sprung flowers. 🙂
Your poetry always evokes the freshness and joy of spring.
Breathe in. Breathe out. I keep coming back to that at the moment. The breath and the time and the presence focused attention on it can give is available to me always. As to the spring in my poetry – what a sweet thing to say! Thank you 🙂 Love n hugs, Harula x