What are the areas closest to your heart? What aspects of your life in general do you find yourself sharing in writing? Do you enjoy reading/writing personal essays? Who are some of your favorite essayists?
How do I answer this? I put a lot of myself in my poetry but I seldom reflect on what is going on with my life. Frankly, it is not to keep myself out of bounds but I think my life is too mundane to interest anyone other than myself. A lot of what goes on around me interests me. I feel strongly about many issues, say for one religion, or injustice, child abuse, women empowerment and such.
I write about those in my poetry. I also deal with any tension or my emotions by writing poetry about that, which at times tends to get dark. Without darkness, light has no meaning. I used to read personal essays. Mostly by J Krishnamuthy. It did good to my intellect but it also made snob out of me for a time being.
I discovered that intellectual stimulation can corrupt our mind, albeit in a different way. Now I only think of humanity being above everything else. That one word is my personal essay. Maybe I am not making much sense. Or maybe I am. What do you think?
21 comments:
"I also deal with any tension or my emotions by writing poetry about that, which at times tends to get dark."
I do the same thing, only instead of poetry, I write personal essays. The problem is, when tension is high or I'm in a bad place, the writing almost always goes dark. These are the ones I keep to myself and don't let others read.
Nice post!
of course you are making much sense. the questions you asked are very valid.
and it's ok to feel strongly abt certain issues, that's why u write poetry. :)
Poetry is a wonderful way to process the day to day happenings in our lives. I have struggled with writing poetry but do so appreciate reading it. Great post.
I don't consider myself an essayist. I wish I could write them.
So true, about without darkness light has no meaning. The nature of our physical reality is based on those opposites.
All great writers use their emotions to weild their craft.
I am still pondering your comment on intellectual stimulation corrupting our mind. Although I don't like it, I think you're on to something here. Pandora's box or the Garden of Eden story both reflect this idea... Are their such ideas in Hindu thought?
I enjoy reading personal essay, but not a too heavy diet of them.
You do so well at producing new thoughts in old readers...I was intriqued by the intellectual snobbism - nice work!!
You are definitely making a lot of sense! I'm not much of an essay reader; novels and poetry are my thing. Isn't that what's wonderful about the world? We can write or read whatever we want! Most of my poems are personal ones (even though my life is oh, so mundane!) but I enjoy reading other types as well.
hope you are well!
hugs
No matter what, it is the thinking and the asking which matters, not the arrivals and answers.
Your poetry so often speaks to the "sacred ordinary," the things that matter to your heart, and does it so beautifully.
interesting way of looking at it.
"What do you think?"
I tend not to!
Hi Gautami,
"I only think of humanity being above everything else."
Me speaking there...
But a main difference i feel between we two as I see it, from writings is:
You think of it.
I feel for it...
rest, it's all fine Gautami...
take care, too much thinking, as too much of feeling, can only do harm...
wishes!
devika
Humanity, the likeness of experience in some tiny way or great way, is what brings us together, especially in essay. Yes.
Simply sorting it out...writing helps us make stacks of our thoughts and arrange them on the shelves of our minds.
Interesting that you should write this now.
A blog about prayer:
http://torristravels.blogspot.com/2008/11/what-do-you-pray-for.html
b
Oh, I think you are making sense. In using poetry to express yourself, you ARE telling your story. Oh, it may not always be the biography -- but it expresses you. (And look at the one that you posted the day after this -- if that doesn't tell your story, I'm not sure what could.)
hmmm... i suppose i'll have to double think about what you're saying here... i can't agree with everything but you have certainly brought up some interestingpoints.
but - humanity being above all else? in what sense, gatami? i first understood it as humankind and felt a strong disagreement with the statement.
(sorry, i ramble)
Absolutely - your essay just takes a different form. And of course THE WAY YOU LOOK at life is interesting. What goes on around you is not the important part!! As someone else said, you are a poet more than essayist, and that is how you have "your say."
Lovely.
I guess every one finds ones own life quite mundane to the other things that go around.. But once you start writing it kinda makes you realise and dwell upon things you never gave importance to or noted before...
Post a Comment