I tend to write my stories on the fly
with wind and rain and potholes to avoid.
I wrestle with my words; I tumble them
like pebbles, hoping something will emerge:
a thing worth saving. Sometimes it’s just dust—
the slag and shavings of my scattered mind.
But sometimes I find gemstones, treasures worth
their weight in words, and lacking paper, left
without a pen, I memorize their shapes.
I trace each curve, each corner with my tongue,
and only when I stop I write them down.
A little blank verse for the yeah write poetry slam.
Christine Hanolsy 
YES! This is exactly how it feels to be showering or driving or pretending to listen in a meeting while I am writing inside my head.
Loved every word.
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🙂 I figured a lot of folks would be able to relate to this!
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I know the feeling. I have a super long commute right now, and sometimes I’ll get an idea and I’ll still have an hour till I get home to write it. Nothing worse than getting a great idea and then losing it before you can write it down…
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In some ways I’m thankful my bike ride is only 20 minutes – while it’s the only real “me” time I get, if it were much longer I’d completely forget everything by the time I parked.
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I like this poem a lot. I love the idea of tumbling words like pebbles. Very evocative and well written.
I write my poems the same way. Sometimes I record an audio note so that I can remember the words for later.
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I keep thinking about audio notes but I hate the sound of my own voice!
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I’m not a huge fan either, but it does help to get things down. And gives you the bonus of hearing things aloud, which helps me sometimes.
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I love the metaphor–pebbles, dust, gems. I often find that the gems in my brain turn out to be plain rocks when I write them down–I don’t think you have that problem!
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oh, love this. esp the lines, “i memorize their shapes… i trace each curve…’
when i took public transportation, i too lingered over words in my mind, or sometimes scribbled in my journal upon a crowded train. now i have to drive (ugh) and i can’t compose the words as well when i have to pay attention to blind spots and stoplights.
always enjoy your writing christine. =)
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I should send you a little pocket journal that says “Live in the Moment” so those words don’t become worry stones. 😉
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Ha! 🙂 Funny, I have a whole pile of those little pocket journals. Trouble is, it’s hard to write in them on my bicycle!
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I sing them to myself, as well. I love this, Christine.
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Thanks, De! I was so excited to see you here, by the way!
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Awww. Thanks. Good to be back. This week, at least. 😉
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(At yeah write, I mean!)
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I really enjoyed this poem. My problem is that I always find good things to say – don’t have a pen – and have a terrible memory.
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I seriously repeat lines over and over while I’m riding my bike. It’s the only way I can manage.
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Used to be good at that but now have little ones that break any train of thought
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Ha! My bike commute is the only peace I get from my own little ones. 20 minutes each way, every day. All my writing starts there.
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Guess should dust of my bike
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