I was reading through some of my old journals last week when I was looking for more info and ideas for my novel, and I came across my old poetry journal.
Back when I was a senior at St. Edward's, me and some friends would meet at the top of the parking garage at midnight on Wednesday nights for our Guerrilla Poetry group. We weren't an official club, we didn't advertise, and we didn't critique. We just brought something we'd written each week and shared with one another.
The best thing about the group was that it got me writing. I filled up an entire moleskine journal with poetry that year, and looking back at it, some of it wasn't half bad. I've always felt very private about my poetry, because I use it to express my ideas and thoughts that are not eloquent, or popular, or acceptable. Ideas and secrets that I would be embarassed or ashamed of making public. I feel that poetry should work like music--evoke strong emotions and reactions, but they have the harder job of doing so without any accompaniment. My favorite poet, Marge Piercy, is great at doing that.
As I brutally edit my novel and get caught up in the daily grind of caring for a baby, I've gotten out of the habit of writing every day. I think that poetry may be the best solution to getting creative without leaving the "world" of my novel. Even if it never sees the light of day, poetry is an exercise for the mind, heart, and soul that I think I sorely need.
Anyone have any suggestions of poets I should read?
