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"The tremendous fun
of writing in rhyme
is reeling in
whatever it is you've caught
and being surprised by it.
If you're lucky,
you just keep landing
one line after another,
like a fisherman
stacking up his limit.
When things go swimmingly,
a sleek idea
will come thrashing up to the surface
right there and then,
while you write."
~ X.J. Kennedy,
in The Place My Words are Looking For
I love the imagery in this quote, reeling in a poem like a fish. I understand what Kennedy means, too -- sometimes when I'm in the mood to write poetry, the ideas and lines just keep coming, one right after the other, and it's such a surprise. Other times, I cast my line, eager to catch something, but end up waiting... and waiting... and waiting for a nibble. If I'm very patient -- and lucky -- a poem just might strike.
I do like this poem even though I am not a writer.:)
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