Stories From People From The City
A few notes on my writings here on The Reflectionist including articles and poetry
Photo of Dublin City by Diogo Palhais on Unsplash
A few notes on my writings here on The Reflectionist including future plans for articles, poetry & hard copy books
Poetry
My poetry is scattered all over the shop. It’s here on Medium on various publications. It’s on my personal website, and it’s in a Google app called Keep. It’s handwritten in my journal, and some of it sits in draft form in various places waiting to be published.
I don’t like that it’s scattered. It’s ok to sit in my journal, handwritten, waiting so see the light of day, because that’s where first drafts live. But soon as I’m happy with the message the poem tries to convey, then it should move online to a single comprehensive place.
The alternative is that I continue to offer the various pieces I’ve worked on to other platforms, the curators of which then run their rule over them. Measuring with their keen eye, casting aspersions on my work, and if it doesn’t fit their criteria — sorry, can’t publish this — too much bad language, or not poetic enough.
Or perhaps I don’t get a response at all. The poem just sits there, in limbo, with no home.
So over the next few days, I’ll be gathering all my poetry (there’s not too much of it, to be honest) in a single place here on The Reflectionist. When I reach a certain quantity, I’ll be publishing in hard copy under the title Stories From People From The City which I’ll let you know about here on Medium.
I would not have regarded myself as a poet. I have always found poetry to be pretentious, somewhat self-indulgent and scripted, and I had no intention of producing that kind of stuff. I just don’t get most of what I read. Maybe I’m reading the wrong kind of poetry!
In school, we read poetry — Bill Shakespeare, shall I compare thee to a summer’s day…? What a load of oul bollocks.
Sorry, I just don’t get it. And why should I? I am so far removed from the language and the culture of 16th Century England it sounds alien to me.
I never studied poetry or attended poetry workshops. Maybe I could learn something if I did. But then again, that would dilute the authenticity of it as far as I am concerned. I recently wrote a short piece on that fact.
Poetry is a means of expression, a shorthand roundabout way of saying something that can’t be otherwise stated. Well, it can be said, but for some reason, the human animal is better equipped to digest a message that is said without saying it. It’s almost better to say it in negative terms that to say it outright.
So anyway, new sharp, meaningful verses coming your way soon. Check here regularly or subscribe have them sent to your email inbox.
Articles
A short and sweet message regarding The Reflectionist articles. I plan to compile them into book form soon. The Reflectionist: Book One. Keep an earball out for that.
Thanks for taking the time to read my stuff. Every morning you’ll find me sharing a new thought on life, art, work, creativity, the self and the nature of reality on The Reflectionist. I also write on The Creative Mind. If you like what I’m creating, join my email list to receive the weekly Sunday Letters