voices, I think I hear voices who is that oh its just me my still small voice my voice, starting to sound distant maybe I’ll just keep knocking hoping against hope that I open the door but wait, no one there move along, nothing to see that still small voice chasing me away saying be quiet I cannot hear no solace walls close in horizon stretches far away contact, contact yes, a human touch oh, its just me
© 2016 Michael D Emmerich
My father would have been 82 today, but sadly he passed away 3 years ago. I still miss him, and have been thinking about him a lot of late. Was lying awake during the night thinking of my father. The loss of a parent who was dearly loved leaves a pain that always lingers.
fathers are refuge from the storms of life when that safe port passes on when the lighthouse fades all that is left are the memories memories never fade they are never forgotten or passed over they remain memories shine through the mists of time even when the lights fade and no one lives there they remain constant, eternal not ethereal these remain, never forgotten what was once real is now no longer the reminders of your love do not fade they remain through the years we walked different paths they diverged and merged over the years at the end they had become one constant reminders of our togetherness unconditional love learnt remains
© 2016 Michael D Emmerich
A mix of thoughts, questions and ideas; analysing what and how we troll the depths of our creative wells. What inspires me (or you dear reader, for that matter) to be drawn to pen what I pen. Of late, these thoughts have been spinning through the dark passages of my mind. Then I had an epiphany…. which has lead me to pen this article on where and how I draw from my well of inspiration.
The one thing I do know, that for me to tap my inspiration I need to be on an emotional high or low. I cannot just be bumbling along, on an even keel. I get ideas and thoughts regardless of my emotional state, but I can only act on them when my emotions are out of alignment. Hence I at times have to drag myself into a thoughtful, dark place to take the ideas in my head or notebooks, and then translate them into words on paper. The easiest way for to do this is via music, I have a few artists whose lyrics have the best effect on me, they drag me into a thoughtful emotive state to best translate my thoughts to paper. There are some songs on depressing subjects out of which I have written emotive, and even positive or romantic poems. That will keep some “shrinks”happy for hours or even the subject of an interesting article for “Psychology Today” 🙂 My wife is relieved to hear that I do not have to be physically depressed to draw my thoughts out 🙂
I do know that reading and music are very useful triggers for me to draw deep from the well; both of need to be on the dark side, for me to accurately tap my creative well. Reading the First World War Poets; notably Owen and Sasson, and some of the classical Poets; Milton, Blake, Elliot and Chaucer (although he is more humorous than dark). Musically the lyrics of Dylan and Springsteen are best or the harmonious sounds of Pink Floyd ELP and Ulver – http://www.jester-records.com/ulver/ulver.html (especially there their album: THEMES FROM WILLIAM BLAKE’S THE MARRIAGE OF HEAVEN AND HELL). These are my main sources of flitting on the edges of deep dark thoughtful emotions. My wife has an interesting take on my mindset, she feels I thrive on or need angst in my life… not entirely convinced on that front yet … 🙂 but she does have a point ….
The whole subject of creativity and depression is well documented over the years, with many interesting articles written on the great painters, composers and writers. So far be it from me to expound to much further or bore you with details of the great ones. I do want to share a few very interesting articles I found on one of my favourite websites; if you have not visited Maria’s site please pop over to: https://www.brainpickings.org/ and follow her on twitter: @brainpickings
Lou Andreas-Salomé, the First Woman Psychoanalyst, on Depression and Creativity in Letters to Rilke
“A great deal of poetic work has arisen from various despairs.”
https://www.brainpickings.org/2016/05/12/lou-andreas-salome-creative-block-rilke/
Alison Bechdel on Writing, Therapy, Self-Doubt, and How the Messiness of Life Feeds the Creative Conscience
“It’s by writing… by stepping back a bit from the real thing to look at it, that we are most present.”
https://www.brainpickings.org/?s=alison+bechdel
Probability Theory Pioneer Mark Kac on the Duality of the Creative Life, the Singular Enchantment of Mathematics, and the Two Types of Geniuses
“Creative people live in two worlds. One is the ordinary world which they share with others and in which they are not in any special way set apart from their fellow men. The other is private and it is in this world that the creative acts take place.”
https://www.brainpickings.org/?s=Mark+Kac
I have taken a break from formal writing for the past week or two, and have been focussing on catching up on reading (all sorts of stuff; poems, fiction, non-fiction). I have also been ordering all my writing prompts and ideas – poems, fiction and professional. The ideas are still flowing, just been writing them up in my ideas book, to regurgitate at a later date (need to get index cards and sort my ideas – finished and unfinished, my book is getting way to busy).
Took out my sketch pads a week back and am working on a few rough drafts, drawing the mental images that flit in and out of my mind – scary stuff that. Who knows maybe I will be brave and post my “finished” bits and pieces.
Oh well back to my day job – for awhile – hope to have some work finished to load over this coming weekend. Thanks for all the support, comments and followers, much appreciated; lets stay inspired and keep writing!
Umberto Eco: “To survive you must tell stories”
My goal is to have about 50 poems by year end and then publish the best in an anthology with a short back story to the history/journey it took me to write the poem, and what/where or how I was inspired. Some of them are deeply personal, others are from my past and some are just diatribes about life, the world and all the shit going down . It is amazing how writing in different styles stretches my mind and also how some poems just fly out in machine gun staccato burst and others have to be dragged out over a day or two. Thanks for the feedback and I do hope you are enjoying taking this journey with me, I cant say its always fun, but the thoughts and inspiration sometimes take on their own life and just have to be written.
the battle of life rages on as it has since Cain killed Abel sides are picked weapons are chosen the games dictated by others has begun friends become enemies become friends battles are won and lost mountains are gained and valleys are lost lives are lost for inches and feet leaders spill the blood of others never of their kin or own living or dying in the trenches of life and war in the mix and mess of the trenches we all become equal blood mixes with the soil and the soul in the depths of the dark decisions made can be unmade enemies can become friends who is to say that this life is not precious who can be so bold as to let others suffer for an ideal whilst they wallow in the comfort of their lies sides picked can be unpicked the enemy of my leader does not have to be my enemy decisions made on high can be undone on low when we look into the eyes of our enemy we see but ourselves staring back at us in pity and fear as we gaze into the thousand-yard stare let us see more than the abyss staring back at us as your thumb cocks the hammer as your finger squeezes the trigger as your fist pulls back as your knife is about to plunge first gaze into the mirror of his eyes to see yourself staring back the dignity of living must become the new normal enemies can become friends friends and enemies all long for the same to be able to die at a time and place that they have chosen not chosen for them through lies and deceit as a new day dawns young men should no longer fight the battles of the old men
© 2016 Michael D Emmerich
The sea at your feet The wind at your back The horizon in your grasp The weight of the world pressing you down TURN cast your cares aside reach to the future grab the horizon drag it towards you let the wind in your back drive you forward MOVE away from your past write your own future don’t repeat the history let it keep you moving forward FLY like the wind let your feet get wet with the troubles around you keep moving forward stop and you will sink ONWARD your future awaits do not fear the reaper at the rear for he waits for no one for today you fly and tomorrow lies in wait in eager anticipation it is yet to be written
© 2016 Michael D Emmerich
I just love books…. Have so many on my shelf still needing to be red
But I keep buying
Have files of Kindle books, and I also keep buying
It must be an addiction 🙂
I so love the smell of new and old books, love turning the page
Its kinda exciting and old school
The Kindle is more practical when I travel
But I still travel with books, nothing beats having a book on your bedside table
I think it makes me think of home, or maybe brings home to my destination
What are your thoughts and preferences?
Kindle books? (iPad or Kindle?)
Books? (hard cover versus soft cover?)
And do you buy large hard cover coffee table books?
I do … love turning the pages of those large hard covers
welcome back my friends to the show that never ends the curve of your neck the sound of your name the arch of your back and hints of flesh the beat of your heart, the seduction arcade the red of your heartbeat the smell of the sheets imprints in the bed footprints in the sand the beat of your heart, the seduction arcade whispers in the air the touch of your tongue the heat of your skin silk in your hair the beat of your heart, the seduction arcade water on your skin lace across your body leather and feathers the textures arouse the beat of your heart, the seduction arcade the colours of lust the setting sun the eclipse of your heart and tears on your cheeks the beat of your heart, the seduction arcade the rise of your breasts the mist of your breath like mist on the moors it doesn't have to make sense still you turn me on the beat of your heart, continues the seduction arcade
© 2016 Michael D Emmerich
imagine if you will that your life lies before you your future beckons calling you from the future the authors pen is poised the story must be written stories come to life the pen starts to trace its path the paper is clear and uncharted the writer is yet to discover the number of pages or how much ink is required JUST BELIEVE the journey must begin the pen starts its journey scratching out a path the pages fill up with ink, smudges, corrections some chapters are rewritten the story must be told it is a relentless plot twisting and turning across uncharted pages JUST BELIEVE you are both writer and chief protagonist you are the master of both its content .... and it's ending STILL BELIEVING
© 2016 Michael D Emmerich
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