Getting Creative with a bit of Poetry

Firstly, on this wonderfully wet Sunday afternoon, I would like to welcome all you new subscribers to my Substack newsletter! And I would also like to extend my humblest gratitude to you all - I understand that what I write about may not be everyone’s cup of tea, or even a genre that any of you may have considered before, which I guess, makes me even more appreciative of this initial audience. So, thank you all!

Onto the actual purpose of this newsletter, and I must admit that I was bit stuck for what to write about this week. Whilst work has started on the new novel, it’s proving to be slow-going right now. In the future, I intend to be sharing updates and short stories to compliment the characters in my book, ‘Black Dog’, but until it is published, I don’t want to share too much! (I want you all to buy my book first!)

Writing is all about finding oneself in the right mindset, where the words just flow - although I did read somewhere, that ‘writer’s block’ is just a thing we say when we can’t really be bothered to write.

I see truth in that, however; sometimes the mind just doesn’t want to comply with the end goal - getting a chapter down onto paper!

So I thought, why not try something completely different? Hence, why I then thought; why not try out a random writing prompt generator? My writing companion, Autumn (you can follow her page too, on my recommended pages list), has mentioned using them before, so I went ahead and gave it a go.

The prompt that came out for me, courtesy of: https://thenarrativearc.org/writing-prompts, was as follows:

‘Write a poem about the feeling of a gentle breeze rustling through the leaves.’

Now, I haven’t written a poem since I was at school, studying English. And when I say studying, I actually mean, willing away the hours until home time. But I gave it a go, because the challenge intrigued me. It drew me in. And I was surprised to find myself thoroughly enjoying the journey that the words took me on.

So, to save me from waffling on any further, I shall just post what came out! Any feedback, or thoughts, would be humbly appreciated (or even, if anybody else would like to give the prompt a go, I would love to read!). This is my interpretation, but just, read on and see where the words take you personally:

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The wind catches sight of you, standing in the grove.

Bamboo standing tall, quietly it rustles.

Inviting me closer.

Summertime, the breeze is warm.

Leaves like paper, dried and curled with heat, carpeted at my feet.

And there you are, all eyes of wonder;

The leaves so green, the stems to thick!

The joy of it, such simple pleasures.

The urge is there, to pull you close.

Am I too one of your simple pleasures?

The warm air’s breath meanders past you, light hair catching in its path.

Between your fingers runs a stem,

A virginal leaf,

So fragile,

My heart, laying in your hand.

I’ll buy you one, if you wish, your own private source of entrancement?

To see that look in your eyes again?

Rippling fronds caress, elegant stalks they sway, the summer’s breeze passing on its way.

You turn to me, your soft eyes full;

My darling, my love, I share this moment with you.