A vertical line blinks on the screen. I tap keys. From nebulous thoughts, words spring. Sentences unfold. Entire lines, not quite right, ultimately go. I cut and add, rearrange and wait— for epiphany to illuminate.
On Writing
Published
Faith + Gratitude = Peace + Hope
When I was young my dad would always say, "Crystal, you can choose your attitude." One day I chose to believe him.
Faith + Gratitude = Peace + Hope 
A lot of truth in these lines! Great poem, Crystal!
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The waiting and the epiphany part is the hardest.
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it seemed right
away from said screen
and i know you get what i mean
then flash
gone and i m still john
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Easy come, easy go. Or maybe not quite that easy.
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ez go is. ez come not quite so much.
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Good poem! Writing is a pretty mysterious process. Often when I look at what I’ve written I wonder where it came from.
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Hi Neil! I agree about the mystery. Then there are those posts I sometimes reread and don’t remember writing at all.
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Beautifully said, Crystal. Don’t we all … wait! 😏
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I had other ideas for today’s post, but ideas take time, Jane. Happy Saturday!
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I can relate to this poem. It’s taken me two hours to write four hundred words.
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I had to verify. This one is 37 words.
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Oh, I could easily write 37 words in under an hour.😊
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Hello Crystal, Very nice. Write On! Jerry
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Hi Jerry! Thank you. ❤️ I’m trying.
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Beautiful poem!
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Thank you, Louisa! ❤️
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You’re highly welcome! 💞
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Beautifully said. Writing, in particular, is an exquisitely mysterious process; when I look at what I’ve written, my identity melts subtly into the page, almost as if it has been laid there all along. 🙂
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Thank you, Bernice. And a beautiful response! Almost as if our written words are preordained.
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I enjoyed this so much, Crystal. I am not a creative writer. My experiences are with professional writings as an educator and now book reviews. I am in awe of those who successfully write books, essays, and poems. Your poem is what the British call “brilliant”; the word fits well here. Have a great week!
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Hi Linda! Your thoughts mean a lot. I had a couple of posts on my mind that needed much more consideration, and this one sort of spilled out. I’m happy you liked it. This is my last full work week of 2022. Sounds great already. Enjoy yours, too!
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👏🎉🎄
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Patience, young Grasshopper.
Who would’ve credited Kung Fu reruns with instructing a generation? Guidance, at least, for the really important stuff, like writing.
Once, I imagined a stream-of-consciousness approach and jotted down thoughts as they emerged. It didn’t turn out very well. An instant Harper Lee I am not.
Instead, as you do, Crystal, “I cut and add, rearrange and wait.” Still, nowhere near Mozart in prose, but maybe little less jarring an assault on our language.
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Keith, you know me well! Here I am reminding myself that there’s no need to rush my writing for the sake of a post. After all, it’s not like I make money off this gig.
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Our blogs don’t drown us in Benjamins, Crystal?
Makes me wonder, then, who’s been sending $50K checks every Friday since June. All this time, I thought it was you.
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Wow! Not me, but go Keith go!
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A wonderful tribute to the love/labor of writing! Well done, Crystal. 🙂
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Thank you, Mark. Much appreciated!
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“…and wait…” Yes.
Your poem captures the writing process perfectly, Crystal. 💜
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Sometimes I write these things just to remind myself—waiting is the hard part.
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And sometimes epiphany is so darned late to arrive…
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Better late than never!
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Wow Crystal a very interesting and creative post. Describing writing so easily just like that, it is like staring at the laptop and awaiting to type on Word💻🙌🙌
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I appreciate that, Mthobisi! I stared at my screen for a while.
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Very interesting. Thanks Anita
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Hi Anita! Thank you.
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Yep!!!! Pretty much!!! Cheers! 💕
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And then those times you can’t quite make it to the screen. Salute! ✨
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Right?!! 🤣
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Really true.
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Thank you for sharing wonderful thoughts about writing!.. I just let my fingers do the walking and my heart do the talking… 🙂
Hope your path is paved with love and happiness and you and your family have the mostest wonderfulest holiday ever and until we meet again…
May the love that you give
Always return to you,
That family and friends are many
And always remain true,
May your mind only know peace
No suffering or strife,
May your heart only know love and happiness
On your journey through life.
(Larry “Dutch” Woller)
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The best writing is when the heart does the talking. Thank you, Larry!
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But when those nebulous thoughts come together and the cutting and re-arranging works and all starts to make sense . . . ahh, there’s nothing else like it. A kind of runner’s high that I’ve never been able to find somewhere else. A big reason why I still love writing so many years later. Thanks for putting that feeling into words.
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And thank you for adding this lovely conclusion.
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And that’s exactly how goes!
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Lots of staring and nitpicking!
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For sure!
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An inspiring look at a writer’s journey! I like the use of “epiphany” as well . . . it definitely finds home plate.
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And those epiphanies take patience. Thank you, Big Sky!
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Indeed!
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