You cannot force a poem that wants to sway across the page to walk in a straight line.
I love this! I found it during one of my random internet searches on something I can no longer recall. It was said in an interview by one poet, Alan Finlay talking to another poet, Gary Cummiskey. I love the way I can picture these words sashaying across the page while the poet tries to shepherd them into rows! I spend a lot of time trying to control my writing, trying to control my thinking, trying to control my life. Sometimes I take a few steps forward and then one massive one back. Sometimes I have no idea where I am headed. Sometimes I think I am taking a long time to reach any destination. Maybe just for today I will practise accepting that it's OK to live in zigzags. Because life is not that straightforward.
Below is my favourite Gary Cummiskey poem and to me it relates to living in zigzags because what is the dream? What is it we are trying to achieve? Why are some people clearer about where they're going and is that a good thing? Personally, I'm a little more zigzaggy in my approach.
The poem:
I’m so glad to hear you’ve finally managed your dream:
a husband
a house
a baby girl
in fact, all that you’d ever asked for!
And me?
Well...me...
Ach, well I
still stand
in the
garden
at midnight
trying to
eat
the stars
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