Here I go, traveling again. First, a fun trip with a friend to Verona. A bit of a celebratory, empty nest sort of trip, an I-can-do-it-now-so-why-don’t-I kind of thing. Then after a few days home, I’m off to the States to visit family and go to Parents’ Weekend at Number 2 Son’s university. Needless to say, I’m looking forward to that most of all. But I’m also looking forward to seeing if any poems come out of all this travel. There is something about being dislocated that always makes me think poetically. Yes, I can write poetry sitting in my little office upstairs. But it all seems to come more easily, and perhaps more interestingly, when I’m on the road. I wonder if that’s true with anyone else. Regardless of what you write or draw or compose, do you find it easier if you are amid your usual surroundings or does being away somehow help to bring out something new? Or maybe it doesn’t matter at all. I’d love to hear your thoughts….
And speaking of thoughts and dislocation, here is a most spectacular thought by Samuel Beckett from his “Texts for Nothing”:
We spend our life trying to bring together in the same instant
a ray of sunshine and a free bench.
Happy searching.
Love the Beckett quote.
I think moving about, I write sitting here. I’m dead boring that way, sort of single minded. When I’m out and about I must be looking and doing and being out.
Enjoy your travelling, Sue!
I find being away from the familiar inspiring but I find it easier to commit my thoughts to paper once I’m back in the comfort of my own home sitting at my work area. I don’t know why that is….mind you….I recently visited a farm to spend a day drawing and I found that a really positive experience!! Maybe it has more to do with time….when I travel I rarely have time to sit and draw!!
Your trips sound wonderful…hope you have a fab time!!
C x
Enjoy both trips and say hello to the states for me.
I find I can write anywhere but I find I am more receptive to lightbulb moments when I am traveling…
lx
Years ago, I used to write in one place only. And it kind of worked, I think, because so far all of my stuff has come from me. Sounds egotistical that, sorry, it’s not meant to be, but I’m not writing poetry at all, which might be inspired by my surroundings. (In fact I can’t do poetry, I’ve tried and failed miserably) so I think about the story and even more, about the characters and let them work out from there.
BUT…since I’ve had the kids, there’s no space and no time. So now I write anywhere, longhand, in a pad and try to put it all together later, trying to convince myself that the time I spend thinking about it all standing up on the train is really writing time as well.
1. Enjoy yourself. Quite a contrast Verona and then your son.
2. Last year when I went to visit my daughter I took my novel with me. I wrote a lot rather than read before bedtime. This year we took out other daughter to Greece for a holiday so I started a travelogue. A very detailed travelogue. And I’ve written it on any other journeys out of France we’ve made since then. Why not try the same?
Anyway whatever you write I’m sure you’ll find it fulfilling.
Glyn
I love Verona. It has a great atmosphere.
Lauri, Carol and Liz: There must be some connection between moving around and letting your mind go in different directions. Yea, I think the ideas do flow when you’re travelling, but then doing the work…it is often easier when you’re sedentary.
Joe: What is it they say…necessity is the mother of invention? Or is it desperate times call for desperate actions?
Glyn: I always take my journal with me when I travel. It’s more like a diary rather than a travelogue, though. But it’s surprising how much of that stuff turns up in other writing.
Helen: Hi! What a surprise Verona was. I had no expectations and just loved it.
I could have sworn that I’d left a comment on this post when it first went up. I must have missed out a step! Happy travels. xo