Thank you for your beautiful poem. It’s profound message is a reminder I needed hear.
“ Our hopes are meant to skim the surface of this world as lightly
as sun lights up the surface of a lake. “
Yes! Holding our hopes lightly keeps us with “upturned face” toward the sun-like source of our hopes, and allows His rays to transfigure the moment even if just a little bit. But “ the dreadful need of fulfillment” of insisting the world meet our hopes, this cements us to this world, coffin-like.
yes, you’ve understood it beautifully. I needed this reminder to myself, to not place my hopes in things of this world, but in things not of this world, and hold fast to looking forward to heaven. I’m glad you were encouraged by it!!
Claire this poem was such an inspiration♥️ “Our hopes are meant to skim the surface of this world as lightly as sun lights up the surface of a lake. “ this imagery made me feel so cozy and this whole poem made me remember that sometimes I have to let life do its thing, while I move forward without questioning everything too much, just letting be
So cool, thank you for answering! Sometimes it's so interesting to see and compare other people's writing processes! I haven't written a ton of super long poems, and usually if I do they aren't that good? Lol. But when they are pretty decent it might take me an hour or two, and then as you said, minor tweaks throughout the week as I go back to read, flip-flopping every other day on whether to change a word or not, or what punctuation to use (that's a hard one for me!). Almost all my poems though, I don't change that much from the original product. I have to write it down in my original burst of inspiration - if I don't, or if I only not down a line or so, it probably will never be completed. If it's not birthed from inspiration it can't be birthed at all type thing (sadly). What I consider my best ones are usually the most organic and when I'm the most relaxed (that is, until the inspiration comes, and then it's a writing fever until it's down). :D
And good question! Hm kind of tricky to answer because the long ones I usually write over 2 days writing stanzas here and there and then coming back. Maybe 1.5-2 hours on average? If I'm including the time I spend looking for inspo and/or staring at the screen and/or doing light edits which mainly consistent of deleting bad lines or stanzas, lol. Average poems, probably 1 hour - I"ll write it over a half hour and then work on it several more times over the week expanding or tweaking it (I don't generally do any intense edits or massive overhauls because a week isn't enough time to do that, or to have hte clarity or distance away from the draft to make good sweeping decisions). But it also depends a lot on how inspired I am - I was super isnpired over the early summer and was producing good drafts within 10 mins that needed little to no expansion and came pouring out. I've been mildly blocked for the last month so it's taking a lot more staring at the screen and returning to a half-draft to finish them. Hope that helps! Also curious how long it takes you, if you're up to share! (no pressure though, the writing process is unique to everyone!)
What a beautiful work—and just what I needed after dealing with the stress of Hurricane Helene in my region of the country. I particularly appreciate the tension created in the exchanging of “deferred dreams” for “the atrium of renewal”—a transfer that requires quiet courage and renewed faith that reminds me of one of John’s final reflections in _Gilead_ by Marilynne Robinson as he prepares to exchange his temporal life for his eternal existence—“But hope deferred is still hope.”
I'm SO sorry for the stress and chaos you must be feeling with your community and home hit. I've been praying - I love Asheville/North Carolina and have visited before, so it's really sad to see such a beautiful region devastated. And this is a beautiful response/you ably noticed that pairing of defferred dreams with renewal. Also, I need to re-read Gilead, it's been many years. Have you read Piranesi? The nobility and magic that it gives to beautiful architecture influenced me in choosing the word "atrium"/picking that image (and it's a great, magical, short book)
“Haven't we spent enough time
huddled in the pews of deferred dreams?” - C. A.
🤍
🥰🥰
Thank you for your beautiful poem. It’s profound message is a reminder I needed hear.
“ Our hopes are meant to skim the surface of this world as lightly
as sun lights up the surface of a lake. “
Yes! Holding our hopes lightly keeps us with “upturned face” toward the sun-like source of our hopes, and allows His rays to transfigure the moment even if just a little bit. But “ the dreadful need of fulfillment” of insisting the world meet our hopes, this cements us to this world, coffin-like.
yes, you’ve understood it beautifully. I needed this reminder to myself, to not place my hopes in things of this world, but in things not of this world, and hold fast to looking forward to heaven. I’m glad you were encouraged by it!!
“The time has arrived, here now, always,
to throw open the sanctuary doors,
and enter the atrium of renewal,”
Really good!
thank you Zane!!
Claire this poem was such an inspiration♥️ “Our hopes are meant to skim the surface of this world as lightly as sun lights up the surface of a lake. “ this imagery made me feel so cozy and this whole poem made me remember that sometimes I have to let life do its thing, while I move forward without questioning everything too much, just letting be
That’s amazing to hear Gala!! Thank you for taking the time to respond 😊😘❤️
So cool, thank you for answering! Sometimes it's so interesting to see and compare other people's writing processes! I haven't written a ton of super long poems, and usually if I do they aren't that good? Lol. But when they are pretty decent it might take me an hour or two, and then as you said, minor tweaks throughout the week as I go back to read, flip-flopping every other day on whether to change a word or not, or what punctuation to use (that's a hard one for me!). Almost all my poems though, I don't change that much from the original product. I have to write it down in my original burst of inspiration - if I don't, or if I only not down a line or so, it probably will never be completed. If it's not birthed from inspiration it can't be birthed at all type thing (sadly). What I consider my best ones are usually the most organic and when I'm the most relaxed (that is, until the inspiration comes, and then it's a writing fever until it's down). :D
Oh my goodness, so beautiful, Claire! I love this one! And I felt like I related to its emotions so much...
Bonus question, how long does it take you to write a poem like this?
And how long does it take you to write your average poems?
thank you Sierra, that means the world!!
And good question! Hm kind of tricky to answer because the long ones I usually write over 2 days writing stanzas here and there and then coming back. Maybe 1.5-2 hours on average? If I'm including the time I spend looking for inspo and/or staring at the screen and/or doing light edits which mainly consistent of deleting bad lines or stanzas, lol. Average poems, probably 1 hour - I"ll write it over a half hour and then work on it several more times over the week expanding or tweaking it (I don't generally do any intense edits or massive overhauls because a week isn't enough time to do that, or to have hte clarity or distance away from the draft to make good sweeping decisions). But it also depends a lot on how inspired I am - I was super isnpired over the early summer and was producing good drafts within 10 mins that needed little to no expansion and came pouring out. I've been mildly blocked for the last month so it's taking a lot more staring at the screen and returning to a half-draft to finish them. Hope that helps! Also curious how long it takes you, if you're up to share! (no pressure though, the writing process is unique to everyone!)
Also shucks! I thought I was replying directly to you and it just posted me as a new comment, on here, sorry! :D
What a beautiful work—and just what I needed after dealing with the stress of Hurricane Helene in my region of the country. I particularly appreciate the tension created in the exchanging of “deferred dreams” for “the atrium of renewal”—a transfer that requires quiet courage and renewed faith that reminds me of one of John’s final reflections in _Gilead_ by Marilynne Robinson as he prepares to exchange his temporal life for his eternal existence—“But hope deferred is still hope.”
I'm SO sorry for the stress and chaos you must be feeling with your community and home hit. I've been praying - I love Asheville/North Carolina and have visited before, so it's really sad to see such a beautiful region devastated. And this is a beautiful response/you ably noticed that pairing of defferred dreams with renewal. Also, I need to re-read Gilead, it's been many years. Have you read Piranesi? The nobility and magic that it gives to beautiful architecture influenced me in choosing the word "atrium"/picking that image (and it's a great, magical, short book)
Thorough to bring us through.