Destruction

Without a flick of an eyelash

or the put down of a pen,

I can strangle my own creativity.

At times without a doubt

I need look no further for an enemy.

I can shut out that stream of flow,

push it to the depths below

and leave it drowning.

My life blood don't cha know.

Without a conscious thought

I can get caught in a cycle

of self destruction and my words

are left screaming to be heard,

suffocating in neglect

and yet I cruelly stand and let

them gasp for air knowing

they are dying.

Reviews

[Neville]

Good mane Chris, I trust you know you are not the only one .. Tis a curse isn't it but one that quite possibly & in a strange way serves to perpetuate the art of written communication in many if not most of it's formal forms ..
I suggest that, safe in the knowledge most writers and particularly poets maybe, will have almost certainly anguished & often many times, over that just out of reach word or words that could or might make the difference between a bin worthy scribble and half decent poem or that elusive masterpiece ..

Neville

[Chris Shaw]

Hello Neville. Completely forgotten is this old poem, but not the feelings of frustration when our words don’t lay on the page as we want them to. Yes, one many poets will relate to. Big thank you for going through my catalogue while my muse is fitful. I appreciate these old scribbles getting an airing.

Chris

[Dr. YumnaKay]

I can relate to this very much. Although I've experienced that words don't come to me when I intend/sit down to write but only when I give up the idea of writing, they come gushing out. That happens in terms of writing poetry. I have a half written novel in my documents and every day I remind myself that I should be focusing on that (which is why I first started writing) but the novel just sits unfinished so I guess I'm my own enemy here ( I suppose we all are, in some ways, although unknowingly).
Great write, this. Made me reflect.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you so much for your thoughts.

Chris

[Dr. YumnaKay]

You're welcome. :)

[Relic]

The beginning of poems has been strewn across my desktop many times. I just didn't have the energy or the direction/ideas to complete them. "I'll get to them another day," I'd say to myself. But I wind up deleting them because the feeling behind them disappears. I'm sure many go through that.

[Chris Shaw]

The poem I've written appears to encompass most poets. Thank you Relic.

Chris

[Relic]

You're welcome. I'm jotting down words now. Maybe I'll credit you if it goes anywhere. :)

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you so much

[Jimmy Yetts]

Perhaps we sometimes bitterly resent having to write; could be the word-besieged poet purposely subverts his or her own process in a futile effort to demonstrate some degree of control.
Insightful bit of work, Chris!

[Chris Shaw]

Interesting thoughts Jimmy. Thank you

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

what a cool idea....killing our own words, softly or harshly...

we can be very good at strangling our own creativity...

there are the ruts of writing ...or non-writing...for sure.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Jacob. For someone who abhors all violence I can sure inflict damage on my own words.

[charlie]

There was this one time when I went surfing through an astrology library, and found a section where scorpio's would sometimes pronate themselves to the point of destruction. This poem reminds me a lot of that. And the idea that perhaps there is a little scorpio in most...

[Chris Shaw]

How strange. I am pisces, but I have always been attracted to scorpio men, must be their mganetic pull. Perhaps their influence is taking a grip on me. Thank you charlie, your response appreciated.

Chris

[Great Aunt Astri]

OOOOO, aren't you cruel!!!! But I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes a potential poem needs to die. But sometimes I think we are our worst enemy, 'strangling our own creativity' and 'shutting out that stream of flow'. I think you have put this across brilliantly in this clever poem.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Astri. I have been responsible in my time for murdering and maiming many a potential poem (lol)

[Onlyme]

Sometimes it is easier to express joy and happiness than to express and share our hurts and needs. But once you get used to the flow of those natural feelings out loud they come easier each time. Also, you feel people will judge you because you are saying am having a s**t day. But to hell with everyone else. Say what you feel. As I do. And feel far better for doing so. In yourself for you.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Dee, your response appreciated. Hope you are ok.

Chris

[.]

This is very familiar to me......

As i write this I have at least four or five incomplete poems on Word screaming at me to return to them and give them life again. Sometimes the destruction is necessary when the words themselves do not inspire us to persevere with them. So they wilt and eventually die forgotten. A casualty of the craft, I suppose.

Truthful words and very relatable to all of us here, I imagine. Very well conceived.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Doodley. I have so many incomplete poems. I can't bring myself to delete the lines started, but neither can I summon up the energy to complete them. I think of them though from time to time as they lie their in their sick bed screaming for attention:)) Pleased you can relate.

Chris