Wabi Sabi Knick Knack

Sometimes I wonder

If I'm really a writer

I'm not creative

I don't make up whole worlds and invite others in

Make them travel to tomorrow

Or offer relief for their sorrow

I can never find the right words at the right times

I look at things I've written and all I see are my thoughts

Spewed across the page randomly like hieroglyphics

I'm no artist

My writing doesn't conjure visions or spark imaginations

I treat a blank page like a dumpster

Where I waste thoughts that could have one day been used

And because one man's trash is another man's treasure

Someone will come along and find beauty in it

And take it home to become another wabi sabi knick knack on their fireplace ledge

But I want to write symphonies

I suffer from a common fear

That of rejection

Some of us are so scared that

We reject ourselves before giving the opportunity to others

And right now I'm hiding behind a website

Full of creative minds

Too scared of rejection to let criticism fly

They beat around bushes that need to be trimmed

Upturning rocks and patches of dirt to find gems in otherwise flawed ground

Trying too hard not to put the universe in a box

And I get it

We all feel so much

That sometimes a nudge feels like a jab

A jab, a stab in the one place we thought no one could touch

The one place we try to be utterly and completely ourselves

And it can be hard to admit

When ourselves need work

Our fingertips don't create ruler-straight lines

They're more like vines

That add natural beauty to an otherwise characterless house

But have to be tamed when they grow too wild

Who knew beauty could be too out of control?

There's the speaker and the listener

My job is to fill the gap in between

Connecting them the way a lightning bolt connects the sky and the ground

in a single pathway

I want to strike you

hoping I won't leave craters in my wake

but fulgurite

the secret is the three rights

striking the exact right spot

in the exact right angle

in the exact right conditions

but this is writing

Propagation of sound waves

and a lack of sun rays

can't predict

the distance between our synapses

the distance between my understanding of the world and yours

Reviews

[ANTO]

That self doubt Lizzie is rife even among those who we view as the elite here. Its natural to be self critical because unlike say fishing or rally driving or hang gliding there is no real measure of ones progress. Some will like what you write some wont and some might hate it. We sign an unwritten contract here when we join and post writing and review, that we will behave in a certain way. Its our only guarantee and we need to believe in that.

Jabs become stabs is a brilliant line - sometimes leather becomes lace too if we are particularly sensitive. The balance needs to be struck by both parties to this contract.

The 'lightning - synapse signal' analogy in the final stanza is great imagery - fired off a few of my own synapses. A nice philosophical summation of what it means to be a writer/reviewer and the relationship between them finishes off. Really cool Lizzie.

almost forgot to congratulate you on the title choice - I think its brilliant.

[RileyRedding]

You've definitely got something here.

"i treat a blank page like a dumpster
where i waste thoughts that could have one day been used
and because one man's trash is another man's treasure
someone will come along and find beauty in it
and take it home to become another wabi sabi knick knack on their fireplace ledge
but I want to write symphonies
I suffer from a common fear
that of rejection
some of us are so scared that
we reject ourselves before giving the opportunity to others
and right now i'm hiding behind a website
full of creative minds
too scared of rejection to let criticism fly
they beat around bushes that need to be trimmed
upturning rocks and patches of dirt to find gems in otherwise flawed ground
trying too hard not to put the universe in a box
and I get it
we all feel so much
that sometimes a nudge feels like a jab"

I really like this part. I know exactly where you're coming from. You're very much embracing simplicity to convey a point we can all relate too.

Some trimming can certainly be done. I feel that a few lines are unnecessary, but I really enjoy where this piece is going.

[Lizzie Mitchell]

thanks for reading it even though it doesn't even have a proper title or even structure yet hahaharead morethanks for reading it even though it doesn't even have a proper title or even structure yet hahaha
i'm glad you like it so far
I was frustrated with myself
Writing is something I enjoy but it's often like work for me
I want to be an amazing writer so I rely on feedback
But the only feedback I'm allowing myself to get is from this site
and I keep reading other people's work and seeing reviews that are only slightly helpful
where they say all the things they love but don't mention the most obvious errors that hinder a piece from its full potential
so thank you for your honesty!