Daily Nourishment for April 12, 2024: The Bones and the Skeleton of Language
Daily Nourishment Read Time: 40 seconds
Pause/Prompt/Practice Time: 15 minutes
Poetry is “the bones and the skeleton of the language. It teaches you, if nothing else, how to choose your words.” - Rita Dove
Pause.
Take six deep breaths with a six-count inhale and a six-count exhale. Then give your attention to your body. Where do you notice imbalance, pain, tension, energy? Can you breathe into those places and try to release anything you’re holding on to?
Prompt.
Set a five-minute timer and begin forming a found poem using any words around you. Collect words from mail stacked on your kitchen counter, email, text messages, notes, books, book titles, whatever. Find at least 30-40 words.
Practice.
Set a timer for eight minutes. Then write the words down. Then play with the words and see what happens next.
Don’t worry about writing a perfect poem. Play and give attention to any connections that emerge and surprises that appear.
Want More?
Read “How to Write Found Poetry” by Leah Umansky in The New York Times
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Upcoming Workshops & Gatherings
—Sunday, 4/21/2024: Thoughtful Readers Gathering with Anna Gazmarian
—Back by Popular Demand: Narrative Writing with Tanya Davis is back for another four weeks this spring. The Friday Cohort begins on Friday, 4/19. The Saturday BIPOC Cohort begins on 4/20. $49 for four sessions.
—AND our Four-Hour Retreats are back this month to help you write more often, improve your writing skills, and feel nourished by your writing practice. The Four-Hour group retreats will also help you have greater integration between your writing life and other areas of life so you can establish a more sustainable writing practice that works for you.
SDW Members: You are eligible for a Four-Hour Retreat discount equal to your monthly membership rate. Please email me at charlotte@charlottedonlon.com for your discount code.
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Today’s Daily Nourishment was provided by Charlotte Donlon.
*Please help us protect our intellectual property, our creative process, and the integrity of our work. Spiritual Direction for Writers® Daily Nourishment is covered under the Spiritual Direction for Writers® trademark. You are welcome to share this link with others, but any other use (written or spoken) is prohibited without written permission from Charlotte Donlon.