Oh yes, September 1st was the first day of school here in southeastern Wisconsin. The halls were polished, the books were stacked on the desks awaiting each student, the teachers were smiling, and parents said that the kids even went to bed on time the night before.
What is it about this time of year that inspires me to open a drawer, grab my pen and paper, and start writing again? I can't pass a back-to-school sale without picking up some bright, solid-covered notebooks with shiny white lined pages that seem to whisper, "write in me." This year, I bought four more books but did resist picking up yet another ten pack of Bics, preferring to write with the beautiful pens that my family has given me over the years. I have two that are extra special: a thick, green and white designed pen, a birthday gift from my son and his family, and a thick blue Waterman pen from my sister-in-law. Just picking up one or the other starts my mind wandering. Words and phrases almost magically appear on paper.
For me, writing is tactile. I must have pen and paper for my first draft. It is impossible for me to be creative on my computer. (Maybe it's because I work on a computer in my other life.) After I've typed and printed the draft, revisions are also hand written and then retyped. I keep all revisions, naming and dating each item. It's so much fun to go back and see how a poem has grown from a seedling of thought into a beautiful flower. Oftentimes, the poem isn't even what I'd originally envisioned. What a wonderful surprise that is!
And so, here we are. A couple of years have passed and I had to reopen my Blog. But, it is time, just as it is time for the kids to be back in the classroom.
