If it doesn’t come bursting out of you
in spite of everything,
don’t do it.
Unless it comes unasked
out of your heart and your mind
and your mouth and your gut,
don’t do it.
If you have to sit for hours
staring at your computer screen
or hunched over your typewriter
searching for words,
don’t do it.
If you’re doing it for money or fame,
don’t do it.
If you’re doing it because you want
women in your bed,
don’t do it.
If you have to sit there and
rewrite it again and again,
don’t do it.
If it’s hard work just thinking about doing it,
don’t do it.
If you’re trying to write like somebody else,
forget about it.
If you have to wait for it to roar out of you,
then wait patiently.
If it never does roar out of you,
do something else.
If you first have to read it to your wife
or your girlfriend or your boyfriend
or your parents or to anybody at all,
you’re not ready.
Don’t be like so many writers,
don’t be like so many thousands of
people who call themselves writers,
don’t be dull and boring and pretentious,
don’t be consumed with self-love.
The libraries of the world have
yawned themselves to sleep
over your kind.
Don’t add to that.
Unless it comes out of
your soul like a rocket,
unless being still
would drive you to madness or
suicide or murder,
don’t do it.
Unless the sun inside you is
burning your gut,
don’t do it.
When it is truly time,
and if you have been chosen,
it will do it by itself and
it will keep on doing it
until you die or it dies in you.
There is no other way.
and there never was.
from a favorite poet. Here’s one I shared earlier.
How did you like it?
What did you think?
December 2, 2017 at 8:27 am
🙂
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September 26, 2017 at 11:31 pm
Reblogged this on WILDsound Writing and Film Festival Review.
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October 3, 2017 at 4:45 pm
Thank you for sharing.
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August 29, 2017 at 1:08 pm
I love the poem – the juxtaposition of right and wrong with breaking boundaries and seeming tame – what life’s all about.
I agree with your post although I think it’s hard not to give so much of yourself when you write – does this count as self-love do you think?
Also, reading to your husband I am guilty of – reassurance I feel 🤔
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August 25, 2017 at 11:59 pm
Wow I absolutely love this piece! It’s accurate and so very true. Amazing!
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August 28, 2017 at 3:52 pm
Well, I am happy to know you loved it as many others. 🙂
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August 18, 2017 at 12:19 am
I love it. It speaks to me so much because writing is so much more to me than sitting hunched over wondering what to write. It has always just come to me. I don’t sit around planning what to write, I just sit down and I write. It’s why I started a blog. Because I can’t not write.
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August 24, 2017 at 3:06 pm
My thoughts precisely and that of most others. Writing, no matter how badly, is still lots better than not writing at all.
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August 13, 2017 at 1:51 pm
I loved this one so much 😊. It’s really inspiring and made my day. Thanks for the post as always Asha 😇
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August 10, 2017 at 6:19 pm
This was awesome and filled with truth. It should be required reading for any writing class. Thanks for posting 🙂
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August 11, 2017 at 1:51 pm
Yes, I guess it will be quite motivating for budding writers. Thanks, Page.
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August 1, 2017 at 3:53 pm
Well said
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August 9, 2017 at 6:04 pm
Thank you, Jerry. Where have you been?
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August 9, 2017 at 8:50 pm
I’m here as always. How are you doing?
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August 10, 2017 at 12:05 pm
I haven’t seen you around of late, Jerry.
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August 10, 2017 at 12:13 pm
I’m here keep looking lol
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August 10, 2017 at 12:45 pm
As I said I have been around my dear friend . Here is proof …tell me your thoughts on this https://bklynboy59.wordpress.com/2017/08/08/one-mans-opinion-are-relationships-disposable/
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August 1, 2017 at 6:52 am
Oh my! This is everything 😍
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August 1, 2017 at 11:40 am
Indeed is.
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July 28, 2017 at 11:46 am
This is a great post and so very true
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July 31, 2017 at 8:22 pm
Thank you
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July 27, 2017 at 9:46 pm
Amazing!
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July 31, 2017 at 8:21 pm
Thank you, Damini.
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July 27, 2017 at 4:11 pm
Amazing poem! Thank you for sharing haha
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July 31, 2017 at 8:21 pm
No problem. 🙂 Welcome to The Musing Quill.
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July 23, 2017 at 5:29 am
It’s a beautiful piece, Asha. Thanks so much for sharing it.
And I agree whatever Bukowski, said. 🙂
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July 24, 2017 at 1:16 pm
Haha! Glad to know you second. This is indeed one of his best poems.
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July 25, 2017 at 12:12 am
🙂
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July 21, 2017 at 11:55 am
Thanks a ton Asha for sharing the poem.It is truest to every sense of the word it comprises of.When the words truly come rushing out only then perhaps the best writing occurs. Back to connecting after long… hope you are fine.
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July 21, 2017 at 12:25 pm
Yes, Medha, I did miss you. I was wondering where you were about! I love this poem and it’s such a fantastic piece that I couldn’t not share it with readers. It makes me happy to know so many of you loved it too.
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July 21, 2017 at 12:57 pm
I missed as much.Had some issues with these electronic gadgets. As they say, they r spoiling us but then can’t do without them either:-).Will be sharing the poem too. Awaiting more from your end and hoping to get the waves from my soul to drown my blogs as well very soon…:-)
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July 19, 2017 at 1:04 pm
Thanks for sharing this..
And do check out my blog too..:)..
https://thesoulstories.wordpress.com
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July 21, 2017 at 12:24 pm
The blog seems spectacular with the kind of writings you share. I especially loved the Sylvia Plath wallpaper on your About page.
Ill be around, don’t you worry. 🙂
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July 21, 2017 at 2:12 pm
Thank you asha..:)
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July 21, 2017 at 5:02 pm
No problem. Always feel free to flood this space with your thoughts. 😋
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July 17, 2017 at 9:31 pm
Id be honoured if you’d check this out https://tanyatale.wordpress.com/2017/07/07/bridge-of-eternal-love/
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July 18, 2017 at 5:06 pm
I’m at it now.
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July 17, 2017 at 10:50 am
Ah, Bukowski. <3<3<3
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July 18, 2017 at 5:08 pm
Aye! Bukowski.
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July 16, 2017 at 4:07 pm
Thanks for sharing this poem. It is true, libraries are yawning over books which probably will not find any place in the history of literature. So, what is writing all about, Is it about what you needed to said or about what is needed to be heard? I guess this is debatable.
For me, it is about writing in the truest form but always leaving the reader with something which will be with them from that time onwards. It is not about giving the readers a direction, but opening gates so that they can ponder over, maybe a bit confused, but excited about the new perspectives which they have learned.
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July 21, 2017 at 12:21 pm
There you said it! For me writing is always about freeing my mind and that may not make much sense to all, but one has got to learn to live with that.
Thank you for opening your mind here, Deepak. 🙂
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July 21, 2017 at 5:13 pm
You are welcome 🙂
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July 16, 2017 at 11:49 am
Thanks for sharing this beautiful and apt poem. However, if I may dare, I would like to disagree with two points “If you have to sit for hours
staring at your computer screen
or hunched over your typewriter
searching for words,
don’t do it.”
And
“If you have to sit there and
rewrite it again and again,
don’t do it.”
I am not a published author, I probably don’t qualify as a writer either but I will still do it over and over again, because I have no choice in the matter – cheers 🙂
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July 21, 2017 at 12:19 pm
We all have different notions of things, and I’m glad that this poem helped you voice out yours. I may not totally agree with every bit of this poem, but I love it nonetheless for the author is just so candid in sharing his most vulnerable thoughts.
In my humble opinion, writing must inspire us all to do just that. What do you think, Dahlia?
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July 21, 2017 at 7:29 pm
No doubt the poem is written very well, no arguments about that and of course the best writes are the ones that come out smoothly and effortlessly. But we can’t always be that lucky can we? Like Elizabeth Gilbert said (I think) in a TED talk sometimes we just have to show up whether the muse shows up or not 🙂
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July 24, 2017 at 1:21 pm
That’s a powerful quote from Gilbert. May be I should do a post around it soon. Thank you sharing it here, Dahlia. 🙂
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July 24, 2017 at 6:23 pm
Have you seen the TED talk of hers? Worth several views 🙂
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July 31, 2017 at 7:56 pm
No, I haven’t. There’s always so much to read, I hardly find time for anything else. Which is this talk?
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August 1, 2017 at 5:22 am
Just google Elizabeth Gilbert TED talk and you’ll get it 🙂
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August 1, 2017 at 11:40 am
Yes, I will do that.
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July 15, 2017 at 3:39 pm
this is so true. i basically write cause i love writing and i write for a purpose. it was a great article. thanks for sharing and a big thumbs up!!
❤ ❤
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July 21, 2017 at 12:47 pm
No problem. Happy to have you over.
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July 22, 2017 at 2:27 pm
same here.
❤
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July 15, 2017 at 2:41 pm
Marvellous!
Whatever the poet has written, applies not only to those aspiring to become writers, but it is a piece of advice for everyone out there, dreaming of something, trying to achieve something.
Thank you for sharing.
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July 15, 2017 at 10:50 am
How coincidental can it get, for I was listening to it for the first time only few hours before you had posted this. The poem simply struck some fundamental chord inside me and I just couldn’t stop listening to it again and again. It keeps on coming back to me, even here. Thank you Asha for re-igniting those words here 🙂 . I suppose you too might have listened to the recital of this poem, if not I suggest you check this out
https://youtu.be/F_1EiVAb_O8
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July 21, 2017 at 12:16 pm
Quite coincidental, yes. There is truly something sublime in the words and the emotions behind them, and it’s something that has remained with me ever since I first read it some years ago. I’m very delighted to know you like it equally well.
I have had a go at the recital of it on poemhunter. But I shall check this out too.
Thank you, G.N.
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July 15, 2017 at 9:16 am
Asha, you brought a smile on my face and I am so thrilled reading this… Especially one line seriously made me laugh and I was wondering does really people try that?
“If you’re doing it because you want
women in your bed,
don’t do it.”
Thanks for such a beautiful poetic prose or vice versa. It helped me to think why am I writing.
God bless you dear friend.
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July 21, 2017 at 12:10 pm
Haha!
The poet had his own views and quite amusing ones, some of them.
I love his poems. You may want to read Nirvana, Melancholia, What a Writer, Hemingway never did this…
Few of his best!
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July 21, 2017 at 12:12 pm
Hmmm ok.
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July 21, 2017 at 12:14 pm
So can we have a topic why we write and why we blog… What’s the motive behind our writing… In what mindset we write? And will you be writing Mega for this coming Sunday? Just give an elaborate review and your own thoughts… What do you say? You say Yes and I will let the people in my team know about it…
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July 21, 2017 at 12:47 pm
I fail to see the big difference between the two. For most of us, it could very well be the same thing. Pray advise.
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July 15, 2017 at 7:04 am
Really liked this one. And so true! 🙂
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July 21, 2017 at 12:05 pm
Yes. 🙂 Welcome to The Musing Quill.
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July 15, 2017 at 6:46 am
Such an apt advice. Thanks for sharing this beautiful poem!
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July 21, 2017 at 12:04 pm
Pleasure, Swalia. I’m an ardent admirer of Bukowski, the poet. 🙂
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July 15, 2017 at 4:54 am
Beautiful! I love it.
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July 21, 2017 at 12:02 pm
🙂 Thanks, Kath.
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July 21, 2017 at 6:40 pm
You’re welcome!
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July 15, 2017 at 1:57 am
If there is a word higher than bestest I’d vote for that.. U L T I M A T E
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July 21, 2017 at 12:02 pm
Yes, there is – Quintessential. 🙂 Thank you, Jai.
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July 21, 2017 at 12:06 pm
New word.. I should thank you I guess 🙂
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July 21, 2017 at 12:26 pm
It’s my favorite word of the English language.
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July 21, 2017 at 12:28 pm
Oh great
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July 21, 2017 at 12:48 pm
What’s yours?
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July 21, 2017 at 12:51 pm
I’ve plenty.. Top of them are Bliss and Magic
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July 21, 2017 at 5:03 pm
Nice.
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July 15, 2017 at 1:41 am
😊
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