Tuesday, January 29, 2008

"Why Do I Write" ~ Dara Wier

At the Key West Literary Seminar, I participated in Dara Wier's workshop, and she asked the workshop participants why we write. I thought this would make for a great blog topic, so I'm going to feature the answer of some of my favorite poets.

Why Do I Write ~ Dara Wier


I write to keep mortality in check. I write because all the poets before us wrote and lent us their genius and showed us ways to write with abandon. Because making up something whether it be the shape of a poem or content there in amazes. I write because there's nothing better to do. And I mean nothing. Because writing renders one unselfconscious, a state to prefer, to be lost in writing's miraculous ways. Because it's preferable to be lost in writing.

3 comments:

Kate Evans said...

This is great!

Anonymous said...

Intriging. I like the idea of writing because I have to, and that it's not exactly a choice. Hearing other poets say this is good for me, and I'm eager to see the answers from other writers you've spoken with.

Dustin Brookshire said...

Kate,
Glad you like Dara's response. Her workshop in Key West was good times!

Larry,
I too like the concept of writing is not a choice.. it is a must-- I feel that way about it. I also have other thoughts on it, but I'm saving it for a blog spot. However, it won't be as good as some of the peeps I have lined up.