A Fork in the Road- and a question for you all.

[JamesB]

First off, my latest.

A Fork in the Road

The time has come for a decision to be made.
Yet all my thoughts just seem to fade.
What can I do, what shall I do?
It seems to me it's up to you.
I guess I’ll wait and play it out.
I know not where my emotions spout.
It seems to me it’s up to you.
To find out what we should do.
So listen now and act soon,
Please, work my feelings into tune.

Okay now the question. How do you all write these poems? Do you just sit down for an hour, sketch it out, clean it up for a few minutes and post it? Or do you write it a draft, revise, get advice, revise, and slowly polish it up? This one I wrote last night in 30 minutes and I just changed a few words and posted it. Some of my other poems I spent 4 months writing.

As a side note, none of my poems are ever "finished". If you ever have some constructive crictism please let me have it. I am trying to improve my writing!

Thanks,

James

[cassie5395]

maybe it's just me, but whenever i write, it's right on the spot and spur of the moment.. i dont think it out or plan ahead.. if i have any feelings when i'm checking out poetry then ill write. it usually doesnt take me long.. a matter of minutes.. and i rarely go back and make changes.. i leave it b/c i think i wrote what i did b/c it had meaning at the time..

-ok well thats what i do! maybe ill try planning out poems and spending more time on them and revising and see how it turns out

[JamesB]

I agree. Whenever I write anything worth a dam.n I didn't sit down and say, "well what shall I write about?" It comes to me and I grab a pen and start scribling.

And when i do sit down and make myself write the stuff is worthless.

But revising... Draft 1 or 2 of "carousel" is alot different, and worse in my opionion then draft 9, where it is now.
I had alot of the strong emotions for that one, but no ending, the ending took me months.

Yet again, for "A fork in the Road" I think revising would just be wasting my time, I'd rather just get something fresh.

Thanks for the feedback!

-James

[Dancergirl88]

Well when i try to write it has to be about something that has happened to me most of the time i'll write mine really late at night and it takes me a very long time to write one but hey thats just me!

[JamesB]

I think I need to learn to write without such emotion. I want to be able to sit down, look at a tree or a horizon and write about it.

Thanks for the feedback.

-James

[Elisha]

This is the greatest poem. It's put together perfectly and very meaningful. I usually don't have to think about a poem I'm writing unless it isn't about me. Then I have to think a little but not that much and definately not for hours. Little phrases just pop into my head and I write them down and once I start the rest just come out. And for what it's worth I don't see where your writing needs improving.

[headspinner]

First of all
I love the poem, I can relate to the feeling
And I hate it.

Also when I right it is generally impulse, a surge of raw emotion, that's when I right my best because the poem has meaning, depth and feeling. Without that I just waffle

My poem 'Have you ever' for instance was written in five to ten minutes but that doesn't make it any less powerful, in fact all the more.

Headspinner

[rissed]

yeah. i can relate as well. dude, this is an excellent poem. you put allot of thought into it and it shows. keep it up, mate.