Wrapping up
sufficient
maybe today was full of
staring at that to-do list
no check marks inserted
circling towards tomorrow
maybe making never
manifested but meals
were had & the shower
turned on in wet brilliance
maybe this is the only
literature read today
that wasn’t spread onto
unforgiving digital sheets
even if, ______
momentarily halted orbit
it's okay
you reached this end.
So begins the end of another calendar year. This will be posted on Christmas Day but I am probably somewhere in pajamas watching holiday tv movies. I tried thinking about what this past year has taught me while being in, around, and adjacent to the literary sphere. Since it’s that time of year when lists are circulating, I tried to condense it into three primary points.
1. There are small steps that may not have panned out the way you wanted but you can still be proud of them: I submitted to a chapbook contest after what has felt like a lifetime of hesitation. I didn’t win but one of the judges did vote in favor of my manuscript and more importantly, I submitted at all. You would be surprised at the number of opportunities I screenshot only to never look at them again or save on Submittable only to go back and the links have expired. Let me be clear, it didn’t feel great to lose the contest. The silver lining was that I took a shot which is something that isn’t always guaranteed for a multitude of reasons.
2. Sometimes you publish in genres you never imagined or expected: Fun fact, growing up I was convinced I was going to be a fiction writer. Despite writing exclusively in poetry for the most part, I had this idea that I would write in a genre similar to what I was reading at that time. Now the idea of publishing in fiction doesn’t seem as attractive (though I have dabbled in creative non-fiction so who knows). My point being that sometimes the genre finds you and your skills shine in a completely different light. This year I published the most in healthcare articles. If you would have told me last year that I would be writing about breaking bones or living with chronic conditions, I would have said how? I’ve found a niche where the writing is fulfilling and I’m learning to go along with the process. I also had a poem published this year so I’m staying on some sort of track which is nice!
3. Getting involved or maintaining community is hard: Sometimes it’s because social media platforms disappear or that urge to disengage becomes ever-present. Whether you attended one workshop or many this year, that’s great! If you’re like me dealing with fear or hesitation, that’s okay too. Sharing your art is no average task no matter how easy it appears for everyone else. What is true is that there is something magical about workshopping poems together on a Saturday morning. Or attending a live reading and soaking in the wonder of other poet’s thoughts. Whatever stage you are at in “finding your place”, I support you and hope you create beneficial connections anywhere you can.
There are some exciting literary things to come in the future and I know we’re all just doing the best we can. I’m glad you’re here.