Thoughts About Poetry: 7/30

Work Poems. I have to avoid them for th emoment. Maybe you should too, if you can. Maybe not.

I don't mean poems about my job necessarily. I mean poems about work in general.

My biggest failing so far this NaPoWriMo is that when I'm stuck for an idea in the morning (and I don't trust myself as much to write at night when I'm really tired), I tend to write about the subject of work. Because that is what occupies my mind for most of the day. It's on most people's minds throughout the day unless you have a job you can operate with half your brain disengaged (though those jobs are few and far between). Of course work is going to be an easy topic to pick. Should you go with it?

I like poems about the experience of work. One of my favorite poets, Philip Levine, wrote on the subject for most of his life. I've written a lot on the subject too, but I want to steer away from it this year. I even count poems about writing poetry as poems about work.

Is that too rigid? Maybe. But again, this is me we're talking about. Not you. I've written enough work poems that I don't want to make that my focal point this year.

This is just friendly advice to watch for recurring themes as you do your 30/30. Writing about something over and over can hurt you, but it can also help you. If you do write about work, (or your job specifically) for all thirty days--or any one subject for thirty days--that's a chapbook with a single and easily accessible theme!

Since I've done this challenge a lot, I'm looking to write about different things this year. I love poems about work too much to write so many.