“Wisdom from a Wordsmith… How to Create One’s Vision and Inspiration Using the Written Word.”

Judith Merz – DKG Nevada

Most people reading this blog may be very familiar with expression in the visual arts in terms of photography, 2-D, 3-D art, and multi- media presentations. Visual artists use powerful visuals to capture a moment and content possibly enhanced by music or verbal accompaniment. The written word stands alone. How does one illustrate their vision through the written word?

Words are evocative—they bring strong images, memories, and feelings to mind. Sometimes this occurs through the sound of the word; sometimes, through its meaning or connotation. The art of the poet lies in finding the precise words that capture the feeling that she is trying to explore and in arranging those words in such a way that a reader comes to that feeling as well.

Are there writers who directly focus on certain context or subjects?

Traditionally, the big “subjects” in poetry are nature (the context for our lives and a source of inspirational beauty and complexity); spirituality (the search for meaning in life is endless); love (in all its forms— perhaps the most complex of emotions); major events, either personal or universal (things that shape our lives have emotional power); and loss (including tragic events and the big loss—death). Clearly, these subjects are not rigidly unique—they often overlap—and perhaps the “best” poets are the ones who wander among the interrelationships.

How does one create a style that is recognized by readers?

I’m not sure poets strive to “create a style.” Poetry is intimate and highly reflective of the writer. Word choice, tone, structure—all flow sort of naturally from the poet as an individual. These are the elements that readers will come to recognize—but I am not sure how consciously any poet “injects” them into her work. For example, E. E. Cummings’ “style” includes consistent use of lower case “i”. Although I am sure he consciously did not capitalize, I tend to believe that it reflects his sense of the human ego rather than a stylistic element.

In writing there is narrative, descriptive, persuasive, expository, and creative writing options available in the writer’s toolbox. How does an artist choose when the inspiration presents itself?

In my mind, writing is organic. The format evolves from the inspiration. As an example, I am currently trying to write a biography of and for a local celebrity and, although I know various formats that could be used, I am waiting for “the” approach to reveal itself. In this case, that approach will make sense when it matches and captures the essence of his life story—which is too fascinating and complex for a straight chronological approach. That being said, with regard to poetry, my mindset probably drives my own preference for free verse. A poet can certainly “choose” a specific format—blank verse, rhymed verse, free verse, epic, sonnet, haiku, limerick, ode, elegy, etc.—and working in rule-bound formats is a great exercise in discipline.

In your latest poem, ‘Sweet Friend,’ “the poem describes the ephemeral and somewhat elusive connection that exists between friends.” What was your inspiration for this work?

I had been engaged in multiple WhatsApp text discussions with a young male colleague (from Costa Rica, oddly enough) whom I was mentoring through his master’s program. In the course of things, we had become “sort of” friends. As we discussed our individual views on a myriad of topics, we were trying to figure out how much our nationalities, ages, and upbringing shaped the differences in those views. At one point, he suggested that we could not really understand each other because of these differences. That got me to thinking about how much we really can “know” about any acquaintance or friend—or indeed about ourselves—because life is constant change. This led me to the old idea that one cannot step in the same river twice, so I picked up that metaphor as central to the poem. Understanding of oneself or another is kind of like wading into a moving river…Just when we think we have the answers, life serves up something new! If you have ever put your hand in a flowing stream, there is a sensation that passes through your fingers (I often think it is a small fish— “a tiny translucent being beneath the torrent”— but more likely it is just a bubble!). In much the same way, a friend is one who passes through your life and touches you in ways that are difficult to comprehend or hold onto in some ways. Nevertheless—the attempt to make that connection is so very special; it is what makes us human. In my mind, that impulse to connect flows from a greater power and is “a brief electric pulse of the divine.” In such a view, a friend is inevitably “sweet.”

In your essay, Voice of The Poet, “The writer argues that the poetry of National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman has reignited an interest in and appreciation of poetry and the voice of the poet”. What was it about this young woman’s poem that inspired you most recently to write an essay about that particular moment in history and her inspiring words?

Poetry is not always cherished or even appreciated for its power and beauty, and poets are all too often thought of as rather dusty and abstract. Their written words sometimes do not translate well into performance aloud. But here was an eloquent young woman who not only had crafted a powerful and technically beautiful poem but also delivered it with a mesmerizing and totally unpretentious grace. For those who cringed at the thought of hearing “a poem” (remember, I was an English teacher; I know what the mention of “poetry” often evoked in students who could not see beyond forced rhyme and rocking-boat rhythm), she transformed the experience so thoroughly that she was subsequently invited to write and present at the Super Bowl!!!! Talk about crossing a cultural divide!!!

Writing the essay was equally inspired by a sympathetic and personal reaction to her message and her craft. I was deeply disturbed by the political scene early in 2021, including the January 6 riot at the Capitol building, and Gorman’s message of hope lifted me in many ways; she spoke to my heart. In terms of craft, her focus on figures of speech and elements of sound and tone echoed my own poetic impulses. Her alliteration and playing with phrases were delicious.

Do you have a favorite personal genre?

As I have suggested above, I tend to favor free verse with heavy emphasis on figures of speech (metaphor, simile, personification) and on sound that pushes meter or rhythm. You will rarely find heavy end rhyme. For me, the poem is in the idea and in the language rather than in a formula of rhythm and rhyme. My favorite poets may give a clue to what I love in poetry: Walt Whitman and E. E. Cummings.

Any words of inspiration for those of us that would like to attempt to write a poem? Where does one start?

Be attentive to your thoughts and how you think them. Sometimes a particular phrase or set of words will feel special and poem worthy because it captures a unique or intriguing thought. Write down those words and let them marinate. So, for a very simple example, someone said to me the other day: “Judy, you are too much.” Too much. How can a person be too much? How does that idea play against the modern self-esteem slogan, “You are enough”?

Look for (or build) a metaphor that expands/clarifies that initial thought. Play with several metaphors for your key idea and see where they lead you. So, continuing with this example: What are places/things where too much and enough are used? Recipes? (Is there a recipe for being “just right” in this world? Does the Goldilocks story with “just right” fit with this idea?) Condiments? Can “too much” of a condiment spoil a meal? Can a failure to put in/on “enough” produce a tasteless result? How might my life be spoiled by too much of something? How might a failure to engage “enough” make my existence bland?

Work the language. Look for synonyms and antonyms for the words in your key idea. Listen to the sounds of those words. In this case: Thesaurus.com provides 64 synonyms for “enough” and 164 for “too much.” Will “excess” work or “surplus” or “glut”? (Can you feel how the harsher sound of “glut” tinges it with additional meaning?) Does “sufficient” mean the same as “abundant” or “ample” or “adequate”? Which sounds and meanings will capture what I am thinking/feeling about being too much or enough?

Although I have listed these in order, a poem can actually “start” from any of these three places: a unique thought; an interesting metaphor; a sound bite that intrigues. The point is to be attentive to these things if one wants to be a poet—to see the world in a unique way and use one’s total love of language to bring the reader along to that vision.