“The Writing Connection”

I hide behind my writer’s block and cannot make connections;
Lay smashed below “not a good fit,” and cold email rejections;
I peer into another’s work, deciding I will fail;
And crumple up my latest draft—with wind knocked from my sail.

Words sometimes flood my brain at speeds my pen and keys can’t keep;
They leave me wide-awake at night or whisper in my sleep;
But other days, I stare at blanks on paper or a screen;
Can I not pick which times things stick? Or something in between?

The ups, the downs, the sighing sounds—realities of writing—
Engage my heart; enrage, in part; and send my doubts in fighting.
Some lines, they sing right off the page! Some lines dig their own graves.
This battle rages word by word; connection misbehaves.

Writing can be isolating; thoughts need space to breathe.
But jotting, plotting, error-spotting solo won’t achieve.
I find connection in the ones who share their words with me;
We trade our works, our genres, quirks. The best part? There’s no fee.

I network with some friends of friends of friends of friends of friends;
Not knowing which ones open doors and which lead to dead ends.
I cheer on all who bravely try and help them how I can—
Share posts, spread news, endorsements, likes, reviews, and be their “fan.”

Connection drills down deep inside, to grace and hope that’s real.
It keeps me facing up and out, no matter how I feel.
Sometimes inspired, but sometimes rough, connection does its part
To push me on the path I need to write what’s in my heart.

And when I flop, it doesn’t stop; connection presses on.
I find my tribe; I look inside; I fix and go beyond.
I read about the Whos-Who folks—who had books get a gig—
Connecting to each no they got before they hit it big.

Though some days deadlines motivate to help the job get done,
I write because my words need out—with room to land or run!
At times, my words are hidden when I write for only me,
But when I’m brave, they honk and wave, for all the world to see.

Connection must be in it all; I can’t write disconnected.
’Cuz no one reads (or fills their ‘feeds) with words so unaffected.
Perhaps if I think long and hard, the words will come by force…
Or maybe I’ll use words I’ve penned for other stuff. Of course!

Used with permission (from myself) from another of this week’s writing assignments.