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“I wanted to write,
so I began to scratch some ink from this pen in hand:
Drinking coffee late at night;
Odd angled photo’s in black and gray and white;
Rough music that resounds well;
The things that make my personal hell;
Language used to think in dreams
and smoke that floats in vaporous streams-
This is the stuff of my poetries art;
these, and the like, stir my heart.
But will I write beyond the limit of “aspiring to be”
and into a reality of hunger and need?
I debate the point with in my self-
I haggle and argue until all that is left
is some stupid notion of an act
of perfect words flowing in the first draft.
(yet even here I pause to edit)
Where are the books hidden inside this man’s frame? Why do I fumble over theological words and works when my faith’s articulation comes best in conversations with lesbians, in smoke filled bars, when the imbibing of alcohol leaves me to stager?…”
God provides clarity and articulation when we truly need it, not when we think we need it. If we speak and write simply to be heard and thought wise, God can confuse our speech just as simply as He did at the Tower of Babel. But in those places where you find it easy to speak, perhaps words are given you because they are truly needed, for God’s glory, rather than your own. Just a thought.
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Jesus did promise that the Spirit would give us utterance in the times we need it… I guess I find that hard to remember as I seek to write well, and to be a good writer- for in this endeavor pride so easily slips in under the guise of “brilliant articulation”.
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I guess the difference is that we don’t get to (pause to edit) in our discussions. Although I have found many differing statements about what exact percent, most researchers conclude that ‘choice of words’ ranks lowest among effective communicators. Rather tone of voice, demeanor, eye contact, facial gestures and the like are what is really being communicated. “They’ll know you by your love” shouldn’t be “They’ll know you by your articulation.” (ironic that I sat here and edited this paragraph)
By the way, hey Aaron! Miss you, man. Pop me an e-mail sometime. Same e-mail address as always.
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