no standing in the canoe

"As I'm writing, I'm always reader conscious. I have one reader in mind, someone who is in the room with me, and who I'm talking to, and I want to make sure I don't talk too fast, or too glibly. Usually I try to create a hospitable tone at the beginning of a poem. Stepping from the title to the first lines is like stepping into a canoe. A lot of things can go wrong."

                                                                         - Billy Collins, 1999

 

Comments

[Erin Gergen Halls]

that being said,
i remember the first time,
as a young adventurous child,
deliberately upturning the canoe...
and all the wet fun that ensued!

[kim mailhot]

Lady, you share good words !

;-D

[liz elayne]

oh i love this.
billy collins makes me so happy.

and this photo is really brilliant.

(wish you were here as i would make us tea and the later homemade applesauce...xoxo)

[Eileen Weigand]

I'm going to keep this sage advice in my mind as I buckle down today to write my exams for my doctoral degree. *Shivers* It's finally happening and I need to keep this in mind. :)

[Tina in McLeansville]

hhmm...you really want the first thing that comes to mind..? well...with the new chemo my mom's on, the doctor has finally insisted that she quit smoking..thank god! yesterday at her appointment i asked the PA for any suggestions in helping her (or me and dad) during this process. her response?..."don't rock the boat"! thanks for the gentle reminder to keep the waters smooth! :) xo

[Tess]

And sometimes tipping the canoe can be very humorous. Love the photo. Hope you're doing fine and not jumping out of canoes there!
Hugs, Tess

[LIz]

Gorgeous! Your canoe and Billy's words made me feel all at once silly and happy, and quiet and thoughtful. I have tipped my share of canoes, and tho it is great fun - "until someone loses an eye" my mum was always yelling from the background - why was it always an eye, sorry, anyway - but in all honesty to sedately and gently step into a real or metaphorical canoe with nothing going wrong, with no one or thing getting upset in the balance, is one of the most difficult feats known to us human beings... well, maybe other than juggling, or well, there is that walking and talking thing too . . .

[Hol]

I am so loving this, don't you know.... I haven't read this piece of Billy's before. The canoe, is such a tipping point. Metaphor for so much.... Thank-you, I needed that!
OXOX, Hol

[farmlady]

That's why I never start a poem with a title. The poem should become...., and not be restricted by intentional words before it...., like a canoe without paddles it can float upon the water, going in it's own direction.

Lovely photo.

[wendy]

i love the photo borders xox

[Di]

I loved this and it seemed like it captured something you do here. I know I save visiting for when I have time for my soul to be soothed. There is something you seem to do very naturally here with your words and your self that is so very good to come visit.