On Or Off The Rails

Introduction

This is partially inspired by something I read about the creation of the album "Shadow Behind The Iron Sun" by Evelyn Glennie and Michael Brauer

PERFORMED AND IMPROVISED BY EVELYN GLENNIE, PERCUSSIONIST

PRODUCED, IMPROVISED AND MIXED BY MICHAEL H. BRAUER

Evelyn Glennie is incredibly talented musician, and you can read about her here:

She has been profoundly deaf since the age of 12, having started to lose her hearing at the age of 8.This does not inhibit her ability to perform. She regularly plays barefoot during live performances and studio recordings to feel the music.

So What Is This About?

Although Evelyn Glennie is a musician, her creativity is similar to what writers do to produce their work.

As I write this "Shadow Behind The Iron Sun" is playing, and I find that the fact that most of this is unplanned very impressive.

In order to improvise on the fly, she had to learn how to play the instruments she plays and I start to think what is most impressive, the fact that musicians can follow the notes on a score, or the fact that they play without a score and make it sound as though it is planned.

When I write articles or fiction, I think about things for a while and then let it flow, this is what is happening now. I don't have a written down plan, and I know a lot of people will say that it shows.

Poetry is different for me, I almost always use a structure, so that means keeping on the straight and narrow, and many others find that difficult. I find it odd as I don't like regimentation and sticking to the straight and narrow in anything else but poetry is different.

Unfortunately, Vocal moderators and creators don't seem to have much time for formal poetry. Check the Top Stories here and see which formal poetry forms you can see if any:

So the question is, what is better poetry? Free form or formal?

You know what I think, but maybe that's because I am too frightened or incompetent to ditch the rules.

Conclusion

In order to improvise you have to become an expert in your craft, and maybe everyone who writes free-form poetry is an expert at their craft.

Although I think this is unplanned, it has a definite form and I am just writing the conclusion.

Maybe I am too safe to be interesting., but I will keep on keeping on and maybe one or two more will accept me.

I am so grateful to the ones who do support me (you know who you are) because they confirm that I am right to believe in myself.

Thank you for reading.