Empty Cartridge
By John R. Greenwood
It’s been a long time since I’ve emptied a pen cartridge. Over the last several years I did most of my writing on my laptop or iPad. When I first started writing I would use a black and white composition book or a regular wire notebook. Because I’d run into a writing dry spell I thought it might help if I went back to pad and pen. I was at BJ’s the other day and saw this Olympic size package of 8.5X11” pads and a twelve pack of Zebra Pens with extra refills. Like a kid going back to school in September I tossed them in the cart and sped off smiling. There’s no better way to get back to business. The new pads and pens did the trick. Slowly but surely I’m getting back in the grove of writing something every couple of days. As much as I’d like to commit to a daily routine I’ve lived with the guy in the mirror long enough to know when the driveway is covered in snow the writing may have to wait another day. This morning as I was hen-scratching my way through another piece my pen went dry. I couldn’t believe I’d actually emptied a pen cartridge. It felt good in a weird kind of way. There may be hope for me yet. I may even get back to inking some new poems.
In fact:
Empty Cartridge
By John R. Greenwood
Ink not gunpowder
firing away at the page
spraying words in rapid succession
leaving stories of hope
line by line
refueling the passion of pen to pad
emptying the cartridge
like a kid with a dry squirt gun
just as the fight was getting fun
I bought a really nice quality pen at the market in Charleston ... spent way too much money - but the joy of writing with it is nice. Haven't emptied the cartridge yet, though.
ReplyDeleteThe comparison to the kid with the squirt gun is just perfect.
ReplyDelete