Sup3rnality

A good friend of mine, Idzaid, sent a very thoughtful poem my way, something to inspire me to write. I find it to be very heartfelt and it really strikes me... You know how I say I have nothing to write about, or have no inspiration, or feel too stressed to, or a hundred other excuses...? Well, I think this poem lets me think again about the reason why I write; makes me question and makes me rethink my priorities as a writer.

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So You Want to be a Writer? by Charles Bukowski

if it doesn't come bursting out of you in spite of everything,
don't do it.
unless it comes unasked out of your heart and your mind and your mouth and your gut,
don't do it.
if you have to sit for hours staring at your computer screen or hunched over your typewritersearching for words,
don't do it.
if you're doing it for money or fame,
don't do it.
if you're doing it because you want women in your bed,
don't do it.
if you have to sit there and rewrite it again and again,
don't do it.
if it's hard work just thinking about doing it,
don't do it.
if you're trying to write like somebody else,
forget about it.
if you have to wait for it to roar out of you,
then wait patiently.
if it never does roar out of you,do something else.
if you first have to read it to your wifeor your girlfriend or your boyfriendor your parents or to anybody at all,
you're not ready.
don't be like so many writers,
don't be like so many thousands ofpeople who call themselves writers,
don't be dull and boring andpretentious,
don't be consumed with self-love.
the libraries of the world have yawned themselves to sleepover your kind.
don't add to that.
don't do it.
unless it comes out ofyour soul like a rocket,
unless being still would drive you to madness or
suicide or murder,
don't do it.
unless the sun inside you is burning your gut,
don't do it.
when it is truly time,
and if you have been chosen,
it will do it by itself and it will keep on doing ituntil you die or it dies in you.
there is no other way.
and there never was.

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Thank you for the poem, Idz. You should strum to it on your guitar, maybe you'll get more chicas that way ;) And the dog would come in handy if the singing and the strumming fails... At least a cute dog would get the girls' attention. But seriously, thank you :)

Love, Lin~