I am surely old enough to be a Grandpa to you, and yet feel drawn to you as old metal to the shiny magnet, because of our common interest in writing poetry. I have found that through the years, it has been a sweet companion of mine and a treasured spokesman of mine. It has served as my therapuetic exercisers, as well as a means for me, a twin by birth, to distinqish my own person and identity. In later years, my brother, also on this site and even the one who introduced me to it, would take up this form of wordsmithing, and persue it especially in the disciplined and challenging form of writing Haikus. I am proud and happy for him-- not threatened at all, for I know that this lifetime friend of expression, serves him as it does me, and we each find a show of our uniqueness in the midst of our common bond. The same is true for us, I know that my style is quite different from yours, Aanika. We come from the same contitnent-- but not the same country. I am of another generation from you, and so I don't expect us to say things the same; think about them the same, or to come to the same conclusions and use the same style or modes of expression. I would be the last one to say, if your poetry does not resemble mine--then it is not poetry, or a poor version of poetry. Here again, I am delighted that poetry as a special means of self-communication is that which reflects the personality of the writer, and the uniqueness of thoughts and expressions that define our uniqueness of being as opposed to being carbon copies of one another. I hope that I will be able to spend some quality time reading your poetry posted on this site and get an insight and feel for you as a person. If you do the same with my poetry, you will find, that my poetry by and large is not about imagry and descriptive word pictures, like some others here.
I am just not so turned. Up until quite recently, within the last 10 years anyway, most of what I wrote was rhymed and not free verse or form poetry. By seeking inspiration and stretching via the contests, I have tried different things and styles. But by and large, I use poetry to convey a message, to teach, to inspire, to give encouragement rather than to create a verbal artistry. I also like doing Acrostics and do many of them as plaques for special ocassions. I find that unless you express yourself in whatever way personalizes your work, that it has less impact and appeal for others to read it. A key to good poetry basically is sharing what you are familiar with and sharing from the heart that which is important to you. When you do that, it shows and it affects others.
I personally have had many experiences from which to draw. I was born a twin. Married twice, and widowed once. Life has taken to me to several places in the United States. I would never have guessed that I would end up here in New England, but here I am! I have worked in a bowling alley. had a paper route and worked in a grocery store stacking up pop bottles as a kid. As an adult I have worked in a steel mill, a tobbaccoo factory, a state mental hospital, a civil defense plant, and served as a minister for a small country congregation for nearly 25 years. Presently I work in an amusement park taking ticket and greeting the guests. The more one lives and experiences things, the more one will have to draw from and use in their writings and sharing of life. I hope when you write back, you will also share some things about your life, your friends, your hobbies and interests, and your perceived ambitions and goals you've set for yourself. I will surely find it fascinating, as we bridge the generation gap, as friends, to vicariously share in your world even as I have opened up a window to you in mine.
This may seem more like an essay that a letter, so I will bring it to a close. As a God fearing man, I wish you, even as I wish all my friends and acquaintances, the richness of Blessings for you from above, and that your life will be rich and full even as mine has been.
God Bless you my young Canadian Friend,
David
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God bless.
