There is risk in writing –
Fingers stroke keys creating new life
with crooked features that fascinate
and suddenly it’s your own child
bouncing up and down
and you mark his growth on each page.
Will you romanticize the process: the writer, the reader, the critics, the story?
Reality is a sharp edge on which your characters dance but
will they
fall?
For if they plummeted to the ground
whose guts would spill out
in inky verse?
whose heart would be examined?
A writer must eat the apple
and run naked through the garden
A writer must fall to his knees
and pen his
pain as a prayer
risking judgment
and revealing truth
Be brave and dare to write!
Today, I’m hosting Tuesday Poetics over at dVerse Poets Pub. The prompt
opens at 2pm CST and the theme is risk, whether in form or subject.
The challenge is to not hold back. Come join us if you dare!
My sister, Cindy Scott, has just opened an Etsy shop for her artwork at ArtStudio444
You may follow her on twitter here and she is open to DM’s if you would like
to commission her for your own artistic endeavors.
Tricia Sankey 
I love this Tricia, as it’s so true! We take risks, we tell our truths, we may be judged, but this way we create 🤩
Yes, it’s what makes people want to read our stuff. Looking forward to reading everyone’s posts later today! 💝
I hope you get some risk-takers and rule-breakers!
🥳🎉💃
Tricia,
Loved this! Being authentic as a writer is being “edgy” (and ironically judged as acceptable) and being on the edge of a precipice, and it takes more than a little courage and heart. Best wishes to your sister on her Etsy site and your future collaborations which are bound to be intriguing and stylish! Looking forward to your prompt!
Pax,
Dora
Thanks, Dora! There is risk and so much reward when we open our hearts. I appreciate your comments! 💖
Apple was tart, the. Sweet, and I’m frolicking!
Nice! The story begins…
I remember the process of starting to write, which was the most daring I have done… maybe over the years, I have fallen into the trap of finding it a comfort zone.
Always reading is maybe the riskiest thing for an author I think, your way of capturing everything in even less words is a great source of inspiration for me-
Thanks so much Bjorn! I appreciate your kind comments! 🥰
This takes a lot of courage. I applaud writers who can do this. I love this part:
A writer must fall to his knees
and pen his
pain as a prayer
Thank you for being our guest host.
It is the vulnerability I admire in writers as well! I’m enjoying the hosting position! 💝
Love love love this:
“A writer must fall to his knees
and pen his
pain as a prayer”
Great prompt, Tricia and I like what you’ve done with it.
Thanks, Lisa, my writing instructors always told us to take risks so it got drilled into me!
I appreciate you passing on the learning you got from your instructors.
💯 Reminding myself as well!
I absolutely love, love, love this! 💝 Especially; “A writer must fall to his knees and pen his pain as a prayer risking judgment and revealing truth.” Yes! Stunning write, Tricia 😀
Appreciate your thoughts! I did edit this piece quite a bit. Those lines finally came at the last minute and just seemed perfect! ❤
This is so utterly true. Writers take that risk and it truly can be daunting, but the payoff of that freedom in expression, letting our burdens out onto the page, I think it’s worth it. Beautifully penned and especially raw. ❤
Thanks, Lucy! I know you are one who always writes from the heart and feels each word! ❤
I appreciate your passion, Tricia. We each have our own avenue to write, some explore the beauty about them, some delve deep within, and some are voices of pith and/or humor. I love that dVerse is an inclusive community of artists who represent all avenues.
Very true! I think it is about opening up and revealing our common humanity in whatever genre or form we choose. 💕
Awesome work indeed, TS. Thanks for host/prompting!
This writer is falling to his knees before you.
😊 Thanks, Ron! It’s fun to inspire other great minds today! ❤
Excellent illustration for your prompt premise. I like to think of myself as “edgy”, as an outrider, a bad boy and risk taker. Your poem really resonates with me.
Thanks, Glenn! I would concur that you are edgy enough! 😆 Can’t wait to read your offering! ❤
kaykuala
risking judgment
and revealing truth
Be brave and dare to write!
A beautiful assertion in the close Tricia. One has to go down to great length before tasting success. Thanks for hosting, Ma’am!
Hank
I appreciate your comments and pleased those lines resonated with you! 💝
I love, love your poem …. Tricia, every time I press ‘publish’ I’m aware of the risk, putting myself out there, open to judgement .. all of it! Why I enjoy writing, the unexpected responses, positive / negative / no matter. The art is exquisite, best of luck to you and your Sister. (I grew up in Illinois across the Mississippi from St. Louis ..)
I agree about the spontaneity in writing and WordPress. It’s fun to traverse. Thanks, Helen! 🥰
I think each poem I write starts with a risk. I don’t know if it ever goes away, because I don’t know that any poem is ever finished.
I can understand that. I am trying to write more short stories as well and I think the risk is so essential to the plot. There has to be something on the line to make the story grab the reader!
I love your go for it attitude! Great metaphors in your poem. I liked this line… Reality is a sharp edge on which your characters dance…
Thanks, Dwight, it’s a tribute to all the writers! 🥂
You are welcome!
each poem a keyhole through which the outside world peers ~
Great phrase! We do glimpse the divine when reading good poetry! 💯
so glad you risked sharing your prompt! Well written and Cindy’s art rounds it off perfectly.
Thanks, Kate, pleased you like the combo of art and poetry! 💖
a great mix, you compliment each other!
💓
Tricia, I can only say that I wish I’d written this piece.
❤
David
Thanks, David! I actually laughed when I wrote that line. The Bible runs deep in me and it just comes out! ❤
Well done Tricia – if the writer doesn’t risk everything they’ve said before in the making of the next poem there would be no poetry worth reading. I’ve completed 200 poems a year for 20 years and that never changes. And always, always, I didn’t risk enough. Great challenge …
Wow! That’s a lot of poetry! 👏👏 I appreciate your thoughts here! ❤
I love “Reality is a sharp edge on which your characters dance” and “A writer must eat the apple / and run naked through the garden” – these are such awesome lines!
Thanks for your feedback! Nice to hear which lines catch the reader. 💖
All creation is a risk we must take. Well said. (K)
Thanks! I think risk and faith are both essential!
I like the picture you included here. You did a good job capturing the writing process and how we risk ourselves every time we put pen to paper (even though it seems we’re surrounded by supportive people).
Thanks, I agree this writing group makes it easier to take risks! 💖
The truth us that we exist in every word we write. Brava!
Thanks, Ken! So true! 💗
Every single word of this is spot on, Tracia, but
“A writer must fall to his knees
and pen his
pain as a prayer”
Is what made me scream “Yes!” in my soul. Thank you for a wonderful prompt!
So much fun reading everyone’s poetry on risk today! Thanks for your comment on those lines, Raivenne! 🥰
“A writer must eat the apple
and run naked through the garden”
well said, beautiful write, i enjoyed very much
Appreciate your visit, Phillip! 💖
Pen his pain as a prayer. Yes. Like so.
Thanks, Selma! 🥰
I love this! Especially the eating of the apple and running naked through the garden. Writing is exposing oneself.
Thanks, Kate! Yes, it definitely makes the writing more interesting! 💖
Excellent prompt Tricia. Your poem sums it up well for we writers, “risking judgement” is definitely a factor. It has taken me a lifetime to go public. I think it gets easier with every outing though. That being said, whenever I am nearly at the “Who care what they think” stage, I still waver. I am grateful for the d’verse community contribution towards getting over it.
Thanks, Sean! When I was in the MFA program it took helped me get used to other people reading my work and I learned to open up more and more in my writing. It’s fun but can also be hard on the ego when you do receive feedback that isn’t great. I appreciate your thoughts!
I totally understand the “penning one’s pain as a prayer” part.
It’s writing from the gut that I love to read! Thanks for your comment! 💝
first, thank you for the prompt you created. very musing.
and then thank you for writing our hearts out in this great poem, Tricia!
So much fun hosting! I appreciate everyone digging deep! 💖
yes! risking it all up! 😉
This is so true!
Awesomely written!!
Thanks! Appreciate your comment! 💗
You’re very welcome, Tricia!
I enjoyed this, very creative. Thanks for sharing!
Appreciate your comment! 💗
Very nice Tricia! Take care and thank you for following.
Thanks, Kelly! 💝
You’re very welcome.
What a great article. It is worth remembering that anything in life that has worth involves risk. Writing is no different.
Thanks so much, Rollin! 💓