let’s write first
before we get caught up
in the weeds of the day
let’s write first
before we start recording
all the facts and figures
let’s write first
before we forget what creativity
feels like in the hustle and bustle
let’s write first
before it’s already nighttime
and the sads take over
let’s write first
before other needs are met
because creation
itself
is a need
so let’s create
by writing
first
morning
September 23, 2026
morning page poems are such a wild ride
because i sit down at a screen and start to write
and have zero words
[well, technically three, as i date every entry]
and i begin to write
and no matter how many words i put into the document
the word counter never seems to go beyond 150
and with a 300 word goal, this is agonizing
so i sludge and trudge through this sand dune of letters
never seeming to become full words that count
and i write and write and write and write
and eventually i forget to check the word count —
i get lost in a poem or a memory or a simple phrase
and before i know it, i’ve gotten multiple poems down
and i glance at the word count, and it’s approaching 300
not quite there yet, but i get a sense of sadness, that soon i will achieve the 300 word mark
and that means i no longer need to be writing
[not that i’d stop myself from continuing on, it’s just a weird feeling of disappointment, that i won’t actually
need to be writing anymore in a moment]
and then
i get lost again
in a poem/word/thought/phrase/memory/something
and i glance down at the word count
and i’ve gone well beyond 300 words
[just now i hit 500, in case you’re wondering]
and i wonder if i’m feeling like my morning pages are done
i wonder if i’ve got anything that i’m willing to post to share
into the ether/the void/the possibility of it being read
though so few people actually do look to read
every
single
day
but i do
do this
every
single
day
and tomorrow morning the journey will probably be the same
but the words/phrases/poems/thoughts/discoveries
will not be
and i think that’s neat.
September 8, 2026
do i get more out of my morning poetry
when it is less likely to be a poem
i’m willing to share with any sort of audience
[even that of the opinionless void]?
almost
certainly
yes
September 6, 2026
300 words
is my writing goal
every morning
and i usually hit it
[no, not always, but usually]
and i usually feel settled
by that time
enough words to get the morning sleepies out
enough words to find a thing i’m fine with posting
enough words to feel warmed up
emotionally/intellectually/creatively
for the day
but these past few days
300 does not feel like enough
and there isn’t anything that says
300 is a limitation
it is literally a minimum
[and even then, these are all rules i set for myself
so if i can only do about three words
that turn into a short poem day,
that’s fine for me,
that’s fine
that’s fine]
but i find it incredibly interesting
that a few weeks ago
i ran into multiple days
i couldn’t even find the time to write
anything
and now, two-ish weeks later
i’m itching
for more
and more
and more writing time
and making it happen
[am i, after five and a half years of this silly, self-imposed writing challenge
becoming something like
a “real”
writer?]
July 11, 2026
the writing this morning is coming along
slowly
i’m writing at a fine pace
but my brain is having a hard time catching up
and accepting the words i’m
placing down
i don’t feel slow
i feel
segmented
the fingertips will make a decision
and the brain won’t get involved
until the eyes finally look and read
and then the brain says
“hell no”
and we start all over again
with new words
new topics
new fingertips leading this time
how am i supposed to get morning poetry done
in these conditions?
July 10, 2026
coffee ice
frozen solid
coffee ice
not very good for the morning
coffee ice
i mean, i love that it’s cold but
one big slab of coffee ice
isn’t made to be drunk
at once
like i usually drink
[maybe today i eat my coffee…]
June 27, 2026
writing before 7
writing before i’m fully awake
writing before breakfast
before coffee fully takes effect
before i know what my mind is doing this day
but i also know
later today
i’ll have no desire to write
or
the desire will be there
but the motivation
the actually action
will cease
so morning writing it is
with its
imperfections
and sleepy word choices
and distractability
at least i’m sitting here
writing
that’s more than i can say for
the rest of my day
June 1, 2026
waiting
[im]patiently for the bagels to arrive
i’m hungry
but more than that
i’m worried i cannot start my day
until i’ve had my sacred little
bagel
cream cheese
coffee
and stardew valley
time of day
March 22, 2026
i’m not getting out what i want to get out
this morning
[but the problem with having
a writing practice
of trying to get things out
in the morning
is that sometimes
you’re only half awake
and half aware
of the things that actually need to be stated/written/gotten
out
so sometimes you just have to write
about the fact that the writing
just isn’t doing it this morning
and hope that makes something come out]
March 4, 2026
i think
one more poem
i think
one more stream
of the consciousness
of the mind wandering
of the fingers tappity typing
all the way across the screen
one more poem
of waking myself up
the addition
of composition
to my coffee
and hydration
the combination
is what helps me
feel
slightly
more awake
slightly
more alive
slightly more ready
to make this day
one
that i can at least survive
[someday
i may just
thrive]
but today, i just have to aim
for one more poem
at
a
time
