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By L.L. Barkat 1 Comment

Sea on Knees

Some people think Twitter is a mindless diversion, a waste of time for the serious writer. I suppose this can be the case. But today I’m musing that it doesn’t need to be that way. First, for a sad reason. And second, for a happy one.

Yesterday on Twitter, I learned of a tragic event in our Social Media world. A single tweet from one of my High Calling editors propelled me to write from the heart, and quickly, this piece called Even a Hero: The Unlikely Suicide of Trey Pennington.

On the flip side, I have been bantering throughout the day with Duane Scott. He discovered he is in my new book, albeit not by name (I forgot to tell him the dangers of being friends with an author).

Rereading one of his tweets, after he discovered the truth of his bookly condition, I was struck by how poetic the tweet was. So I gave it a title and made it march in little lines, and here it is…

The Reader

I will guffaw
extra loud tonight,
a guffaw loud enough
to wake you, dreamless
night awaiting, over deeds
done in printed books.

Is Twitter really mindless for the writer? Only if he or she stops paying attention.

Post by L.L. Barkat. Visit L.L. at Seedlings in Stone, for more on writing, poetry, art and life.
_____

Subscribe to Every Day Poems— Read a poem a day, become a better poet. In September we’re exploring the theme: What is Poetry?

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L.L. Barkat
L.L. Barkat
L.L. Barkat is the Managing Editor of Tweetspeak Poetry and the author of six books for grown-ups and four for children, including the popular 'Rumors of Water: Thoughts on Creativity & Writing.' Her poetry has appeared on the BBC and at NPR, VQR, and The Best American Poetry.
L.L. Barkat
Latest posts by L.L. Barkat (see all)
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  • Poetry Prompt: My Poem is an Oasis - August 26, 2024

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About L.L. Barkat

L.L. Barkat is the Managing Editor of Tweetspeak Poetry and the author of six books for grown-ups and four for children, including the popular 'Rumors of Water: Thoughts on Creativity & Writing.' Her poetry has appeared on the BBC and at NPR, VQR, and The Best American Poetry.

Comments

  1. Sandra Heska King says

    September 11, 2011 at 11:40 pm

    Is anything really mindless for a writer if he or she pays attention?

    Reply

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