Hello. Born in 1954, that is, 68 years ago. I write when the fancy strikes me. I can't read. Can't read lengthier texts. It first started with novels, and the last one I read end-to-end was "Fatelessness" by Imre Kertesz. That was about 20 years ago, can't remember. After that it was difficult to get through lengthier magazine articles. Now if I find a FaceBook entry that is several paragraphs long, I skim it, not read it. My writing habits parallel this disability. I used to write longer short stories, novellas. Then three-page long ones, then down to microfiction. Currently I am lucky if I have enough attention span to write a short poem. Poems, I keep telling people, is the easiest genre to write. Good poems, however, are the hardest. I've been told I have a knack for writing, a talent; but that was for prose. Now that I am reduced to writing poetry, I am not sure if I am good enough in that genre. This site may be the telling for me. My prose used to be 20 percent serious, 80 percent funny. I can't write jokes in poetry; they sound unnatural. It's a bit reminiscent of how humour can't be expressed in music and it's never found in religious texts. As if the human mind categorized genres for what they are appropriate. I am not even sure if it's genetically imbedded in our minds or if it's a socially learned behaviour. I live in Canada, so I use Canadian spelling. Which is halfway between the British and the American. To me, a police force or a nationality or a sports team is singular, not plural. The police is looking for the culprit, not are looking for a culprit; Manchester United is going to win, not are going to win.
Welcome, fellow Canuckian. Make yourself at home in the forum. There are quite a few people into poetry here! Flash fiction, too, if it's of any interest. https://www.writingforums.org/workshop/poetry/ https://www.writingforums.org/workshop/flash-fiction/
Thank you, Not the Territory and Louanne Learning. I am a bit belated with this acknowledgment of your good will, because I got swept up reading entries in forums. Very kind of both of you to welcome me, and your patriotic embrace makes me feel at home. I noticed that the quality of writing here is very high. I recently joined two online groups of mutual gentle but meaningful critiquing of works. They are also head-and-shoulders above the one I had been attending (and continuing to attend). In this forum I hope to continue the joyful journey of exchange of ideas and works, and honing my sometimes wobbly style.
