Trust the connections your imagination makes
In school, we were taught to follow a single line of thought in our writing. We were told, :”keep to the theme,” “don’t digress.” Aren’t you glad you’re not in school any more!
When you let your imagination lead the dance with your rational mind, it will throw things together that don’t “follow,” that aren’t “keeping to a theme.” Put two images together: your imagination creates a connection . Put a musing and a memory together: your imagination creates a connection. James Navé, co-founder of Imaginative Storm, wrote this piece in 10 minutes, prompted by Kathleen Wilson’s image “Carrying Much,” in our Writing Prompt of the Week gathering on Zoom.
You can see more of Kathleen’s beautiful artwork at kathleenawilson.com.
Blue-Fuse Long Song
by James Navé
When you look at the old-eye-sky, consider
why your unfettered urgency breaks you
from the uplifting ground. Are we not products
of gravity? Did your ability to string heaven
and earth together come just after your first step
when the sky tumbled across your face?
Civilization is always on time, with no end
and no beginning. Do you own a watch?
What clock does earth follow? I once saw sunset
colors along the sea down near Charleston, South Carolina,
in the blue-fuse, long-song, low country air between
salt marsh and seagulls. The old-eye sky came along
for the ride, not to hide or fly, only to mingle
with the moist sea song air. Must we walk all day?
“Excuse me, sir, can you spare two dollars?
Thank you for your trouble.”
Click here to order Write What You Don’t Know: 10 Steps to Writing with Confidence, Energy, and Flow by Allegra Huston and James Navé, founders of the Imaginative Storm method, or buy it from your favorite online retailer. It’s also available on Kindle and all other e-book platforms.
In spring 2023, the online video course, Write What You Don’t Know: Imaginative Storm Writer Training, will be available. Join our mailing list now for updates and a 25% discount.
Follow @imaginativestorm on Instagram for a daily writing prompt, or discover our extensive archive of visual and audio writing prompts on our YouTube channel. Then, publish what you write on the Imaginative Storm Circle platform! We’d love tor read it.
And Join us live on Zoom any Saturday, noon ET. It’s free.