This is one of the most stunning pieces I've read from you, Ren. It's like you have a hand that can touch a pulse of words, wonder, memory, feeling. A vibrant, beating pulse, that you touch and translate into words. Each week, I sit in awe, reading your words and thoughts, and they are absolutely beautiful. What a truly deep, sensitive, glorious gift you have. So grateful to you.
Oh, Spidergal, this means so much to me. I'm happy that I can give a little back of all the warmth you give me each holiday season! And it means a lot coming from another writer.
So much depth, and weaving of emotions and metaphors, and life experiences in one space. I love this:
"As a species, we are compelled to witness. We pass on stories, or we make related stories discrete from our true experience, or we unravel the essence of stories into historical cultural facts on a Wikipedia page.
I’m curious about the relationships among experiencing, witnessing, and telling stories."
I find poetry to be so healing, both writing it and reading it. I'm a big fan of Andrea Gibson, someone who definitely seems to heal us and herself through her words. I'm glad we are connected here.
How it feels to read this piece is remarkable, Ren. It feels like the writing that happens when you wake up from a dream and you have one foot in and one foot out. Images and visceral impressions. It's intimate, true, and familiar. Cancer didn't kill me, but so so many loud and harsh words almost did. Thank you for letting this one take you for a spin. I'm not saying you didn't craft every word. But like I said, how it feels to read this piece is remarkable.
This thing, your voice, it's an astounding gift (and you know I think that).
I often wish I had a mind like yours, which has the patience to probe deeply into thoughts and their patterns and their origins. I fly from one thought to another on impulse, still.
"As a species, we are compelled to witness." I loved this. I guess that's why, as you say, we became storytellers. And I often find that it's not the sought-for experience which creates the best, incoherent, full of awe, witnessing and the words that come from that, but the accidental witnessing, the sudden and unexpected revelation of something wonderful.
You have no idea (off course you do) what this means today. Been a rough week and has me questioning. You've shaken me out of self-pity and I didn’t even have to whine for it. 🤣
My first thoughts are that this is beautifully complex and full of emotion, meaning I will need to read this more than once.
I'm so happy to have your trust that it's worth a second read.
Probably more than one more, I feel a lot is here. It’s a brave share 💛
This is one of the most stunning pieces I've read from you, Ren. It's like you have a hand that can touch a pulse of words, wonder, memory, feeling. A vibrant, beating pulse, that you touch and translate into words. Each week, I sit in awe, reading your words and thoughts, and they are absolutely beautiful. What a truly deep, sensitive, glorious gift you have. So grateful to you.
Oh, Spidergal, this means so much to me. I'm happy that I can give a little back of all the warmth you give me each holiday season! And it means a lot coming from another writer.
So much depth, and weaving of emotions and metaphors, and life experiences in one space. I love this:
"As a species, we are compelled to witness. We pass on stories, or we make related stories discrete from our true experience, or we unravel the essence of stories into historical cultural facts on a Wikipedia page.
I’m curious about the relationships among experiencing, witnessing, and telling stories."
Thank you, Susan! I am so grateful you read my stack.
I find poetry to be so healing, both writing it and reading it. I'm a big fan of Andrea Gibson, someone who definitely seems to heal us and herself through her words. I'm glad we are connected here.
I agree. It's all charms.
How it feels to read this piece is remarkable, Ren. It feels like the writing that happens when you wake up from a dream and you have one foot in and one foot out. Images and visceral impressions. It's intimate, true, and familiar. Cancer didn't kill me, but so so many loud and harsh words almost did. Thank you for letting this one take you for a spin. I'm not saying you didn't craft every word. But like I said, how it feels to read this piece is remarkable.
I'm so grateful for this comment, Laury. Witing always feels so risky! (As I'm sure you know.) This means to world!
As is my wont nowadays, I'm late to this.
This thing, your voice, it's an astounding gift (and you know I think that).
I often wish I had a mind like yours, which has the patience to probe deeply into thoughts and their patterns and their origins. I fly from one thought to another on impulse, still.
"As a species, we are compelled to witness." I loved this. I guess that's why, as you say, we became storytellers. And I often find that it's not the sought-for experience which creates the best, incoherent, full of awe, witnessing and the words that come from that, but the accidental witnessing, the sudden and unexpected revelation of something wonderful.
I feel so privileged to know you and read you.
R
You have no idea (off course you do) what this means today. Been a rough week and has me questioning. You've shaken me out of self-pity and I didn’t even have to whine for it. 🤣
What a beautiful piece of writing. Dreamlike, yes, fragments of stories and memories woven by hand, by heart.