Saturday, August 19, 2006

Writing Larger Than Life

Today I'm feeling whimsical. Must be all the carpet-shampoo fumes going to my head. But you see, flanking my new front door are two Japanese holly, otherwise known as sky pencils for their tall, thin growing habit.

Their poetic name got me thinking. What must it be like to create your own dark velvet parchment and write across it in stars? Awesome? And what language do those stars speak that universally people from every nation and time look up and are inspired by the beauty written there? What does their writer think about the bad reviews and commentary that give credit for his work to un-manned chance and time? Talk about plagiarism at its worst!

I know I can write words on the sky with a sky writing plane (well, after I rob a few banks to pay for it), but only with as fine a control as a child trying to write with an old fashioned computer mouse. Then my message would linger in the sky for minutes not an eternity. Somehow I don't think people in the future will be looking at the plane english and gasping with awe as they read "Eat at Joe's." Nope. I'm not going to inspire a million poems and proposals. A ticket for air pollution maybe.

I'm looking forward to writing again when all the work and hassle of moving house settle down some, but it will be with computer keys, not sky pencils. Pity. Every time I come through my front door I’ll be reminded of my limitations. If I can capture and preserve a whiff of the greater work happening around me in the stories that I write then I'll be exceedingly fortunate and happy.

1 comment:

Zinnia said...

Wow, cool looking blog!

What wonderful imagery you've typed! Writing in the sky!

If you do go back to writing I highly recommend my publisher.