I’ve found that writing is often an iterative process. Several of you have mentioned an interest in the process I go through when writing songs or poetry from the seed of an idea through the “Final” result. The word “Final” is in quotes because often when I think I’m done with a piece, I end up making further changes later.

Today I made changes to two of my earlier poems that I hope enhance them. Here they are with the revisions. If you want to be able to make a “before and after” comparison, I invite you to type the titles of the poems in the search feature of this site.

Russ

Mirages

It happened without warning
One moment everything was clear
Then my eye glasses broke
And my life became a blur

But my fuzzy vision
Brought into sharp relief
That what happened to my eyes
Can happen to my beliefs

Opinions built on air
Come crashing to the ground
And sometimes “facts” no longer fit
With biases brought down

Now my eyes once again
See with clarity
With help from my new glasses
That are a better fit for me

But what about my false beliefs
When they’re shattered on the ground?
And the mirages I had counted on
Are nowhere to be found?

–Russ Towne

— —

The Race

Moving in slow motion
Can hardly think at all
Vision’s getting fuzzy
Movements slowing to a crawl
Forgot to leave the porch light on
Can’t fit my key in the lock
Tell myself I need more sleep
As I fumble in the dark
It’s a slow-motion race
As I stagger through the door
For my head to hit my pillow
Before my face hits the floor.

–Russ Towne