Monday 28 January 2013

Song of the Sparrow

There  are a few ironies in life,
but no number of explanations would suffice,
to the impulsion of this heart of mine,
for it's an irony on its own, a witch's shrine.

My heart is a great witness to white crimes,
the ones you hope will get lost in the chimes of time,
and though the waning moon casts no shadow,
you speak gently of his days, the song of a sparrow

He sings of your faltering straight face,
of the reluctant hopes you encase,
of your tearful eye as you walk away,
from my smiling mirage, blocking your way. 

Says you've resorted to restrains,
with fading façades at that,
to lock me out in the pouring rain,
from your won tears of guilt in vain.

While he sings all this, so does he scream as well
Of the future memories of a living hell,
I'd abide to the dramatic show,
Where you alone know which strings set me free.

See, my hearts a simpleton,
It never knows what must be done.
Yet it sings the song of the sparrow,
The one you taught, to induce sweet sorrow.






Saturday 5 January 2013

Detachment- A trait

Some are of the opinion that any creative process, requires a certain skill for the result to be truly unique. Others deny that skill, and hold with the thought that having it ruins one's style. So what is this certain skill we speak of? Detachment. Whether or not it is a skill is a matter of perspective.

Detachment is to remain devoid of assumptions and ownership when looking at something. In our case lets consider that it means to keep your emotions away from the piece we write. Why do we say it helps? In some genres, it is well required to be unbiased and look at the content from various perspectives, like writing for the mass. Being detached helps you see beyond your own appreciation to find flaws. Maybe if 1 out of 5 articles has something different  to offer, it fetches you more readers and gives you the versatile title. It might even make you a pro. But here's the catch.

What if, your unique style is the main reason you're a good writer? What if people come to read your style and not what comes out of being detached? Then that would be a problem yes, because your signature style isn't something to be cultivated, its what defines you. Throwing it away for a few more readers is a decision we have to make before we get into the skill. Because when we start practising it too much, all you can see is the objectiveness. Like how an efficient editor can't involve himself in a movie because he's too busy counting the cuts and unveiling the effects, we lose the essence of natural emotions and can only put in what we used to feel.

So we've come back to square one, how to use the skill without loosing ourselves to it and is it necessary in the first place when you know you have a small target group? Detachment, a trait of a good writer or no?