Musings From the River Market Writing Marathon

On Friday I went on the River Market Writing Marathon in downtown Little Rock. Basically I wondered around the River Market area, pausing to write here and there. Then after two hours, we all met up and read portions of our work from the marathon. It's a pretty cool process. Here are some very raw tid-bits from the event:

Outside the River Market area in downtown Little Rock

A pad of paper--nothing fancy. A smooth pen, good food, and pleasant people are the ingredients for a writing marathon.

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On my drive to Denver yesterday I wondered about unwritten love songs. The ones we sing in the silent hours on long drives through miles of uninhabited land. I wondered about the songs we sing and poems we compose for forbidden lovers. And I wondered how many people keep these songs locked tight, deep in their bones, not a word breathed to anyone. It seems if we let out these songs that our bones would ache less--our shoulders not so tense--our minds clearer. But on second thought, what chaos is unleashed by the simple act of releasing these songs?



Facing the Arkansas River
What a great, serene space. The act of writing is so simple; not much is needed to make writing happen. But place seems to have an effect on writing--well, it does on my writing. A busy street teeming with life--a cozy coffee shop with folk music crying from the speakers--an outdoor landscape---all give me the itch to write, to compose, to spill my guts out on paper. And places like where I'm at now make me dream. I once wanted a life in a city--Chicago or New York--someplace I could make art. And in my 17 year old mind--these were the only two places one could make art. I wanted a place where I could thrive creatively, and in a sense--I think I still want that. I think I will always want that. But I wonder, with a hint of fear, if I'll ever be content with where I'm at. Am I a grass is always greener on the other side type of person? Now that I'm a little older and wiser, I know that art can be made anywhere. It's not the location that matters. It's the passion within that makes all the difference.