Maggie's response to Revealing Secrets, Writing Poems

[Sondra Perl]

#631

“I will not include them here, not because they are embarrassing or painful, but because they are private, as some writing must be” (146).

This is the first time I have read anything that talks about writing that is not meant to be read (I suppose, considering, that this is not surprising). The writing that is not meant to be read is probably not meant to be talked about either. But without talking about it, I’m not sure how to figure out what it does. There is a reason that I–and, apparently, other people too–write things that are specifically not meant to be read, but why? That writing does something or we wouldn’t keep doing it. But because it is a private thing, it is hard to verbalize what that something is.

I was going to speculate, but I find that I can’t. Just talking about talking about private writing is hard enough.

[Anonymous]

#634

Is it odd to write words to agree with the fact that some words shouldn’t be read? Probably. But among writers talking about writing I always feel there is a constant, vibrant undercurrent of private writing that is never spoken of – but on top of which all other writing is built, as if articulation meant for public consumption is only attained after a murky realm of “things that are specifically not meant to be read.” Maybe this stuff relates to this “felt sense” we’re discussing soon, and private writing is the only decent process of trial and error to articulate those “private things.” Maybe that makes reading certain writings indecent. I’m not sure, either.

[Anonymous]

#637

Maggie,

I also think your post is very relatable to our in class workshop group. “There is a reason that I–and, apparently, other people too–write things that are specifically not meant to be read, but why? ” I often wonder this as well. Why is it that when I sit down to write, only the things I do not want to share are the first things to come into mind? And why is it that we still find a way to write about them? Even if we leave so much silence in between the words, thinking we’re hiding them, but only hope that our readers do get what we are trying to tell them. In fact, I often find myself writing better when I create a atmosphere with a pinch of melancholia. We’re drawn to write about the things that hurt us, and why? I have yet to write anything about happiness, or content at the very least, without a shadow of a negativity looming over it. Thanks for the post, it made me think about this NY Times article about why people remember negative events more than the positive ones: https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/24/your-money/why-people-remember-negative-events-more-than-positive-ones.html?_r=0

-Joanna

[Sondra Perl]

#642

By writing “I will not include them here, not because they are embarrassing or painful, but because they are private, as some writing must be” (146), I think this type of statement, if done correctly, works for a writer. Here, she offers the reader speculation and more importantly lets the reader wonder.

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