Unless stated otherwise, all poetry on Swimming in Lines of Haiku is Copyright Kirsten Cliff and may not be reprinted in any form without written permission from the author. kirsten(DOT)cliff(AT)gmail(DOT)com

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Thank You International Small Stones Writing Month!

I am so grateful for a river of stones (international small stones writing month) this January. It has refreshed my love of observing, exploring, experiencing, and writing poetry again.

And boy did I need it!

The greater part of 2010 was a test of my relationship with the world of writing (amongst other things).

I didn't write much at all. I had my hands full, and my spirit clouded, with leukaemia (a blood cancer I was diagnosed with on March 2nd, 2010).

I got through it. And started writing haiku and tanka to help me process my journey, making 19 of them into collage-style haiga from August to December.

Now I think, no I know, that it's time to move on. Finding and writing small stones this month is helping me do that.

I do still have more than 18 months of maintenance treatment ahead of me, which includes taking chemo in tablet form. But I'm in remission and through the worst. So from here on it's about attitude.
 
I've decided to submit to a poetry publication or competition every week in 2011. My submissions for last year were way down, and now I want to get back out there. Observing, tasting, trying, writing, reading, submitting...

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