Starting a new poem
I sometimes think of Billy Collins’ quip
There’s a lot of staring involved
He knows a thing or two about poetry
So who am I to argue?
I stare a lot
just waiting to get things started
Today, I want to write about nature
how elements of it mirror my own life
my own behaviors
Maybe I’ll write about the herons
standing and waiting
until the next morsel comes along
Patience
Standing and waiting
Maybe a slow stalk to try to gain advantage
Eyes unblinking
Like both the heron and the poet
I’ll sit and stare
Eventually, the words will come along
It’s Poetry Friday! Visit this week’s roundup at Molly’s Nix the Comfort Zone
Yet There is Method 
Yes, staring is an essential part of the process! Thank you for your poem, Tim.
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Irene, I’m not sure I could write a poem without staring! Thank you for reading!
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I could hear Billy Collins’ voice as I read your poem 🙂 Fun!
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Tabatha, I don’t know if this is a good thing or not, but Billy Collins’ voice is sort of the default voice that I use when I read poetry. Thanks for reading!
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Tim, there is a lot of staring! : ) And lots of kinds of staring. I do a lot of the empty stare into space, but this morning, I was walking outside, and a group of crows squawked to each other from tree to tree. I had to eye them for quite a while!
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Tracy, yes! Staring comes in so many forms, and I find myself practicing many of them. Crows are wonderful, as are the birds I stand and watch at my feeder. They leave me lost in the moment!
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So much staring. So. much.
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Yes!
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The pondering of possibilities is an essential element of poetry Tim, and you gently capture that in the inner machinations of the mind prior to the words emerging on the page. Nice work and love the reference to Billy Collins.
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Alan, “pondering of possibilities” pretty much so sums up the process, yes! Billy Collins is a favorite, and that quip is one my wife reminds me of often.
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I love the faith your poem shows, Tim! It will arrive if only I stand and stare!
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It never fails, Linda!
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I relate to this poem Tim, waiting for an entryway into something I want to express. It also reminds me of how I envision a day in the life of Mary Oliver, just sitting out near a pond, being.
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Doida, waiting is such a big part of everything. Mary Oliver comes to my mind often as I write. I hope I can someday just be.
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You and the heron…both waiting for tasty morsels!
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Eventually they’ll come along!
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Ah…and there, the words have arrived.
Well done.
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It’s just a matter of waiting!
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Tim, it is good to meet you via your poem. These lines resonate with me: “Like both the heron and the poet / i’ll sit and stare / Eventually, the words will come along”. Best of luck in 2026!
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Thank you for reading, Carol! Here’s to a fantastic new year!
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Tim, well told! The sitting and staring at the blank page. We can relate, and yet you don’t leave us with any easy answers–just the persistence and comfort of sitting and staring. Yes, the words will eventually come. Thanks for the reminder.
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Thanks, Denise! Sometimes I think about writing as a reason to just sit and think. Words usually come, but if they don’t, it was still nice to sit and wait for them anyway.
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Tim, thank you for your lovely poem that reminds me that a poem can’t be forced and, “Eventually the words will come along.” Oh, love your herons and how you wove the comparison with writing. I am going to share this post with my book group, as we are reading Kooser’s Poetry Manual chapter on weaving comparisons and this is amazing!!! Thank you!!!
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