Poetry Friday: Pack a Bag
Pack a Bag
As a writer with an outside full-time job and two kids, I have always had to carve out bit and pieces of time to write. I do have a dedicated time in the morning to write before I go to work. Now that my kids are back to regular activities, I’m spending a lot more time on the go, similar to pre-pandemic times. I’m back to packing a bag of writing stuff to carry with me. I always have something in that bag to work on. Examples of things that are in my bag:
- Craft book–A book about some aspect of writing
- Research–I print out research and put it in the bag with highlighters.
- Poetry Notebook–Poetry is something that is easy for me to write on the go. I’m always jotting down notes about potential poems, drafting, or revising a poem.
- A particular project–There was a project that I kept feeling like I should work on, but it wasn’t my “main project” that I work on intensely in the mornings. I put a notebook for this project in my writing bag and it became a “car project.” When I’m waiting for my oldest to get out of practice, I pull out that project.
- Other books–I often have another book I’m reading, sometimes it’s a nonfiction book about something I’m considering writing about. I’ve been able to capture lots of extra reading time that way.
I typically do not put things in my writing bag that have a deadline. I usually work on those things in my dedicated early morning writing time because that’s when I’m fresher and more focused. Anything I get done in the extra time is a bonus.
I also don’t typically take my laptop. Many of the places I have to wait don’t have wifi or power. I carry things I can work on in a parked car.
This is not the first time I’ve written about packing a bag. Here’s a post from 2012 (10 years ago!! I’ve been doing this for 10 years!) and I talked about it on the Chalk + Ink Podcast as well.
If you carry around your writing with you, I’d love to know what’s in your bag.
Haiku of the Week
on forest’s floor
pebbled mast of hickory
unsnatched by squirrels
–Photo and haiku by Marcie Flinchum Atkins
What I’m Reading
I’m currently reading HOW TO LOVE THE WORLD edited by James Crews. I tend to read poetry books where all of the poems are written by the same poet. This anthology really gives me a wide range of styles to learn from. This is a book I’m reading for my 3-a-day poetry practice, and I’ve enjoyed a hopeful look at the world from different poets.
Today’s Poetry Friday roundup is at Heidi’s “my juicy little universe.” It’s Poetry Month, so it’s a great time to read some poems!
24 Comments
janice scully
What an inspiring post, Marcia! So much here that I can incorporate into my day especially having projects and books at hand when there is time to read and think. Happy NPM!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Yes! Keeping projects at hand is huge for me. Let me know how it goes!
Mary Lee
I love both your photo and your haiku! Perfect!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Thank you!
Rose Cappelli
Thanks for peek into your bag, Marcie. I remember someone a long time ago talking about keeping a flood book in their car – in case she was stuck in a flood and couldn’t go anywhere, she would have something to read. I have a few small notebooks in my purse and when I go anywhere overnight, always a book of poetry.
I love how the sounds of “mast” and “snatched” complement each other in your haiku. And thanks, also, for another book recommendation.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Yes! Never go anywhere without a notebook! I discovered today that I managed to pack a notebook but not a PEN. Argh! At least I had a book.
Tricia Stohr-Hunt
Lovely photo and haiku. I appreciate interesting words in haiku and love the use of unsnatched here.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Thank you, Tricia!
Linda Mitchell
Your dedication inspires me…I have a hard time settling when I’m waiting for one of my kids. I will read, though. So that’s something! That morning focus time is the best. I’m positively cranky without it.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Morning focus IS definitely the best! Reading while waiting is still good! Really good!
Linda Baie
I don’t need to do the bag anymore, so little driving, Marcie, but I do love that you do it. I have been there, waiting, waiting. Now if I do have time in the car, it’s often an audio book. I love your haiku observation, hard to believe the squirrels did not “snatch”.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Yes to audiobooks! Or podcasts. I had a very long drive today and I listened to some really good podcasts that got me thinking about current and future projects.
Kathryn Apel
I love this idea of a bag of writing stuff. (And inspiration!) As a mum, I packed a bag for my kids, but too often these days I rely on my phone; draft a poem, read an ebook, click-a-pic (and sort/delete) – if desperate, send an email, though I try not to, since I’m prone to errors on my phone! I’m not saying the phone is the best option! (At all!!) But is has become so much more than a phone, for me.
‘unsnatched by squirrels’ makes me smile. 🙂
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
I definitely get distracted by my phone, so I prefer to not focus on it. But…last weekend I stood in line for a bus at a sporting event for 90 minutes. It was snowing/raining, so I couldn’t pull out my papers and books. But I did compose haiku on my phone notes app, so it is a totally useful too.
Catherine Flynn
I do miss those days of driving my kids everywhere. I feel like I accomplished so much more when I had less time! As others have mentioned, I love your mast/unstatched near rhyme. Hiking through the woods here in CT this weekend, I noticed an abundance of hickory nuts, too!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
I missed the car time during the lockdown phase of the pandemic. At one point, I told my husband I needed to go for a drive and sit in a parking lot so I could get some writing done.
Heidi Mordhorst
Gotta love a writer’s process post! I love your “pebbled mast” and “unsnatched by squirrels.” Happy NPM, Marcie!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Thank you, Heidi!
Christie Wyman
I do love to learn about the routines and practices of others, Marcie. I see you are a Canva creator, too, if I’m not mistaken. Love how easy it is to combine a photo and verse — my go-to. “Pebbled” for the win, as others have noted! Cheers!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Yes! I love Canva, for sure.
PATRICIA J FRANZ
HOW TO LOVE THE WORLD is on my reading table right now, too! Check out p.55 … reminded me of YOU! P.S. I received a beautiful postcard haiku photo today 🙂
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Oh thanks! So funny, my bookmark was on p. 56, so p. 55 was the last poem I read. 🙂 So glad you got the postcard!
Michelle Kogan
Thanks for your rich-textural poem and the pic, and I’m surprised too that the forest treasures are still there!
My kids are out of the house, though I always travel with a notebook, pencils, and pens to catch inspiring tid bits…
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Yes! Never leave home without a notebook!