5.6.07

go on nerve...

– from Personism: a Manifesto

You just go on nerve. If someone’s chasing you down the street with a knife you just run, you don’t turn around and shout, “Give it up! I was a track star for Mineola Prep.”

                Frank O’Hara

*

Yes. That’s true. You write because you have to, because that’s all you know to do, because you cannot, will not, help yourself about it. The words will take care of themselves.

8 comments:

DeadMule said...

I love it. Helen

Anonymous said...

This is my absolute favorite Frankie quote. I not only take it to mean don't try to write just write - I also take it to mean that a poet is always writing, whether or not the poems are getting to the page. So that, when you finally do meet the page, you are ready.

-G.D. said...

it is a sweet illness

(hi, Sam)

sam of the ten thousand things said...

Thanks for the read, Helen and Melissa - and I agree with you pwadj - about meeting the page.

And GF, I'm glad you dropped by. I've been wondering...

Collin Kelley said...

Sweet, sweet, Frankie. Where would I be without him?

sam of the ten thousand things said...

Where would we all be? Thanks for the read, Collin.

Anonymous said...

Sam,
Each entry you post is something I *need* to read at the moment I read it.

How do you do that?
:)

sam of the ten thousand things said...

I don't know Clare, but thanks for the read.