Lara Tupper: Swift Ink Stories

"Gather all our flaws in celebration."

When I'm at a loss for words, I listen to poet David Whyte. He has a voice that draws me in. He makes me want to write.

Yesterday I sat outside in the afternoon damp and listened to Whyte's poem, "The Faces at Braga." The poem asks us to reconsider our flaws. What if our "failings" are actually necessary components, like the knots and twists in any interesting piece of wood? What if we could "gather all our flaws in celebration," as Whyte encourages?

MAY WRITING PROMPT-  Gather your so-called flaws. What are they? List them quickly, without thinking too much, without beating yourself up. Then look at your list. How could these flaws be celebrated? How do they make you uniquely you? As always, give yourself permission to be messy and imperfect. (Flawed!) Just keep writing for 10 minutes or so. Then read your words out loud to yourself.

--

NEXT ONLINE WRITING WORKSHOP, comprised of short and sweet freewriting exercises: Thursday, May 13, 7:00 pm - 8:30 …