Intermission

As the last few lines of the villanelle are proving hard to come by at the moment, I thought i'd go off on a tangent a little and write about something slightly different.

What springs to mind straight away is the relationship between mood and creativity, between mindset and subject matter. I began this little online experiment because I love the form, but the meaning behind this and any other poem, regardless of form, is ruled by that strange and unpredictable thought process, which is born out of individual mood. Connections are made between experience, memory and imagination.

What I find interesting is the level of control a writer can have over his subject matter, when these three influnces bare down on the creative process.

Do I write dark things because I think dark thoughts?
Do I write optimistically because I have a possitive outlook?
Can I switch between the two regardless of any underlying mood?

These questions, I feel, are as much philosophical, as they are concerned with the art of writing, however they are a fundamental ingredient in the poetic recipe. 

We need to acknowledge the foundations of our writing in order to ensure we do not simply repeat ourselves, whilst staying true to the opinions and messages that we are trying to convey.  I admit, without hesitation, that I am guilty of this particular creative sin, but hope that an awareness of its pitfalls will allow me to avoid future incursions into such obvious, unproductive territory.

I guess the best way to answer this question would be to write poetry that describes the exact opposite emotion and intention that would normally fuel a creative outburst. And reading those lines back, I guess I've suggested the next experiment I should undertake. Can I free myself from myself? Can I write outside of mood and intention?

Guess I'll have to try and find out.