Writing is a Mystery by Irene Latham

This month we're talking about Mystery, which, back in 2014, was my One Little Word.

For me, writing is a mystery. And the joy of writing is often found in the mystery, which is something we plotters/planners/excellent time managers must leave room for.  

Not only must we leave room for mystery, we must cultivate mystery.

I love this quote from the great Sufi poet Rumi:

"Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment."

Yes! We writers often spend too much time in cleverness (left brain) when what we need is more mystery, bewilderment (right brain).

In his book My Trade is Mystery: Seven Meditations from a Life in Writing, Carl Phillips writes:

"I've no idea how I do this thing, ultimately. Nor do I want to know. To be given a map or compass would prevent me getting lost – what, for me, the making of poems requires from the start; the act of writing is a way of finding a way forward into the next clearing, as a temporary stay against the inevitable next stretch of wilderness, where with luck the next poem lies hidden."

I'll leave you with an original (haiku) poem that includes a bit of mystery. Thanks so much for reading!

p.s. I can't write about mystery and not think of the film Shakespeare in Love. "It's a mystery!"