The Poem is a Temple

But first and foremost, I learned from Whitman that the poem is a temple—or a green field—a place to enter, and in which to feel. ~Mary Oliver, Blue Pastures

Oh yes, I so agree with Mary Oliver. Poetry writing is my feeling place. It's a safe place to seek comfort, to work out my struggles, to express my emotions.

I have two forms of creative expression I really love: photography and poetry. It's interesting to put these two things side by side and realize that one pushes me outward while the other pulls me inward. The photography is purely joy-based, and it forces me to interact with my physical world. It nudges me to notice the fine details of everyday things and gets me outside of my head. It's easy to share and not as vulnerable. The poetry typically comes from a place of internal struggle, and is a way for me to express my tangled emotions in a format that has a semblance of rhythm and beauty: order out of chaos. It tends to be heavier and conflict-based, and sharing it makes me feel fragile and exposed. It shows my flaws. Both photography and poetry serve a purpose that fulfills me.

I love the lightness of photography, but poetry is cleansing to me spiritually...they both satisfy me in a very profound way.

How about you? What form of expression makes your heart happy, or helps you release the heaviness of life? Whatever it is, use it...let it help you express whatever it is that inspires or ails you.