When To Start
I performed this poem at the Slam on Saturday and one of our hosts was quite moved by it. I told her I would post it, so...here goes!
When I was in high school
I wanted to be a writer.
It was the first thing
I really WANTED to be
Since my grade school
Flirtation with accountancy.
It may seem odd that a 10-year old
Would want to be an accountant
But I really liked numbers
Which made me want to be an accountant
The way some kids want to be firemen:
Because of the cool red trucks.
Later I realized it was the
Patterns in numbers that I really liked
And that words led to even more
Interesting and intricate patterns.
I wanted to write a post-punk novel
On the complexity of being an outcast
Teenager in a world that was rapidly
Spinning into a maelstrom of chaos.
Either that or Spider-man comics.
I did everything I could to be a writer:
I read a lot, I studied other people,
I tried to make wise post-secondary choices
So that I wouldn't use the introductory
'Starving' before the explanatory 'artist'.
I did everything, that is,
Except write.
Writing was too hard.
I had no voice.
The things I did write were
Pastiche, and often not even of
Writers I enjoyed.
My highest regarded story from a college
Creative writing class came on a dare,
After I mocked a friend's Stephen King collection.
I despaired that the world of writing
Was not for me.
``````````````````````
When did you start writing?
Or you? How about you?
Or drawing, painting, singing, sculpting?
Or, more importantly,
Why have you not started?
What is it that you have trapped inside
That needs to come out?
I thought I had no voice.
I do, I just wasn't listening.
Open your mouth and let it out.
#Don't worry if it's not good enough,
For anyone else to hear.
Just sing#, shout, dance, write, paint -
EXPRESS
I listened to a panel of creators
In a high school auditorium
Tell the students how important
It was to start young.
It was the right message
At the right time.
It was the right voice
Speaking to the right ears.
Too bad it wasn't true.
I started writing again at 33.
I wrote my first slam poem at 38.
I don't know why I bothered
Because it was clearly too late.
Wayson Choy released his first novel at 57.
Alex Haley's first book came at the age of 44.
Maya Angelou was 41.
You don't have to be a child prodigy
To need to create.
There is NO window of opportunity,
Or rather, there is,
But it lasts a lifetime.
If you have something to say,
Say it.
If you don't have anything to say,
Dig a little deeper.
Opinions and feelings should not be
Assigned to us like driver's licences.
They bubble from withing
Even if they have been tamped down
And sealed away.
Ease off on the valve
And let your steam of creativity
Join our stream of conciousness
And change the world
Just by being part of it.
Experience matters,
But we all have the same amount:
One lifetime, in progress.
So start writing at 15 or 50.
Start drawing at 9 or 90.
It is never late
And it is never too early.
What is the right age?
No such thing.
When is the right time?
Don't wait for the big idea
That will make you famous.
Don't give up your dreams
Because your time for dreaming has passed.
Don't start young
Don't start old
Don't start fast
Don't start slow.
Just start.
When I was in high school
I wanted to be a writer.
It was the first thing
I really WANTED to be
Since my grade school
Flirtation with accountancy.
It may seem odd that a 10-year old
Would want to be an accountant
But I really liked numbers
Which made me want to be an accountant
The way some kids want to be firemen:
Because of the cool red trucks.
Later I realized it was the
Patterns in numbers that I really liked
And that words led to even more
Interesting and intricate patterns.
I wanted to write a post-punk novel
On the complexity of being an outcast
Teenager in a world that was rapidly
Spinning into a maelstrom of chaos.
Either that or Spider-man comics.
I did everything I could to be a writer:
I read a lot, I studied other people,
I tried to make wise post-secondary choices
So that I wouldn't use the introductory
'Starving' before the explanatory 'artist'.
I did everything, that is,
Except write.
Writing was too hard.
I had no voice.
The things I did write were
Pastiche, and often not even of
Writers I enjoyed.
My highest regarded story from a college
Creative writing class came on a dare,
After I mocked a friend's Stephen King collection.
I despaired that the world of writing
Was not for me.
``````````````````````
When did you start writing?
Or you? How about you?
Or drawing, painting, singing, sculpting?
Or, more importantly,
Why have you not started?
What is it that you have trapped inside
That needs to come out?
I thought I had no voice.
I do, I just wasn't listening.
Open your mouth and let it out.
#Don't worry if it's not good enough,
For anyone else to hear.
Just sing#, shout, dance, write, paint -
EXPRESS
I listened to a panel of creators
In a high school auditorium
Tell the students how important
It was to start young.
It was the right message
At the right time.
It was the right voice
Speaking to the right ears.
Too bad it wasn't true.
I started writing again at 33.
I wrote my first slam poem at 38.
I don't know why I bothered
Because it was clearly too late.
Wayson Choy released his first novel at 57.
Alex Haley's first book came at the age of 44.
Maya Angelou was 41.
You don't have to be a child prodigy
To need to create.
There is NO window of opportunity,
Or rather, there is,
But it lasts a lifetime.
If you have something to say,
Say it.
If you don't have anything to say,
Dig a little deeper.
Opinions and feelings should not be
Assigned to us like driver's licences.
They bubble from withing
Even if they have been tamped down
And sealed away.
Ease off on the valve
And let your steam of creativity
Join our stream of conciousness
And change the world
Just by being part of it.
Experience matters,
But we all have the same amount:
One lifetime, in progress.
So start writing at 15 or 50.
Start drawing at 9 or 90.
It is never late
And it is never too early.
What is the right age?
No such thing.
When is the right time?
Don't wait for the big idea
That will make you famous.
Don't give up your dreams
Because your time for dreaming has passed.
Don't start young
Don't start old
Don't start fast
Don't start slow.
Just start.