I fear that I have lost the plot
My poetry is not that hot
Writing all day; what a swot
My brain is riddled, full of rot
My confidence has turned to fear
I sense the tension in the air
Do I have words with which to share?
Regarding this, I am unclear
Where did my talent go last night?
I’ve tried all day to make things right
My absent words fill me with fright
There seems to be no hope in sight
I’m overcome with lethargy
My brain is risking atrophy
This is a total tragedy
My shame is here for all to see
Another thing I ought to mention
Is that I cannot pay attention
This, despite my best intention
My muse is full of apprehension
I’ve lost my skills, I can’t pretend
Confided in my one best friend
Apologised and made amends
And this is where my sad tale ends.
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Author: Ellie Thompson
Writing my memoirs, musings, a little fiction and a lot of poetry as a way of exploring and making the most of my life ...
... Having had a break from writing my blog for more than three years, I decided to return to write my memoirs, some day-to-day observations, views and feelings. My passion is non-fiction poetry. I have a disability and use an electric powerchair called Alfie and let nothing get in the way of living life to the full.
I believe that you can never do a kindness too soon and should give credit where credit is due. A smile or a kind word could make the difference between a good or bad day for a person - we never know what's going on for another soul. Those little things, perhaps, practised daily like a mantra, could mean so much to someone else.
Thank you for visiting my blog and reading a little more about me. Please, make yourself at home here. You are very welcome. Ellie x 😊
View all posts by Ellie Thompson
Essentially Ellie 
“My muse is full of apprehension” is so great. Mine too! Especially today. It’s good to know it’s not just me.
Thank you so much for reading and leaving me a kind comment, M. Ashley. It’s much appreciated and, no, you definitely aren’t alone. It’s frustrating when the words you want won’t come, isn’t it? I hope your muse is back in full working order very soon 😊.
… But you got excellent rhythm, Ma’am 👏 🥁 💗
Thank you, dear Selma, for your vote of confidence. I hope you are well. Xx 🤗💓💛
Love it.
When I give up this committee work I must give it a go.
Love you lots.
Thank you very much, Granny. I’m sure you’ll have a lot more spare time on your hands when you’ve left the committee. I’d love to read a poem from you when you have time to write one. Love you heaps Xxx 💓🌷💓
You’ve lost nothing, Ellie, but you are trying too hard. Sit back, take a deep breath or five, and let the inner you out.
You have written a lot of great poetry over the past year. Words were just flowing out of you. You cannot expect that to happen day after day, year after year. The more pressure you put on yourself, the harder it is going to be to listen to the inner you. Write fiction. Write limericks. Write anything but poetry for awhile. Your muse will let you know when to start writing poetry again. Please!
Thank you, J. I love writing poetry and am passionate about it, but sometimes the act of wanting to write something fizzles out into a poor piece of writing. Nevertheless, I enjoyed writing this, even though this wasn’t one of my best pieces; far from it. I didn’t want to mention the words, ‘writer’s block’ as I have written on this topic many times before. I’ve had the same problem with completing my coursework this last week, too. I finished a piece and handed it in, but I’m not very happy with it. I find it hard to take a break as my passion overrules the need to rest. I’m not sure if this makes any sense, as I’m a bit muddled myself. I find it incredibly frustrating not to be able to produce a good piece of work.
Yesterday, I wrote a long piece (now sitting in my drafts folder) about the upcoming protest against our government next week. It’s going to be a huge event and I am determined to go. It’s going to be a real challenge travelling in my wheelchair, Alfie, as I will have to stop every now and then to recharge his batteries, so I can get home again. It’s in London, so about 40 miles away from me. I decided against publishing it, mainly because I knew I couldn’t deal with any backlash or criticism because it’s a political topic and many people are very against Extinction Rebellion. Maybe, I took the coward’s way out 😬.
Never worry about howca piece is received. Write as you will. Before all else you are writing for you, and yet you are your hardest critic.
A lot of my own favourite poems I didn’t rea.lly .ike when I wrote them, but as I grew to understand what I put into them , unconscioysly of course, I figure they could be up there with Willy himself. But likely they will never be read by more than a few, and t.hat’s the way it goes.
Thanks for your comments and advice, J. Both are much appreciated. I realise I am my harshest critic – it comes from a lack of confidence in my work. Funnily enough, I submitted a piece of writing to my tutor and expected to be asked to do it again (or, in my eyes, to do it again with improvements). As it happened, I got excellent feedback. I might share it on my blog, although it is rather long, so I am unsure yet.
I agree with you about putting your heart and soul into your work. I would like to read some of your poetry if you wouldn’t mind. No pressure, though. Just one question … who is Willy? I’ve not heard this name in the context of writing before 💙.
William Shakespeare, lol. Being English I thought you would see right through that one.
A lot of my poetry can be read online.some on WORD PRESS at Word Art by rawgod, or rawgod’s spiritual atheism where it is interspersed between the many posts I wrote there. You have to go back in the archives but they can be found.
Alternative there is a “dead” website at https://rawgod.tripod.com/id64.htm where in “younger days” in the history of the internet I built a free website but the platform was sold and then discontunued. On the left side of almost every page there is a poem. But because the website is just a “ghost” not all the links work, and one often has to use back arriws to retutn to the Interior links page to get around in the site — if you can even get there. Sometimes it does nothing at all, and sometimes it takes yiu elsewhere than where you want to go.
If you are really interested once you get there, it is best to bookmark the link. Because I often refer back to it I keep the link open in my browser at all times.
It might not even work in England or elsewhere. You can let me know if the above link still works, please
Ah, that Willy! I definitely should have known that one! Thanks for the information on how to find some of your poetry. I will take a look, probably over the weekend as I am frantically busy today and tonight. Thank you for the links, too. Hopefully, they will work for me. I will let you know in the next few days. Hope your day is going okay 💙
😦
Thanks, Greg.
I don’t know, if it’s a nonsense poem than I like nonsense art, because it made sense to me. I think you summed up the challenge we humans all face at one time or another, a cross between frustration, lethargy, anger that the words don’t come and a few emotions in between! I liked it Ellie!!
Thank you for restoring my faith, Brian. I was so keen to write something yesterday, but the words just wouldn’t come. I had written a different post yesterday, but decided not to publish it as it was rather political (unlike my usual style) and I didn’t want to face the inevitable backlash. Thank you for liking this, even though I know it was far from my best piece. And yes, I was definitely feeling all those emotions.
I’m really sorry I haven’t had time to read your recent posts. I’m preparing for a group protest and it’s taking all my time to plan for it, make travel arrangements and attend meetings. It’s not until next Saturday (not this week), and I might write about it after I’ve got back again. I hope you and your family are well, Brian.
Loved the rhyme!
Keep writing, Ellie.
You are amazing😊
Thank you so much, Vidah, for your encouragement. It’s much appreciated. I’m glad you enjoyed this poem. Xx 😊💕
Essentially wonderful!
Oh, thank you, Tallisman. That’s so kind of you to say, especially when I really had my doubts about this piece. Thanks again 😊.
I feel this loss all too often when I call on myself… it’s a pain. Always lovely to read your writing 🙂
Thanks, Simon. I’m sorry you experience this issue, too. It’s so frustrating, isn’t it? Thank you for taking the time out to read my piece of nonsense 😊.
It’s part of being human… no nonsense here 🙂
😊
Great couplet:
I’m overcome with lethargy
My brain is risking atrophy
I love it when people rhyme $10 words in a poem. I’ve always been partial when people rhyme several lines in a row that end in ‘ation’ — salvation, destination, you get the idea. Your lines and the ation bit remind me of rap songs.
Thanks, Jeff. I’m glad you liked it considering I thought it was a just a piece of nonsense. Please, tell me what a $10 word is. I am very curious. Perhaps, I should go in for writing rap songs, then 😎.
I think I mde it up. I seem to remember something from my past where value was put on conversational vocabulary. I can’t remember what that was anyore so I just called them $10 words indication that they have value. Hmmm. Maybe a lot of anesthesia is still leaking out of the recesses of my brain.
Ah, that makes sense now. Hope the anaesthetic wears off soon. I’ve never liked that feeling as I always feel a bit out of control of my own brain after an operation. Take care of yourself.
I think it’s not nonsense poem. Poem is very nice write ✍️ you. You are a good writer.
Thank you so much, Rajkkhoja. That’s very kind of you to say 😊. I hope you are well. Xx 💐
Yes, I’am very well & you?
I am well, too, Rajkkhoja. I’m glad you are, too. Xx 💐
Thank, Ellie
In my opinion, it takes real talent to write a good poem about not being able to write poetry! And you did that!
Aww, thank you, Ann. It’s very kind of you to say that. I really had my doubts about this poem, and I very nearly sent it to trash. I’m glad I didn’t now, though. Hope you have a wonderful day. X 🌹
I’m glad you didn’t too!
Poems, songs often form in your head. You can feel that something is there but you can”t really see or know what or how it is. Just as a baby forms in the womb, so the ideas formulate in your head. You simply have to wait until they grow, and they are ready, then they will be born, and you will write. Don’t despair that the ideas need time to nurture and grow. Best wishes, and good luck on your escapade to London. How exactly will you go, bus, train? How or where will you recharge your chair? Does it take long to charge?
Thanks so much for your thoughtful reply, Geoff. What you say makes a lot of sense. I just get frustrated when the words don’t come when I want them to. I’m always so keen to write something; my desire to do so never wanes. Thank you for your good luck wishes. It’s going to be quite some protest on Saturday week. I am going by train to London (about 50 mins on the train), and then, I have to get two underground trains and a bus! Quite a challenge. I will be travelling with others, though, which is very reassuring for me, especially as I have never been on the underground on my own before. Our trains and underground isn’t really cut out for disabled travel. My batteries should last a fair while before needing to be recharged. I will take my high-power charger with me and have to find a cafe where I can plug in and wait – that’ll probably take about 20 mins or so. When I’m at home, Alfie (my wheelchair) is permanently on charge until I go out again. You might even hear about the protest on your TV station, as it’s going to be the largest protest that’s been held for a long, long time. Have a great day 😊.
If you feel that way
Take a break
Look around for ideas
And work on something different
Best wishes
Thank you, Devang. I’ve actually been working on a piece today that is non-fiction, more like memoir, really. It’s quite long, though, so I’m still thinking whether to post it or not. I hope you are well. Do take care 😊.
Best wishes for that
(post it.)
Thanks, Richard.
My muse has the hesitation blues.
Ouch – That sounds painful, Richard 😉.
It’s a tune by Hot Tuna, from back in the day… “tell me how long, do I have to wait…”
Ah, I’ll look that up later, just out of interest 😊.
“Lord, must I hesitate!”
My brain is risking atrophy, yes, I felt that line and many more from you fantastic poem! What a treat it is to read your poems and stories!! 💝💝✨
Thank you so much for your kind words, Pamelap. I’m glad you enjoyed my poem and could relate to parts of it, too. I hope you are well. Xx 💖🌹💖
🥰✨😇
That’s more writing then most do! I love all the rhymes here. It really had such a fun feeling to it.
Thank you, Bridgette. It was fun to write 😊. I’m glad you liked it. (Regarding your #100DayProject post, I am in the middle of emailing you, as I felt it was more personal than leaving a comment.) I hope that is okay for you. Much love Xxx 💖💝💖
Thank you, Ellie. 🙂