Thursday, June 05, 2003

I'm writing a lot today because I've been reading Margaret Atwood again. She makes me want to write. Of course, I don't dare compare what I've written to hers, I will undoubtedly be depressed if I do that. It has occurred to me that my favorite authors are women. I just finished Harper Lee's amazing masterpiece and I think I'll get it on paper and read it again. It's one of those books that compels you to study it, not just read it. As most of my friends and aquaintences aren't fascinated by literature like I am, they are put off by that. Most of them would prefer something that did not ask you to think about it, just let it go into your head for a few minutes and distract you, then fly away without disturbing the furniture. I'm in heaven when the room of my mind is in disarray after a book has left it. I love picking up the knick knacks and chairs and having to consider if they were misplaced to begin with. Atwood does this for me but not in a political way. I'm pretty set in my ways politically and it would take a lot to change that but she instructs me in the ways of telling a story. She does it so beautifully--even when what she says should piss me off. I figure the thing to do if I want to write everyday is to keep something of Atwood's always at hand and dip from it every so often. Even (or maybe especially) one of her poems. I just listened to "All Bread" today. And that is why I'm writing.

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