sometimes these words are raked up begrudgingly from the muck
squishly muddy little disappointing salty clamwords
bringing their fictions to the work in the random
pullingnamesfromahat order that holds no justice
if the world is my page, i’ve got no pen for the pace
nor plot. so much is beyond my ken. that i’ll have to face
but the mood and the rhythm, that i can hold
and with luck, still win the race
20200729
for the weekly scribblings at https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/2020/07/weekly-scribblings-30-writing-as.html
erbiage 
I can think of a day or two when I’ve ended up covered in mud, with clamwords snickering at me from the muck, and gossiping about blank pages.
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lol! snickering clams! oh yeah i think we’ve all been there!
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Now I lay me down to sleep
a poem I must write
may it fall into my head
while I’m asleep tonight
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oh Bev, i love this! may it be so
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If we use the right tools, we can indeed win the race.
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It is so important to have confidence in yourself; then you may well win the race.
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Robin, there is much truth in that. and the timing of you bringing that to me now is perfect. thank you.
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… or at least enjoy the running. 🙂
(It’s a long time since I fished for clams. Nice to be reminded. They’re happy memories.)
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Rosemary, your insight is always spot on. thank you!
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I am loving your title, I relate so very much as heritage words, “digging for clams.” A visual set, once in a visit I went clam digging with my grandmotheralong the Iregon beach. I wasn’t feeling cheated when she only found empty clam holes. I was only feeling her love. Her words? Never harsh or unkind for me or anyone else. Only encouraging ones I can remember in a loving way.
Thank you for this memory recall.
..
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Love, love, love this …. enjambment in the highest.
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“if the world is my page, i’ve got no pen for the pace” – your world, your rules
Sometimes writing well takes the dedicated work to win the race
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Yes, sometimes writing poetry does feel like digging for words, Eric, and we can only find those ‘squishly muddy little disappointing salty clamwords’. But given enough of them, we can clean them up and make something shinier.
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I love the squished together words and odd punctuation – proof you write for yourself (and adoring fans which I am one!) Well penned!
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Brilliant wordsmiting here, Eric! 😀 I love the pacing and adrenaline rush that follows throughout this poem. 💝
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