To UK or to UofL

Stay in school and don't do drugs. College is important.

I'm looking forward to it. New classes, a focus on literature and writing, it's going to be a blast. The only problem is where to go and how to get there.

Lots of ups and downs about where I want to go, why I want to go there, how I know I want to go there, and whether I'll be content with making the decision to go there on that basis. I wrote a poem earlier in the year about this indecision, this contstant movement toward an unknown end. I'm sure there's some other seniors out there--here's what I'm feeling.

Standing Still

 
The sun sets, the wind walks, to your left a rabbit scurries
through thick twelve inch grass; dusk breathes on the earth,
and clouds billow and brush past stars that—though seemingly motionless—
pulse with purposeful passion.
 
And you sit still, not at a crossroads but a field—beautiful and windswept
like the girl you love crossing smooth legs at your hip, like her hair which dances
as she once did, a hummingbird or an otter in a shallow brook; she whispers wisdom,
but you don’t hear over the perpetual motion of the field—not now, not yet.
 
No, you listen to the sun—that burning, fiery star
tugging at your empty chest, pulling you toward its purifying kiln;
you can’t hear the soft vibration of her lips because right now, you wish
the sun would just this once stand still for you.

You dream—if only for a second, only for a moment,
that racing star might wait for you.

Any seniors our there? Where are you headed next year? Any college kids or out of college kids? What helped you decide? Let's chat.

Strength and Courage,
nathan

Great with Child to Speak

I've been reading through a book of old poetry I snagged for a quarter at my library's used book sale. It never ceases to amaze me how constant human nature has been throughout history. We've written about the same things, felt the same things, and struggled with the same things. As a writer, this is interesting to me.

What's more interesting, is when writers write about their ruts--their struggle for artistic perfection. I came across a sonnet by Sir Phillip Sidney. It's worth sharing.

So let's read this together. I love every word. And together, let's do our duty as writers.

Loving in Truth
Sir Phillip Sidney

Loving in truth, and fain in verse my love to show,

That the dear she might take some pleasure of my pain,

Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know,

Knowledge might pity win, and pity grace obtain,

I sought fit words to paint the blackest face of woe:

Studying inventions fine, her wits to entertain,

Oft turning others' leaves, to see if thence would flow

Some fresh and fruitful showers upon my sunburned brain.

But words came halting forth, wanting Invention's stay;

Invention, Nature's child, fled stepdame Study's blows;

And others' feet still seemed but strangers in my way.

Thus, great with child to speak, and helpless in my throes,

Biting my truant pen, beating myself for spite:

"Fool," said my Muse to me, "look in thy heart, and write."

So do it! Write something! And tell me about it. "Turn others' leaves" with me.

Strength and Courage,
Nathan

Artist: Change in Mediums

I'm blogging again. It's time to return to the self indulging internet and spill my guts about whatever I feel like, hoping someone somewhere might read it. Apparently, I've been missed.

Since GSA, school stole my time but I worked on the novel. More recently, I've abandoned fiction in pursuit of poetry. I love it. I can write more, better pieces than I could with just fiction. I'd like to return someday, but for now I am content being a poet.

I've been successful too. Overture Award semis, Scholastic Writing American Voice nomination, and great personal enjoyment from it all.

I'm becoming okay with this new writing identity--verse instead of prose, stanzas instead of chapters. I leave you with this parting sonnet.

To Share a Poem

Nathan R. Petrie

I wanted to share a poem with you

today, something to make you think

like Finney, remember like Frost, or, better,

weep like Keats. Got to wondering why

that was—why I thought important, meaningful

writing provoked, shouted, or cried. Why

I thought I knew good work by the count

of those who remembered it. Got to thinking maybe

there was too much of that: too much clinched-teeth,

eye-wetting, accept-the-unacceptable writing. That maybe

we’d lost touch with why we wrote to begin with, the pleasure

of seeing, like perched eagles, crystal rivers shape the earth.

So, I wanted to share a poem, but tonight, by light of a slowly

growing moon, all I saw was this. At least, I can say that it’s true.

What've you been working on? Any poets? I've missed this.

Strength and Courage,
Nathan

God Breathed Writing

I want to write something worth reading, but not only that, I want to write something God wants me to write, and something that brings honor to His name. I want to challenge readers, but more often than not, my writing challenges myself. Sometimes too much.

Obviously, I'm an extremely busy teenager so novel writing is difficult--but that's not all that I mean when I say it is a challenge.

I'm challenged to believe and live what I write. And I'm challenged to write the truth, and do so with some semblance of literary value. And that's difficult because it's not the only thing I'm doing.

So if you would, friends and readers, please pray for me as I write this story. The outline is nearly complete, at least enough to get started writing, but it doesn't feel...right.

How has your own writing challenged you spiritually or in other ways?

Strength and Courage,
Nathan

Govenor's School for the Arts - Recap

I got back from GSA this Saturday and I have this to say about it: AMAZING.

Those of you who live in Kentucky or any other state--look into your GSA program, see if you have one, and apply. It was truly amazing.

What was so amazing? Well, let me give you the rundown.

Every morning began with a performance or presentation from nationally or even internationally recognized artists. We had painters, weavers, classical dancers, contemporary dancers, orchestral chamber music, wind chamber music, contemporary (think Cage) music, a cellist, three poets, dramatists (solo and in groups), filmakers, jazz pianists, architects, and more!

Following these inspiring performances, we went to studio/master classes. As a Creative Writer, my instructors were Kelly Norman Ellis, Mitchell LH Douglas, and Ellen Hagan. Look them up. They're brilliant. All three are college professors and one even directs an MFA program. We got the best of the best.

In class, we recieved writing prompts, detailed lessons on the craft, guest artist appearences (we had Maurice Manning, Lynnell Edwards, Alicia Whitaker, and  THE Frank X Walker...look these cats up....they are Pulitzer nominees and trailblazers). We also workshopped writing immediately after writing it...esentially a college course but with more engaged classmates and teachers.

At night, more people performed for us, and if not, we'd go up to the computer labs and type what we wrote that day and recieved personal one-on-one critiques from the professors.

In our free time, we did more writing, read for the school at weekly Coffee Houses, collaborated with visual artists (I had a poem illustrated!), jammed in the lobby to impromtu jazz, played cards, and got to know each other even better.

To bed at midnight, up again at 7.

As for the Word War, my final word count is......

18,046
And I think I underestimated quite a bit. I filled up an entire TopFlight Wired notebook. This doesn't count blog posts, journal entries, etc. This is only poetry and prose.

Post your final word counts and/or questions about GSA! I'll give you a few more days and then announce the winner!

Strength and Courage,
Nathan

GSA Poem

Inspiration
-Nathan R. Petrie-

Truth is a song and a story
sung by a small blackbird
who crescendos with age alone;
it is uninterested
in opinions or whether you listen—
it just sings,
humming with reserved energy,
like the waters of Mississippi
were dammed at its mouth.
Be silent and listen
to the songs of the streams,
for your hearing is wanted
and solitude beckons—
like a calling blackbird.

-Nathan
(PS Week of poetry is almost completed! This was written during a workshop with Pulitzer Prize nominee Maurice Manning. Sweet right??)

GSA Day 2: Wish I Could Say More...

Click HERE for GSA's website--filled with videos and pictures of what we're doing during the program! I'm actually in Day One's video! So, check it out!!

Blogger isn't letting me post pictures, due to the college's computer system so unfortunately you'll have to check them out on GSA's site if you are interested. And please do! They are very cool.

Today's program began with a "performance" by a filmmaker. He showed clips from his new documentary entitled, "Carbonation" (or some variation of that) about global warming. A lot of his arguments were slippery at best, but his point was different and refreshing. He didn't come to convince us that we should believe in climate change or die. He came to tell us that we all actually agree on most solutions to cilmate change, energy, etc. And should take steps toward what we agree instead of where we disagree.

In studio today, we, again, worked on poetry. This time we focused on three aspects: detail, music, and story.

For detail, Kelly Norman Ellis (one of our instructors) read one of her own poems which she referred to as an "Inventory" poem. Essentially, it was a long list of all the things in her grandfather's gas station and what they meant to her. The point was this--be specific. Put simply she said;

"Give things the dignity of their names."

The idea that a specific name speaks for itself.

Now, my poem in response to this was garbage. But what I took away, that details are important, is very useful.

When talking about the music of poetry, I think this is a very obvious part of writing poetry. Rhythm, alliteration, possible rhyme or no rhyme, etc. We read the poem "The Tour" and were then challenged to write a poem with a strong sense of place and movement. I called my piece "Brothers" and I think it turned out pretty well.

The best part of the workshop part of the day came during Ellen's turn to teach. She had us make a timeilne of our lives and mark world events and personal events. Then, after several readings of published poetry, ("Everything has to Change") we wrote a piece that connected a world event with a personal event.

This is my second favorite piece I've written so far. Very exciting.

At night we typed up and worked with pieces started in other workshops and free writes. My favorite piece came out of this: "The Maverick Red Mustang."

I won't post too much of my writing on here just yet--we're making chapbooks at the end of the week and I don't want to spoil it for my parents and others who may be reading and coming to hear.

And there's so much more to say: jam sessions, fuz ball, euchre, novel chats, fire drills at 12:30 AM, and so much more!

Suffice to say, I'm having a blast.

What sort of things have you written lately?

Strength and Courage,
-Nathan