[New-Poetry] Time to write?

[Bob Grumman]

During my four years in the air force, I think I wrote four or five poems, and possibly part of a play.  I find it so hard to have a 9 to 5 job and be creative, that I've spent my life avoiding work.  After the air force, my only 9 to 5 job was working for a computer service bureau.  I think, during a vacation, I rewrote much of a book on my theory of psychology.  Otherwise, I was almost completely unproductive.  Oh, before that I worked in a factory days, and as a security guard nights.  That only lasted a year.  I did not writing, I'm sure.

Now, working as a substitute teacher, I get my primary work done during my many vacations.  I'm able to revise stuff, and even compose poetry while working, sometimes, but it's tough.  

I think that once what you compose becomes second-nature, as some of my poetry has for me, it's not that hard to compose it during work days.  But more ambitious stuff, or maybe just longer stuff, like a novel or non-fiction book, is near impossible for me, unless under way.  I seem to need, or think I need, to know I have uninterrupted time to finish a thing before I can get going on it.

I find I can just about always do a blog entry, regardless of whether I'm working or not, and some of them I consider important (for me). 

There are other factors, like how well you like your 9 to 5 job, or the equivalent.  Subbing I like much better than my previous jobs, which helps.  How much your job relates to your art is obviously important, too.  Switching from teaching poetry to composing it must be easier than switching from operating a computer to composing poetry, for example.  Having intelligent people sympathetic to your work where you do you 9 to 5 would certainly help you compose on the side, too.  And a culturally-stimulating environment  I have both, to a degree, at the high school I teach at.  For instance, most classrooms have books in them, and I can visit the excellent school library once a day or more (and sometimes sub there).  I would have it to a greater degree if I were teaching at a college.  I can't say I had it in the air force, or at the computer service bureau or the factory.  There were intelligent, cultured people at both places, but no books, to speak of, and no time to discuss culture, anyway--except, of course, when the 9 to 5 part of the day was over.

One conclusion: we're all different.  

One question like the one Richard asked about whether having time or not having time is good/bad: is being prevented for long periods of time from composing good or bad?  I sometimes think being prevented from composing can give an artist time to fill up with ideas.  I have found that I'm often very much more productive during a vacation than I was when I had no 9 to 5 job (which was the case with me for almost 20 years after my computer service bureau job).

--Bob G.
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