“But more recently, I have dipped my toe into essays and fiction, and I’ve discovered that the veil I hide behind when writing a poem only serves me so well in other written forms. I’m wonderful at writing around a point. Better at isolated specificity.”
god, as someone who’s only recently returned to essay writing after focusing exclusively on fiction and poetry, this rings all too true for me! when writing about myself in poetry, i’m expert at obfuscating that self from myself. but there’s something so uniquely blunt about essay writing—something that somehow makes that same attempt at obfuscation only all the more revealing of the self. i’m currently working on a personal essay that has proven to be quite the challenge because i’m not very used to looking at myself in the mirror with such emotional scrutiny.
I felt this - been thinking a lot about being perceived lately. It’s strange how much more exposed I feel writing nonfiction and fiction, like there’s nothing to hide behind. Poetry is both more revealing and concealing, it feels safe. Thanks for sharing Caitlin 🩵
“But more recently, I have dipped my toe into essays and fiction, and I’ve discovered that the veil I hide behind when writing a poem only serves me so well in other written forms. I’m wonderful at writing around a point. Better at isolated specificity.”
god, as someone who’s only recently returned to essay writing after focusing exclusively on fiction and poetry, this rings all too true for me! when writing about myself in poetry, i’m expert at obfuscating that self from myself. but there’s something so uniquely blunt about essay writing—something that somehow makes that same attempt at obfuscation only all the more revealing of the self. i’m currently working on a personal essay that has proven to be quite the challenge because i’m not very used to looking at myself in the mirror with such emotional scrutiny.
Agreed! There’s an honest chord you have to strike with yourself before you can strike it with your audience.
I felt this - been thinking a lot about being perceived lately. It’s strange how much more exposed I feel writing nonfiction and fiction, like there’s nothing to hide behind. Poetry is both more revealing and concealing, it feels safe. Thanks for sharing Caitlin 🩵
Absolutely, something about how stripped back the narrative feels is so raw. Poetry feels like a cocoon to retreat to. Thank you for reading Kaya 🖤
this was so relatable and so gorgeous! you really have a way with words!
Thank you Madeline 🫶🏽