Hmmm...My thought for the day. I am thinking that there's a happy medium, that it differs with each poem (perhaps each poet) and that if the JOY is killed then what's the point?
What do you think? miffle

I think I agree, Miffle.
I tend to find my ideas come naturally, just out of the blue, or because I see something that catches my eye, that I want to capture.

The writing is a mix of inspiration and hard work. I've had poems
I 've written in 10 minutes simply because the feeling inside was so strong that it just all came out almost exactly as I wanted. I have others that have been in my drafts folder for ages, and though I know they are valid ideas, its a real slog to formulate and construct them.
Usually, I tend to just write what I feel at first, even if its muddled or in 'ordinary language' . I need to capture the mood, the impressions, the idea before it goes.
Then the harder bit is working on that to turn it into a poem, finding words, images, a rhythm.
But the first spur to writing comes very naturally, 'organically' maybe? I can't sit down and say to myself, 'Right , today a poem about leaves" Just doesn't work that way for me.

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