Today my intention was to write an uplifting blog about
poetry. The older I get, the more I
enjoy poetry, and I love feeling inspired by it. So, I thought, how best to share this
delight?
But now I sit down, and it’s been raining almost non-stop
for two days, and we have localised flooding forecast, and I’m no longer
feeling so upbeat.
Which made me think about how much mood – for me – is affected
by what is going on around me, and especially the weather. And although this can be depressing (living
in Scotland, the weather is often, well, depressing), I realise it can also be useful
in my writing.
I can use the dreariness of a dull day to help me describe
the dreariness of my character’s life, or the brilliance of a Spring morning to
engage with their happiness. It doesn’t
have to be dull weather, or Spring-like, in the story. It’s the emotion I’m using, as one of the
many ways we draw on what is happening in our lives to delve deeper into our
characters’ feelings.
Of course, it doesn’t always work. It’s not so easy when you are trying to write
about a character who is feeling sad about leaving the heat of southern Africa,
while you are experiencing the cold dampness of a Scottish summer! Then you just have to look to your memories,
or some other way of creating the atmosphere you want. And one of those things I turn to more and
more is poetry.
So there we are – I’m back to my uplifting blog about
poetry! And to tie in with the weather
theme, I want to mention one truly uplifting poem which has weather at its
heart. I could never express this nearly
so well as the wonderful Ted Hughes does, but I can tune in to the emotion he is
feeling, and use that in both my life and my writing.
I remember the first line of the poem as ‘This house has been
at sea all night’ … but my younger son, studying it for Standard grade, told me
(sighing) that actually the words are ‘This house has been far out at
sea all night.’ Which sent me to look
out the poem so I could read it again. He
was right. And the poem is as brilliant as
ever. Here is the beginning:
Wind
This
house has been far out at sea all night,
The woods crashing through darkness, the booming hills,
...The woods crashing through darkness, the booming hills,
For copyright reasons I don't want to put the full poem here, but it's well worth reading. See
http://www.poemhunter.com/best-poems/ted-hughes/wind/
http://www.poemhunter.com/best-poems/ted-hughes/wind/
Really good blog, Gill. I like the idea of using aspects of the weather to develop your characters' moods. And I love the Ted Hughes poem, which is one of my favourites. Trouble is whenever I want to write about a wild wind blowing and the trees sounding like the ocean I remember this poem and think I'll never write anything so good.
ReplyDeleteThe weather does have a powerful influence on our lives and our moods, or at least in Britain where it is so changeable, but I'm sure in other countries too where it is even more intense. The poem illustrates the stormy wind so well. I love poetry and this almost makes me wish I could write it too.
ReplyDeleteIn our local region the weather will have ruined the pageant and parades of the Riding of the Marches today - an annual event of most Border towns.
Thanks,Gill.A reminder of a poem I'd forgotten and am delighted to be re-acquainted with.For me, it's the unpredictability of the weather which makes it so fascinating.It's a truism,but we really should enjoy every (good) day!
ReplyDeleteMyra, Gwen and Mary - so glad you can empathise with my weather pre-occupation. And the poem. It is a great one. But Mary, you write great poems too, so don't be intimidated.
ReplyDeleteThe title couldn't be more apt for me today....wind was so high the washing was revedrse-vertical on the line.....think Ted would have put this much better than I have...:)
ReplyDeleteWhoops...that should have been reverse.....:)
ReplyDeleteTruly atmospheric poem, Gill. I didn't know it but I shall cherish it now. I think weather can be used to such good effect in all kinds of writing. Must be some compensation for what we endure, especially this grey summer!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Gill - love his poems. How could we live in Scotland and not be affected by the weather! But I like the changeability (sp?) of it all.
ReplyDeleteWhat would we grumble about if we didn't have the weather? Yet this poem is so brimming full of description without a single complaint.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the comments. It really is a great poem, isn't it? It's inspired me to look out some more Ted Hughes.
ReplyDeleteI too have a son studying literature who puts me right on quotes (and books and authors!) The TH poem certainly sums up the weather we have been having.
ReplyDeleteI have always enjoyed poetry - especially romantic, although I did go through a time when it was war poetry for me and I still have quite a collection of ancient war poet books. I don't read them now so much -they always made me cry!
Great post Gill!