Typically when I work on a poem I begin with a thought, a phrase, a general idea of the direction I want to explore. Sometimes it's a song, a word, an influx that will stir the juices and inspire me. That's all pre-writing though. When I get ready to write the process can vary. Sometimes I just sit down and start writing, in fact that's a big part of my process. I feel that writing down a stream of your thoughts, unfiltered, is a great way to just get unique ideas down on paper. This free-formed writing also assists in clearing the mind, which is an added benefit I thought I'd mention. Other times though, I'll sit with a pad of paper and simply start brainwriting, jotting down anything that comes to mind regarding a subject. I may peruse a dictionary or some other types of reference work to paint a clearer list of ideas or things I can work with. Once I have a deep enough list I'll start by sorting it out in my mind, grabbing the best route that works for me and then begin to write. Anyhow, like I mentioned the process changes all the time, so there is definitely something to the old strike while the iron's hot saying. In the case for Dirty Pool I did some brainstorming prior to writing the poem. Here's one of the sheets I came up with.
The quotes used come from a Stevie Ray Vaughn song, Dirty Pool, thought it fit in well with the overall piece.
Lane lines bob from the wake
Eight across, blocks empty
Nothing shallow about pretending
“True love is gone,
Played for a fool”
In a game of dirty pool
Filters clogged with bugs and scum
Discolored and cloaked in film
None of this will matter once the winter comes
Jackknife, Swan dive
In the air, unaware
Of the whistles blow
Oblivious until the dart stroke did him in
Simple technique is all it takes
To pull a trick, to abate
One hand magic-double blind
Cut-spin-plop & stun
3 go down
To the power of 9
Wings clipped as the wedding spins around
Just like Stevie said:
“True love is gone,
Played for a fool”
In this game of dirty pool
Felt scratched
Cue the underground
Chalked and snookered
Unsportsmanlike
Buoys fade
Before the English banks again
Empty pockets
In the hole
Damned near drowning
Legs like glue
Only so much treading
A man can do
Playing for the two
But missing the one
Masse spins
Dishonesties won
Pendulum strikes
Then follows through
Always behind the eight
If you never care enough to learn the rules
Always the hustler
Wet inside
As the easy way out
Becomes a friend to see
8-9-10
Just like Stevie said:
True love is gone,
Played for a fool,
In a game of dirty pool
