…on Poetry and Fiction
Mind Photographs: Write What You See
written by: Phyllis P. Colucci
@FictionTarot
Our mind is the most intricate, specially designed attribute of our human existence. It is at work twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week; even as we sleep. It is thinking, searching, scanning sorting, saving, dreaming and remembering. Our mind always keeps us in tune, aware and alive. It keeps us in touch with ourselves and the world. It keeps us knowledgeable, decisive, reactive, proactive, approachable, emotional and strong. Most of all it enhances our view through its unique lens, and brings all that we see into focus. It is magically “photographic”, and allows us to develop the greatest pictures and photos through that unique lens, empowering our mind’s eye. So the most natural thing to do from this moment on would be to turn our “Mind Photographs” into Poetry and Fiction by simply writing what we see.
When you walk through the park, take a “mind” photo of the tall green trees and dancing leaves, that play a game of “hide and seek” with the sun; When you stare up at the moon, take a “mind” photo of the stars in the sky that seem to be twinkling to only your heart, in morse code; When you are relaxing in your garden, take a “mind” photo of the many flowers swaying in the wind, while colorful butterflies bless them in graceful flight; take a “mind” photo of the chirping birds that stop by for a quick dip in your stone bird bath; take “mind” photos of the changing seasons as Old Man Winter makes way for an early Spring and vivacious Summer pushes through, awaiting the earthy colors of Autumn to appear; take “mind” photos of roaring seas, burning sands, blue skies and lovely beaches; take “mind” photos of children playing and grown-ups laughing…people walking…people talking…couples holding hands; take “mind” photos in the dog park, at the zoo, on a pier; take “mind” photos of the skyline, the horizon, the sunset…keep taking those “mind” photos.
Now you may ask, wouldn’t it be easier to just snap some photos with a camera phone, then look at them later and put those images into poetry and fiction? Yes, that may be the case; however, if you keep clicking photos with your camera phone, you take the enjoyment and precision out of simply recording those real-time images through the lens of your mind’s eye. You’ll soon realize that your concentration and focus are no longer there, since you are totally preoccupied and totally distracted by technology in trying to capture images with your camera phone – most times missing the emotions and moments as they happen. Trust your mind, trust your memory, and sit back and relax. Let the world happen. At the end of the day, your mind will have collected a superb array of the most spectacular photos of love, life, nature and whatever else you’ve encountered in your day.
Now sit at your computer and type out words, phrases and sentences, describing that superb array of the most spectacular “mind” photos ever. Words of love, life, people, nature…Add some emotion and breathe life into those words, phrases and sentences – and just write what you have seen through the powerful lens of your mind’s eye. Bring all of those images together and create poetry that will sing like a melody and play out like a song; create fiction that will read like a stage play and perform like a movie. Your writing will become a photographer’s dream.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:
Sometimes we need to utilize our mind in order to take mental photographs of our life and our surroundings, in real time, as we go through our day. Then we can turn those images into great poetry and /or fiction, through writing. We rely too much on technology, such as our camera phones, as we risk losing what’s happening before us while fiddling with these gadgets.