From scrabbling to scribbling: how expressive writing can help us stay centred

A found poem reclaimed from my first Weekly Wednesday Write Together scribbles. Join us next Wednesday to write your own.

Scrabbling*

I’m always scrabbling
scrabbling, scrabbling scrabbling

Hard to tell on Zoom maybe
but in person the tells are there

Scrabbling up and down the house
retrieving mislaid glasses
Grabbling fresh water
the cat’s not just sampled

It’s easy to forget
in the scrabble
that I still show up

Tick, tick, ticking off my to-do list
Less effortlessly than I might wish

Hurtling through the doors to the doctors office just in time
– but a week early

Making it to meetings
– presentable if not serene

Arriving early at the vet
I hurried up and waited patiently,
it was an emergency appointment –
I was grateful to be seen

And now I’m creating space
giving myself grace
letting go for the moment –
the mess of papers
my sadness that my beautiful pup struggles more each day

celebrating this moment –
in community with other writers
who also showed up today

We’ve come together
from Gorebridge and Edinburgh in Scotland,
the west of Ireland
– wish I’d asked for pics!
the gateshead border of County Durham
Brighton by the sea
as far away as Austin, Texas
and as close to me as Richmond.
At home in Twickenham

we’re all equally close on Zoom – in our very different places
geographically and in mind.

Scribbling away, not scrabbling.

*A process poem with minor edits made for clarity

You are invited to join us for next week’s session where we will explore found poetry. Feel free to bring some writing from journals, letters, your favourite book. Or just yourself. Showing up is plenty.

Weekly Wednesday Write Togethers 5.30-6.30pm:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89578861993?pwd=dXNHcOSjSB87o246QR69Pfctp23N4A.1

Spread the word.