An Invitation to Feel vs. Analyze

Exclusive Writing Lab on the first read of a narrative poem by Sharon Olds

Welcome back:

We’ve taken the slow route of reading/responding, re-reading/feeling, then re-reading and agreeing to experience-as-if-the-narrator. Now, we loop though the whole process again with a narrative poem by Sharon Olds.

Olds, 2013, www.Vogue.com

There’s a lot to say about Ms. Olds, a remarkable writer and a memoirist in the truest sense in that she takes from her life to make her art. There is even more to say about her collection of writing including the book, The Father, published by Knopf in 1992, from which I’m taking this particular poem, but I’m going to hold back in order we get to the work itself.

You have a couple options:

1) Go back to the original lessons for a refresher:

The Transformative Essay: Pt. 1: Read/what did you feel

The Transformative Essay: Pt. 2: Feelings defined/connected to unmet needs.

The Transformative Essay: Pt. 3: Now ready to “enter the work” anew, re-read and pick a section to experience as if the person in the story.

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Everyone else, like you, I detest paywalls, I do! I know you do, too, but this is where I have to honor myself and ask you to consider becoming a paid subscriber. I hope you will and when you do, you’ll enjoy the rest of this terrific post! 🤗