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Gretchen Hovan

©2008

Writing as a Writergretchen hovan

Twelve years old and
words pour out of me
short stories journals picture books notebook mysteries
I am to be a writer.

Thirty five years old and none of the words
are for me:
pages on my teaching for parents;
novels on my students’ work,
documenting them with subtext and leitmotifs.

I write for others, but I am not a writer.

So I ease back into the practice
of writing for myself,
sore muscles at first,
but then Notebook

i remember the feel
of the words in my hand
pick up speed
soar over the familiar road
lean into the curves
stop riding the brakes so hard
quit fighting to control the path
i ride with it.

And I realize I am a writer
with each move I make to record
and make sense
and understand.
As I pull my words together
to create,
I am a writer.