The Playful Poet: 12 Fun Ways to Enhance Your Creativity

Eventually, there comes a time in every poet’s life when you simply aren’t inspired. There’s no spark; the flame has died; and your passion has up and left you.

Flickr photo courtesy of Devender Narang

You may be bereft; or maybe you’re too psychically drained to care.

The problem with these dry spells in a poet’s life is that they can easily turn into weeks and months without writing, which, if you’re like me, can cause moodiness and depression. Also, when you do finally force yourself to sit down and write, you may find that you’re completely and utterly blocked. And ultimately, inspired writing can’t be forced.

So what to do when you feel uninspired to write? How to get back that passion that underlies our poetry and fuels our drive to create?

Fuel Up With Play

In A Poet’s Companion, Kim Addonizio and Dorianne Laux suggest that there are times when we, as poets, are full and times when we are empty. They write:

When you’re full to overflowing you write poems until you are empty, then you wait around while you get filled up again. (199)

I’ve found that when I’m “empty” the best (and simplest) way to get fueled again is to play.

In other words, I engage in fun, creative activities that amuse and entertain me. These activities don’t simply keep me occupied; rather, they become the necessary experiences and opportunities for creative reflection needed to fuel my passion and my poetry.

When I say “play,” I mean in it in a very broad sense. Maybe it’s just me, but anything that amuses me or makes me think is play for me.  So, I include a lot activities under that rubric. Plus, play is more an attitude than an activity.

If you’re having fun, if it delights you and brings you joy, then that’s playing.

And I’ve found that playing provides many benefits to my writing and my creative process. I develop new creative skills and learn more about myself and about the world. Also, it enhances my creativity so that I come to feel more expansive and begin to see more creative possibilities in my poetry. Finally, I tend to gain back the excitement and inspiration that was originally lacking in my creative process.

Ways to Play

Adults tend to be out of the habit of cutting loose their imaginations to play. But there’s no age limit on playing. I believe playing is an innate and natural part of being human, and it’s only through socialization that we learn to censor and repress the parts of us that love and need to play.

So, if you’re writing feels dull and you think you need to play, but you’re out of practice, that’s okay.

Here I’ve compiled a list of my favorite playful activities that inspire me and enhance, broaden, and strengthen my creativity:

1. Go gourmet. I love to cook and bake. A fancy meal for two, a new recipe with ingredients I’ve never heard of, or some chocolate chip cookies for my partner to share at work.  Cooking and baking lets me mix, stir, sauté, and puree to my heart’s content.
2. Add some color. I like to sketch with pencils and pens, but my favorite way to make art is to use lots of color. I love creating colorful abstracts with pastels or even crayons or trying my hand at watercolors or paints. And I don’t limit my painting to the page. Try sprucing up an old chair, table, or shelf with some paint; you’ll add to your home décor and have a great time doing it.
3. Reproduce it. I’ve been known to play around with cameras and audio recorders of all sorts, but I mostly stick with my video camcorder and my digital audio recorder. But you don’t need fancy gadgets. You can buy a relatively cheap, disposable camera at the drugstore, snap some photos, and have them developed before the day is over.
4. Create some order. Cleaning is drudgery for me, but I actually enjoy organizing closets, shelves, and filing cabinets. It’s fun to find the right bins and containers to organize my things or to buy colorful file folders and fun, sticky labels and to file away all my loose papers. Sure, it’s functional and efficient to organize, but it’s also a good time.
5. Get dirty. Gardening is one of my favorite hobbies because I get to play in the dirt. Pull some weeds, plants some seeds, throw around some mulch. It’s a great physical activity and fun to boot. Don’t have a garden?  Then, buy and pot some indoor plants or repot your old ones. Putting your hands in some dirt will remind you that you’re connected to the earth.
6. Train your brain. I’m a nerd. I love books, and I love to learn new subjects. I’ve been known to scrounge through my partner’s textbooks from college and study up on new fields. Physics, psychology, and history are my favorites. But maybe you like biology, feminist theory, and environmental science. There are books available in every conceivable field; so, buy or borrow one from the library or a friend and buff up on your study habits.
7. Get spiritual. Yes, even spiritual activities fulfill my sense of play. Meditating, doing yoga, reading daily affirmations, and praying not only give me a sense of peace and well being, but also offer me creative and pleasurable ways to reflect on my connection with the universe.
8. Make music. It’s something of a stretch to call me a musician, but I do have an electronic keyboard and a guitar that I enjoy playing around on. It’s not only fun to play with an instrument, but there’s something about hearing all those different sounds that makes me happy. If you don’t have an instrument, then it’s cheap to buy an egg shaker or a harmonica. Or if you really don’t want to spend money, then sing a song. It’s totally free, not to mention freeing.
9. Stitch. I’m not very good at it, but I do enjoy knitting, and when I’m depressed this is an excellent activity for stimulating my brain and for keeping my mind off my troubles. My grandmother was a seamstress, and she loved working with fabrics, threads, and yarn. I remember how much fun it was to see and feel all her colorful fabrics. Perhaps, you sew, crochet, or cross-stitch. If all else fails, then try sewing that button back on your shirt or darn a pair of socks. It’s fun, and it’ll make you feel cared for.
10. Compete. If you don’t participate in organized sports, then you can always organize a tag football game or shoot a few hoops with friends. Not into sports? Then pull out those board games. What writer doesn’t love Scrabble? But don’t forget chess, checkers, Monopoly, and poker. And if you have kids, then you have the perfect opportunity to have a raucous game of Candyland. There’s nothing quite like winning a game to put a huge grin on your face.
11. Hoof it. Explore your world on foot. Take a hike in the woods or a leisurely stroll through a park. I love to simply walk around my neighborhood, checking out the houses and lawns, inventing stories about the people I see. Walking is not only pleasurable, but it can remind us that everything begins with the first step and progress is one step at a time.
12. Plan a date. I saved this one for last because it’s actually one of the best ways to play: make a date with yourself, get out of the house, and experience life. No tag-alongs allowed. That’s right, do it alone. Julia Cameron calls this an “Artist’s Date.” But whatever. I call it hanging out by myself and doing fun stuff. Try museums, jazz cafes, art galleries, or new restaurants. Don’t have money to spend? Then, try window shopping, free art fairs and carnivals, or the public library. Look in your local listings. You might be surprised by how many public events are actually free.

These are just a few suggestions for fun and playful experiences. I’m sure you can think of plenty of ideas of your own.

But the point is to DO stuff—to engage in activities that really stimulate your creative brain.

So, the next time you feel uninspired and dispassionate about creating poetry, then let yourself play and have some fun. I think you’ll come to experience your creativity in whole new ways, and you might just find that the passion and spark for poetry never left you. You just needed a new experience to write about.

What are your favorite ways to play?

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Flickr photo courtesy of Devender Narang