Creative Writing - First Class

On Wednesday, the 21, despite not having set foot in a classroom in nearly 40 years, despite the flutterbys in my stomach and that kept leaping up into my mouth, I found the classroom and entered.

A few young faces were already there. "An elder student has entered," I said. I asked if anyone sat at any particular desk. They said no, any desk would do, that we'd probably put the desks in a circle anyway. Which we did.

There are thirteen students ranging in age from youthful 20's to a lady of 73. Our professor is a woman who has worked with/studied under such people as Allen Ginsberg and Tom Robbins, to name just two. She is also the founder of the Texas Heritage Music Foundation and knows a lot of people in the music world. She is a popular teacher.

I can see why. Her class is friendly, casual, open. She has a great deal teach. I think this class will be about finding creativity. All forms of writing are included. Poetry, short stories, travelogue, non-fiction, fiction. We are even expected to do a bit of performing.

If I had to describe her class in one word, it would be, Explore.

And so I begin to explore beyond my comfort zone, which is one of the things I need to do.

Here are a few pattern-breaking questions she gave us and which you can ask yourself.

1. Imagine a particular flower, such as a rose. What sound does it make?
2. Name your favorite song. What does it taste like?
3. What color is love and why?
4. What odor does fear have? What is the odor of hate?

Are you interested?